Hawaiian Encyclopedia : Popular and Traditional Lei Flowers (2024)

Popular and Traditional Lei Flowers

He hi‘i alo ua milimili ‘ia i ke alo, ua ha‘awe ‘ia ma ke kua,

ua lei ‘ia ma ka ‘ā‘ī.

A beloved one, fondled in the arms, carried on the back, whose arms

have gone about the neck as a lei.

Said of a beloved child.

(Pukui: 575-67)

Key to Species Classifications:

Native—Arrived in the Hawaiian Islands without the aid of humans (indigenous), or evolved in the Hawaiian Islands (endemic).

Indigenous—Native to the Hawaiian Islands and other places.

Endemic—Evolved in the Hawaiian Islands from an indigenous species; native to the Hawaiian Islands and nowhere else.

Polynesian Introduction—Brought to the Hawaiian Islands by the early Polynesian settlers.

Post-Contact Introduction—Brought to the Hawaiian Islands after Western contact (1778).

Naturalized—Not native to the Hawaiian Islands, but now growing wild in the Hawaiian Islands.

Pua ‘ohi.

Flower picking.

Chitchat.

(Pukui: 2710-296)

Aloalo Pahūpahū (Malvaviscus penduliflorus)

Common Name: Turk’s Cap Hibiscus

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Mexico; naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

Family: Malvaceae—Mallow Family

The Turk’s cap hibiscus reaches heights of about 13 feet (4 m), with bright red, tubular flowers that are about 2 to 2 ½ inches (5 to 6 cm) long with protruding stamens. Several varieties of the pendulous flowers are cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands, where they blossom year round, though not as often from December to February.

The blossoms of the Turk’s cap never fully open, and so they do not wilt as easily as other hibiscus flowers. This makes them ideal for use in lei, which are often assembled Micronesian style, tied or woven into a flat collar. (See Lei Making Methods.) About 90 blossoms are required for a standard 40-inch (100-cm) lei.

The Turk’s cap is also known as the firecracker hibiscus. The term pahūpahū means, “firecracker,” and is a reference to the bright scarlet blooms of the plant. The Hawaiian term aloalo refers to various hibiscus plants, including several native varieties (See Aloalo in Native Plants and Ferns of the Hawaiian Islands, Chapter 8.)

[Photograph: Turk’s cap hibiscus lei]

‘Awapuhi Ke‘oke‘o (Hedychium coronarium)

Common Name: White Ginger

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to India; naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

Family: Zingiberaceae—Ginger Family

Along with the gardenia, the white ginger flower is symbolic of love and romance. The fragrant flowers grow to about 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter, with broad-lipped main petals and smaller side petals that give the flower a moth-like appearance. The plant may bloom year round, particularly in late spring and fall.

White ginger lei are sometimes referred to as evening lei because they are often strung in the evening to be worn that night. With a sweet, delicate aroma and orchid-like configuration, the blossoms are woven into the finest of lei, usually strung Micronesian style, tied or woven into a flat collar. (See Lei Making Methods.) About 125 buds are required for a standard 40-inch (100-cm) lei.

The white ginger plant grows to about 6½ feet (2 m) tall. The plant is widely cultivated, and is also found growing wild along some windward highways. It is also widely cultivated.

[Photograph: White ginger lei]

‘Awapuhi Melemele (Hedychium flavescens)

Common Name: Yellow Ginger

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to India; naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

Family: Zingiberaceae—Ginger Family

Yellow ginger is naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands, growing in moist areas, particularly the montane forests on all the main Hawaiian Islands, with the exception of Lāna‘i. Yellow ginger is similar to white ginger (‘awapuhi ke‘oke‘o) but with yellow flowers. Yellow ginger is also said to have a more “nutty” fragrance than the white ginger.

Yellow ginger often forms dense entanglements. The plant was likely introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Chinese immigrants.

