Natural History

Croton
(Codiaeum variegatum)

The croton is a common tropical hedge plant and ornamental shrub in Hawaii. It was much-beloved by the people living in the plantation camps. Hedges lined the perimeters of house-lots and the bushes found a place in plantings next to the houses as well. It made great dry district roadside plantings and were often cut low, rather than as privacy screens.

The wild, green-leaved form is native from Fiji, westward to Australia. The bright-colored foliage of cultivated forms is very conspicuous and the plants are often massed in clumps. The bushes are large but rarely reach a height of 15 feet.

There are more than 200 varieties of croton that vary widely in leaf form, color and shape. Colors can include reds, oranges, yellows, greens, purples, and even pure white. The popular names for these varieties are often very descriptive: Indian blanket, cup-and-saucer, bottle neck, yellow parasol, Bermuda red, ribbon-leaf, red or yellow duckfoot, gold-dust, green or red corkscrew and curly croton.

The leaves can be plain, spotted or mottled and they come in a variety of forms including oblong, narrow, lobed, twisted or wavy. No matter what colors the mature leaves exhibit, the new growth on most crotons start out green. All croton leaves are thick, smooth and short-stemmed and range from 3 to 10 inches long. The leaves of the narrow crotons are sometimes used in Micronesian-style lei that are plaited like the Hawaiian haku lei. Old-timers say the croton has an unfortunate habit of staining clothes with its milky sap.

A sunny location encourages the best leaf color, it is said, although some varieties, especially the hybrids from Florida, have sensitive foliage and prefer partial shade. The plants need well-drained soil, but they can't be allowed to go without moisture for very long.

Small flowers grow from the axils of the upper leaves in narrow spikes from 6 to 10 inches long and are inconspicuous compared with the showy leaves. The male flowers are white, each with 15 or more stamens.

Croton fruiting capsules are small, globular and three parted.

The roots and leaves were once used for medicine, the leaves of some forms are cooked for greens and the young growth has been used in some countries as water buffalo fodder.

 
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Arts & Culture

The First Bank Robbery

On February 3, 1934, a quiet Saturday morning, Maui was the scene of the first bank robbery ever in the Hawaiian Islands. It took place at the Paia branch of the Bank of Hawaii, "a daring, broad daylight holdup." Two bandits, one of them armed with a .25 caliber automatic, took $976.41 from the two tellers who were alone in the bank, and escaped by automobile. Although neither robber was masked, both wore sunglasses and ties and one sported a large mustache he had painted on himself with an eyebrow pencil.

The bandits were captured less than five hours later after a manhunt by Sheriff Clem C. Crowell's men. David Wong, 21, and George Wong, 18 broke down and confessed to the crime. Both young men were from Lahaina and were unrelated.

Within a week they pleaded guilty and were sentenced by Judge Daniel Case to 20 years in prison on Oahu. Of the money they had stolen, $934 was recovered and returned to the bank.

No other bank robberies were reported until 1955, when the American Security Bank on Beretania Street in Honolulu and the Bank of Hawaii's Paia branch (again) were held up.

The Paia bank was organized in 1913 as First National Bank of Paia. The First National was the first bank in Hawaii to be housed in a concrete building on its own land. In 1917, First National merged with banks in Lahaina and Wailuku as Bank of Maui, Ltd. Then, in 1930, Bank of Maui merged with Bank of Hawaii.

The branch relocated to a new building further down Baldwin Avenue. The old building (which is close to the Ikeda building) is now privately owned.

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Braddah-Nics Lexicon

STANDARD: Do I care that they are making all kinds of trouble? No.
BRADDAH-NICS: What? I kea dem buggahs make all kine any kine? Not even!

* * * * * *

STANDARD:  The problem was not that he made a mistake; he compounded it by
refusing to correct it.
BRADDAH-NICS: Ne' min' he make mistake, but he nevah try make 'em pono.

* * * * * *

STANDARD: Russell, I feel you are taking advantage of the situation here.
BRADDAH-NICS: Ho, Russell....jus' make house!

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Local Grinds

Fizzy Fruity Slush

Ingredients:

• 5 oranges
• 3 lemons
• 5 cups water
• 4 cups sugar
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• Other fruits as desired.
• Lemon lime soda or ginger ale.

Procedure:

Juice oranges and lemons in pitcher. In saucepan, combine sugar and water and boil until sugar is dissolved. Let cool.
Combine juice, sugar water, and fruits in pitcher: Freeze. 
Toss frozen mixture in glass and add soda. Enjoy!

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