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Brighamia rockii (Cabbage Tree) - An unusual plant that grows to 3 to 6 feet tall on a thick leafless succulent stem that is swollen at the base and tapered towards the top and is topped by many light green leathery 6-inch-long spoon-shaped leaves. The 4-inch-long trumpet-shaped white flowers, produced from between the leaves, are formed in clusters of 3 to 8 flowers. Generally appearing in late summer to early fall they are mildly fragrant. Like the very similar Brighamia insignis, from which B. rockii differs in flower color (B. insignis has yellow cream-colored flowers) and native range, these plants are often described as a cabbage sitting on top of a bowling pin.
Plant in part sun to light shade in a well-drained soil. Protect from frost and cold wet winter conditions. Our plants have taken mild frosts but are sheltered from winter moisture and covered when temperatures fall below freezing.
Brighamia rockii is found growing on sea cliffs from sea level to 1,500 feet on the windward coast of Moloka'i from Kalaupapa to Halawa though it may have also grown at one time on Maui and Lana'i while Brighamia insignis is native to the sea cliffs from sea level to 1,300 feet on the Napali Coast and Ha'upu Ridge of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The genus was named after William Tufts Brigham, the first director of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu. The specific epithet honors the Austrian-American self-trained botanist Joseph Rock (1884 – 1962), who was a leading authority on the Hawaiian flora in the early 20th century. He described this species as a "grotesque plant", The Hawaiian name for this plant is Pua ?ala, which means "fragrant flower". Our plants that we sold in 2009 were grown from seed purchased from Seedhunt.
The information about Brighamia rockii that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
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