[Photograph: Yellow ginger lei]

‘Ilima (Sida fallax)

Indigenous

Family: Malvaceae—Mallow Family

Mentioned in Hawaiian legends and traditionally woven into lei for ancient royalty, the ‘ilima lei is the official emblem of the island of O‘ahu. (See Island Emblems section.)

The delicate, 5-petalled flowers of ‘ilima are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. The color of the blossoms varies from light yellow to deep yellow, orange, greenish, dull red or even copper colored.

The ‘ilima is a popular lei flower in the Hawaiian Islands today, just as it was in ancient Hawai‘i. It is often stated that ‘ilima lei were reserved for the upper class, or ali‘i (chiefs and royalty) in ancient Hawai‘i, but other accounts state that ‘ilima was utilized more widely as a lei flower.

Ola no i ka pua o ka ‘ilima.

There is healing in the ‘ilima blossoms.

The ‘ilima blossom is one of the first medicines given to babies. It is a mild laxative. Hi‘iaka, goddess of medicine in Pele’s family, used ‘ilima in some of her healings.

(Pukui: 2489-272)

Stringing a single ‘ilima lei may take 700 or more than 1,000 of the tissue paper-thin ‘ilima flowers. The domesticated form of ‘ilima is known as ‘ilima lei, and is the most common variety used in lei.

Traditionally used on the ends of the ‘ilima lei were the soft, green fruit of ma‘o (Abutilon grandifolium, hairy abutilon), or the cap-like calyx of the ‘ilima flower. ‘Ilima blossoms are usually strung straight through their centers using the kui pololei method. (See Lei Making Methods.) ‘Ilima flowers are sometimes interwoven with maile.

Growing commonly in coastal areas, ‘ilima is a low-lying plant that may reach heights of more than 5 feet (1.5 m) ‘Ilima blooms year round, particularly during summer. (See ‘Ilima in Native Plants and Ferns of the Hawaiian Islands, Chapter 8.)

The Hawaiian goddess associated with lei making is Kukuena, whose daughter Laka may take the form of ‘ilima. According to legend, ‘ilima was also the flower lei worn by the goddess Hina when she escaped from the cave of the monster eel Kuna Loa with the help of the god Māui.

[Photograph: ‘Ilima lei]

Kiele (Gardenia augusta)

Common Name: Gardenia

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to southern China.

Family: Rubiaceae—Coffee Family

Symbolic of love and romance, the gardenia’s Hawaiian name is kiele, meaning, “to emit fragrance.” Introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by early Chinese settlers, gardenias prefer wet and warm lowland habitat, rich acid soil, and shelter from wind.

A Hawaiian proverb states, “Ke kololio ka hau o uka, ko mai ka nae ‘a‘ala o ke kiele” (“When the dew-laden breeze of the upland creeps swiftly down it brings with it the fragrance of the gardenias”), which is “...said of one who comes with happy tidings.”[i]

The wonderfully fragrant ornamental variety of gardenia common in the Hawaiian Islands, Gardenia augusta, is native to China. The plant produces blossoms that are 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) in diameter with a tubular corolla. The flowers bloom from March to June and occasionally in the fall.

A standard 40-inch (100-cm) gardenia lei requires about 40 flowers, which are usually strung straight through their centers using the kui pololei method. (See Lei Making Methods.) Before the blossom is strung, the calyx and lower part of the flower tube is removed.

A related species, Gardenia taitensis, is known as tiare. Tiare is native to the Society Islands and a favorite lei flower of Tahitians in the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian Islands also have three native gardenia species, which are referred to as nānū. (See Nānū section.)

[Photograph: Gardenia lei]

Kou (Cordia subcordata)

Indigenous (reclassified in 2001, previously classified as Polynesian Introduction)

Family: Boraginaceae—Borage Family

Kou was a traditional lei flower of the ancient Hawaiians, who also had medicinal uses for the plant. Until 2001, it was widely believed that kou was first brought to the Hawaiian Islands on the voyaging canoes of the early Polynesian settlers. However a recent discovery of subfossil seeds caused the 2002 Electronic Supplement to the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai‘i[ii]to reclassify kou as indigenous, even though kou also was likely brought to the Hawaiian Islands on the Polynesian’s voyaging canoes.

