This low lying plant grows on the cliffs of the mountains. The ʻaʻaliʻi is a robust plant capable of growing on some of the most windy mountain sides on these islands. The wood is very hard and was used to make spears and canoes. Also, the longer stems of the plant were often used as posts for the construction of homes. Hawaiians also used the heavy stems of the plant as bait sticks for catching fish.

It was the plants leaves, however, that made the plant invaluable for early Hawaiians. The full leaves resemble the leaf of the lehua and have the capability to destroy rash and itch.
The following mixture creates a liquid that is used for bathing. Along with curing rashes and itches, the liquid mixture was also helpful as a remedy for infectious diseases.

To Prepare:

Use a medium sized container and fill it with the leaves of the ʻaʻaliʻi. Add eight pieces of puakalakūkula, tap root bark and the bark of the ʻalaʻa. Pound these together, add water, and four pinches of salt. Strain ingredients. Heat liquid for bathing. Bath in this liquid as frequently as needed. At the close of the application clean the bowels by pounding four pilikai seeds to powder form.

This cure is named holoina. Hence the old saying: The affliction being rash or itch, the cure is the holoina.

Please seek the guidance of your physician or traditional healing specialist before beginning treatment of any kind. Also, please remember that Hawaiian herbal remedies are always used in conjunction with spiritual cleansing and pule (prayer).