The native mint with a very long name, ‘ala‘ala wa nui wahine, grows in dry, rocky areas on all the islands. Although a mint, this one has no odor. A close relative known as coleus is a popular garden plant.

Probably the longest name applied by Hawaiians to any plant, just what does it mean? ‘ala‘ala wai nui is a name applied to a group of plants known as peperomias (Family Piperaceae) with some 25 native species found in the Hawaiian Islands. So, the short answer is, this mint is the wahine (of or for women) peperomia. As for ‘ala‘ala wai nui, it does not make a lot of sense; wai nui is "big water" as in Kawai Nui Marsh ("the big water marsh)". And, although ‘ala‘ala has several meanings in Hawaiian, like "big water", none seems applicable to peperomia plants.