The crepy, bright orange flowers of kou grow in small clusters. The 5- to 7-lobed, tubular flowers are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long and 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in diameter, with a 3- to 5-toothed, enlarged calyx that contains the fruit.

The fruit is about 1½ inches (4 cm) in diameter and contains 1 to 4 white seeds. (See Kou in Seed Lei section; and Native Plants and Ferns of the Hawaiian Islands, Chapter 8.)

[Photograph: Kou lei.]

Kukui (Aleurites moluccana)

Common Name: Candlenut Tree

Polynesian Introduction; Naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

Family: Euphorbiaceae—Spurge Family

Kukui is the official emblem of the State of Hawai‘i. (See Island Emblems section.) Small, greenish-white male and female flowers (pua kukui) grow in clusters at the ends of the kukui’s branches. In each of the clusters, about five or more fruits develop.

In ancient Hawai‘i, the creamy white flowers of kukui were strung into lei, as were the leaves and the polished nuts. One common method of making a lei kukui was to braid the leaves with the stems and then insert the flower clusters. (See Lei Making Methods.)

It was said that kukui flowers seen floating in streams signaled bad weather arriving from that direction. A Hawaiian proverb states, “He kiu ka pua kukui na ka makani.” (“The kukui blossoms are a sign of wind.”)[iii]

(See Kukui in Island Emblems section; Seed Lei section; and Polynesian-Introduced Plants, Chapter 9.)

[Illustration: Kukui flower lei.]

Kupaloke (Polianthes tuberosa)

Common Name: Tuberose

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Mexico.

Family: Liliaceae—Lily Family

The creamy, white flowers of tuberose are wonderfully fragrant, making them a favorite for use in lei. The elongated flowers are tubular and somewhat star-shaped, spreading open at the mouth.

The flowers bloom on a spike atop the plant stem, which rises to a height of about 3 ft (1 m). Tuberose blooms year round, particularly from February to October.

A standard 40-inch (100-cm) lei requires about 40 to 50 blossoms, which are usually strung using the kui pololei method, lengthwise through the flowers’ centers. (See Lei Making Methods.)

[Photograph: Tuberose lei]

Lehua Mau Loa (Gomphrena globosa)

Common Name: Globe Amaranth

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Southeast Asia and the Neotropics; naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

Family: Amaranthaceae—Amaranth Family

Lehua mau loa has papery, ball-shaped blossoms that are about ¾-inch (2 cm) in diameter. Also known as lehua pepa (“paper lehua”) or leihua (“ball lei”), the blossom of lehua mau loa is actually a mass of small overlapping bracts (modified leaves) similar to a protea or artichoke. Japanese settlers called this flower “bozu,” which means “bald head.”

The most common color of lehua mau loa is purple, but the flower may also be violet, pink, rose, orange, white or yellow. The plant grows to about 24 inches (60 cm) and blooms year round.

Lehua mau loa means “Everlasting lehua,” referring to the flower’s ability to last a long time in a lei without wilting. Lei may be strung with fresh or dried blossoms, and are often strung in single strands (kui pololei) and may be arranged into a spiral pattern (kui poepoe). A double lei requires about 280 blossoms.

[Photograph: Lehua mau loa lei]

Lokelani (Rosa species)

Common Name: Damask Rose

Post-Contract Introduction: Hybrid cultivars.

Family: Rosaceae—Rose Family

Pua lokelani, the red flower of lokelani, is also known as the pink damask rose, or the rose of heaven. The fragrant lokelani blossom has a rich, velvety texture. The flowers are usually strung lengthwise through their centers using the kui pololei method. (See Lei Making Methods.)

An introduced species, the lokelani was brought to the Hawaiian Islands by the missionaries in the 1820s. Other names for lokelani include the China rose and Maui rose. Pua lokelani is the official island emblem of Maui. (See Island Emblems section.)

[Photograph: Lokelani lei]

Maunaloa (Canavalia cathartica)

Common Name: Pacific Beach Pea

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to East Africa, India and Polynesia; naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

Family: Fabaceae—Pea Family

A coastal plant, the maunaloa vine grows in sandy and rocky areas and produces mildly fragrant white and pink, reddish, or lavender colored flowers that are about 1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 4 cm) long. Maunaloa blooms year round, particularly from May to October.

Making a maunaloa style lei involves threading the pea-like flattened flowers (picked unopened) through the calyx. The flowers are strung with the keel extending outwards, and alternating sides (kui lau method). (See Lei Making Methods.) The keel and wing petals are alternated with the top petal bent back flat.

The maunaloa lei may be constructed with several spirals of colors in what is known as a composite lei, or ‘oni. The blossoms are sometimes strung into a double lei, which is strung in a circular pattern using the kui poepoe method and requires about 165 blossoms. The seeds of maunaloa were also used for lei. (See Maunaloa in Seed Lei section.)

It should be noted that the Hawaiian term maunaloa also refers to Dioclea wilsonii, whose common name is the sea bean. The sea bean is known to have had medicinal uses among early Hawaiians. It is thought to be a post-contact introduced species, though further research may reveal it to be native.

The blue and white flowers of Dioclea wilsonii were also used in lei. Dioclea wilsonii is naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

[Photograph: Maunaloa (Canavalia cathartica) lei; maunaloa (Dioclea wilsonii) lei]

Melia (Plumeria species)

Common Name: Plumeria

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Central America.

Family: Apocynaceae—Dogbane Family

Introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the 1800s, plumeria’s fragrant, star-like (5-petalled) blossoms (pua melia) are among Hawai‘i’s most popular lei flowers. The flowers are about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Aside from their wonderful fragrance, the plumeria is popular because it is long-lasting, easy to string and readily available.

Plumeria vary in color, and may be white, red, pink, yellowish, or combinations of these colors. There are numerous natural and cultivated hybrids of plumeria, with many variations in the blossoms’ size, color and fragrance.

Plumeria blooms primarily from March to October, and then the tree goes dormant during the winter months. The blossoms are usually strung lengthwise through their centers using the kui pololei method. (See Lei Making Methods.) A standard 40-inch (100-cm) lei requires about 45 to 55 blossoms.

Plumeria’s deer-antler-like branches grow readily when they are broken off and simply stuck into the ground. The milky sap of the plant is poisonous and should be avoided. Plumeria is named after Charles Plumier. Also known as the “temple tree,” plumeria is considered sacred in Sri Lanka and India.

[Photograph: Plumeria lei]

Nānū (Gardenia species)

Also called: Nā‘ū

Common Name: Gardenia

Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands

Family: Rubiaceae—Coffee Family

There are three native species of gardenia (all endemic to the Hawaiian Islands), and they are all referred to by the Hawaiian word nānū, or nā‘ū. The three species of native gardenia are G. brighamii, G. mannii, and G. remyi. All three are quite rare in the Hawaiian Islands, and the first two are on the federal endangered species list.

Nānū is a small tree with a trunk diameter of about 12 inches (30 cm) and reaching heights up to about 20 feet (6 m). Nānū has shiny, dark green leaves and fragrant flowers that are smaller than the non-native Tahitian gardenia (see Kiele above). Known for its delicate scent, nānū was prized lei flower, and legends tell of nānū wound with maile (Alyxia oliviformis)and given to King Kamehameha as a tribute.

Nānū’s round, fleshy fruits are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter encasing many small seeds. A yellow dye (used for kapa barkcloth) was made from the fruit of nānū. The tree’s wood was traditionally used to make the kua kuku (wooden anvil) used during the second stage of kapa beating to separate and soften the bast fibers. G. remyi’s glutinous leaf buds were used as an adhesive.

As of 2002, G. brighamii had been reduced to less than 20 trees in six populations (on Moloka‘i, O‘ahu, and Lāna‘i), and G. manni was reduced to about 85 plants in 27 populations in mesic (moist) and wet forests on O‘ahu. G. remyi is not currently listed as endangered, and grows in mesic (moist) to wet forests on Maui, Moloka‘i, and Kaua‘i. On the island of Hawai‘i, G. remyi grows in the Puna and Hilo districts.

[Photograph: Nānū lei]

Nuku ‘I‘iwi (Strongylodon macrobotrys)

Common Name: Jade Vine

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Philippines.

Family: Fabaceae—Pea Family

The thickly textured blue-green or turquoise flowers of the jade vine are referred to as “beaked” flowers, due to their pointed beak-like shape, which is also sometimes described as horn-like.

The blossoms of nuku ‘i‘iwi are about 3 to 3½ inches (7 to 9 cm) long, and grow in long clusters up to 18 inches (46 cm) long. The flowers usually bloom just for a few weeks between February and June, though they sometimes bloom as late as November.

Nuku ‘i‘iwi flowers turn from blue-green to a lavender color, and are often woven into flattened maunaloa style lei, with the flowers threaded crosswise using the kui lau method, alternating their direction in a back and forth pattern. (See Lei Making Methods.) A standard 40-inch 100-cm) lei requires about 90 to 100 blossoms.

Nuku ‘i‘iwi is a twining climber that may exceed 70 feet (21 m) in length. A red-orange variety of nuku ‘i‘iwi is a new arrival in the Hawaiian Islands.

[Photograph: Nuku ‘i‘iwi (Strongylodon macrobotrys) lei]

Nuku ‘I‘iwi (Strongylodon ruber)

Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands

Family: Fabaceae—Pea Family

The beautiful scarlet flowers of nuku ‘i‘iwi are narrow and curved, coming to a point. The flowers resemble the shape of the beak of the ‘i‘iwi (Vestiaria coccinea),an endangered native Hawaiian honeycreeper bird (nuku means “beak”).

Nuku ‘i‘iwi plants still survive at the lower elevations where ‘i‘iwi birds once lived, though avian malaria and other causes have now restricted the bird’s range to higher elevations. (See Nuku ‘I‘iwi in Native Plants and Ferns of the Hawaiian Islands, Chapter 8.)

[Photograph: Nuku ‘I‘iwi (Strongylodon ruber) lei]

‘Ohai (Sesbania tomentosa)

Common Name: Native Sesbania

Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands

Family: Fabaceae—Pea Family

‘Ohai’s flowers are about 1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) long, and orange to salmon red in color ( rarely yellow), growing in clusters in the axils of the leaves. ‘Ohai is an endangered, endemic Hawaiian species that was once common along the shorelines of the Islands. It is a coastal species that also grows at elevations up to 2,700 feet (825 m).

‘Ohai is generally a low-growing woody shrub, though it may grow as a small tree, reaching heights of more than 20 feet (6 m). (See ‘Ohai in Native Plants and Ferns of the Hawaiian Islands, Chapter 8.)

[Photograph: ‘Ohai lei]

‘Ohai Ali‘i (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

Common Name: Pride of Barbados

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to tropical America.

Family: Fabaceae—Pea Family

‘Ohai ali‘i is an ornamental shrub that usually grows to about 8 feet (2.4 m) but may reach heights of 20 feet (6 m). Also called dwarf poinciana, ‘ohai ali‘i has prickly, coarse leaves comprised of numerous leaflets, each about ¾-inch (2 cm) long. The tree also produces scarlet and golden flowers, including a darker red variety and a yellow variety. The flowers are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.

The vibrant yellow and crimson flowers were said to remind the ancient Hawaiians of their colorful ‘ahu ‘ula (royal capes and cloaks) and mahiole (feather-crested helmets), so they gave the plant its Hawaiian name, which means, “royal ‘ohai.”

‘Ohai ali‘i lei are often strung using the kui poepoe method, which involves stringing the flowers crosswise and arranging the flowers around the string. (See Lei Making Methods.)

[Photograph: Pride of Barbados lei]

‘Ōhi‘a Lehua (Metrosideros species)

Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands

Family: Myrtaceae—Myrtle Family

Beautiful lei are woven from the flowers, unopened buds, liko lehua (young silvery leaves), and hua lehua (seed capsules) of the ‘ōhi‘a lehua tree. The most common species of ‘ōhi‘a lehua is M. polymorpha, easily recognized by its bright red blossoms (the stamens), which look like scarlet pompoms.

‘Ōhi‘a lehua blossoms may also be pale red, salmon-colored, orange or yellow (M. macropus). These bright-colored pompom-like structures are the flower’s many stamens (the male organs). The flower also has one pistil (the female organ). One rare variety, ‘ōhi‘a lehua puakea (or ‘ōhi‘a kea), produces blossoms that are a creamy white color.

Other flowers in the Metrosideros genus used for lei in ancient Hawai‘i include M. rugosa, which was known as lehua papa, and M. tremuloides, known as lehua ‘āhihi. (See ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua in Native Plants and Ferns of the Hawaiian Islands, Chapter 8.)

A Hawaiian proverb states, “‘Opihi kauwawe lehua o Hōpoe” (“‘Opihi covered by the lehua blossoms of Hōpoe”), meaning “...the fringes of lehua at Hōpoe fall into the sea, and are washed up over the rocks, hiding the ‘opihi.”[iv]

[Photograph: ‘Ōhi‘a lehua lei]

‘Okika (Dendrobium species; hybrids)

Common Name: Dendrobium Orchid

Also Called: Thailand Dendrobium; Red Soniya.

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to India, Asia, and Pacific islands.

Family: Orchidaceae—Orchid Family

The dendrobium orchid is one of the primary commercially produced lei flowers in the Hawaiian Islands. It is also imported from Thailand. The flowers bloom year round, and may be lavender purple in color (probably the most popular) or yellow, yellow-brown, pink, white or green. The blossoms, often produced in large sprays, are about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) long.

Dendrobium orchid lei are strung in various manners, including folding the petals or removing the petals and stringing only the sepals. A standard 40-inch (100-cm) lei requires about 45 to 55 flowers, which are usually strung lengthwise through their centers using the kui pololei method. (See Lei Making Methods.)

There are at least 1,500 species of dendrobium orchids as well as many hybrids. The plant has a long flowering season and is also easily cultivated, making it very popular. Tough purple or white hybrids are the most commonly grown varieties for the cut-flower trade in the Hawaiian Islands.

[Photograph: Dendrobium orchid lei]

‘Okika Vanda (Euanthe sanderiana)

Common Name: Vanda Orchid

Also Called: “Miss Joaquim.”

Post-Contact Introduction: Hybrid of species native to Philippines.

Family: Orchidaceae—Orchid Family

Vanda orchid blossoms are about 2½ inches (6 cm) in diameter, with three lavender-pink (purplish) petals and two white sepals.

The vanda orchid first came to the Hawaiian Islands around 1930 and was first entered in the Honolulu May Day contest in 1938. Then in 1949 a vanda orchid lei won the contest. Vanda orchid lei are often constructed maunaloa-style. After the lateral petals are removed, the blossoms are strung alternately from side to side using the kui lau method. (See Lei Making Methods.)

The blossoms are also strung straight through their centers using the kui pololei method. The flowers are sometimes strung with the petals left on, or just the petals (cast offs) may be strung).

The ‘okika vanda was first introduced to the Hawaiian Islands around 1930. A standard 40-inch (100-cm) lei requires about 45 to 55 flowers. The flowers once accounted for nearly half of the cut flower and lei flower market in the Hawaiian Islands.

Vanda orchids bloom year round, particularly during the summer months, with most of the production occurring in Puna and Hilo.

[Photograph: ‘Okika vanda lei]

‘Oliana (Nerium oleander)

Common Name: Oleander

Post-Contact Introduction: Cultivar; originally native to southwestern Asia and northern Africa.

Family: Apocynaceae—Dogbane Family

The blossoms of oleander may be white, pink or red, and are sometimes strung into lei. Oleander is a poisonous plant.

The oleander lei was a favorite of the Hawaiian Princess Ke‘elikōlani, a stout woman whose strong character was said to have made her unafraid of the toxic nature of the flowers.

[Photograph: Oleander lei]

Pahūpahū (Pyrostegia venusta)

Common Name: Flame Vine

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to South America

Family: Bignoniaceae—Bignonia Family

A small bright-reddish, slender flower with a yellow tip, the pahūpahū blossom is often strung back-and-forth using the kui lau method. The blossoms are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long and bloom year round.

The plant’s scientific genus name, Pyrostegia, means “Charming fire,” while the plant’s Hawaiian name, pahūpahū, means “firecracker.” The flowers are often strung in a circular pattern using the kui poepoe method. (See Lei Making Methods.) A 40-inch (100-cm) double lei requires about 450 pahūpahū blossoms.

[Photograph: Pahūpahū lei]

Pakalana (Telosma cordata)

Common Name: Chinese Violet

Post-Contact Introduction

Family: Asclepiadaceae—Milkweed Family

Brought to the Hawaiian Islands by early Chinese immigrants, the yellowish-green, 5-petalled flower buds of pakalana are quite fragrant. The pakalana lei is associated with love, and has a lemon-like fragrance.

The ½-inch (13-mm) long, tubular blossoms of pakalana are traditionally strung lengthwise through their centers using the kui pololei method, and also sometimes through their sides. (See Lei Making Methods.)

About 150 of the small pakalana flowers are required to string one strand. A lei usually consists of several strands, which may be worn on the head or around the neck. The blossoms are most abundant from May to October. Though its common name is the Chinese violet, the pakalana flower is actually not a violet.

Along with lei of carnations and ‘ilima, pakalana was one of the most common lei sold before World War II at the port of Honolulu Harbor where the luxury liners of the Matson Company docked and unloaded visitors.

[Photograph: Pakalana lei]

Pāneki (Viola tricolor)

Common Name: Pansy

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Europe and Asia.

Family: Violaceae—Violet Family

Pansies were first introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Hawai‘i Island (Big Island) cattleman Jack Purdy, who planted them in the 1850s in Waimea on Hawai‘i Island. Pansies grow well at the cool, higher elevations of the Big Island cattle ranches, and today remain a favorite flower for the haku hat and neck lei of the traditional Hawaiian cowboys, who are known in Hawaiian as paniolos after the Spanish word, Españoles.

The Hawaiian word for pansies is pāneki, though the Kohala (paniolo) name for the flowers is pua po‘okanaka, which means, “flower like a human face.” The plants grow from 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.7 m) tall and produce blossoms of various colors including yellow, blue, violet and white.

[Photograph: Pansy lei]

Pīkake (Jasminum sambac)

Common Name: Arabian Jasmine

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to India.

Family: Oleaceae—Olive Family

Brought to the Hawaiian Islands by early Chinese immigrants, the wonderfully fragrant pīkake remains a popular lei flower for many special occasions, including weddings.

The flowers of pīkake are about ¾-inch (2 cm) long and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter when fully opened. The flowers may be single or double. The single flowered form is known as pīkake lahilahi, and has about nine petals. The double flowered form is known as pīkake pupupu, and displays a dense group of petals that appear more rose-like.

Pīkake blossoms are usually strung lengthwise through their centers using the kui pololei method when making a single strand lei, or in a circular pattern using the kui poepoe method when a thicker lei is desired. (See Lei Making Methods.)

Pīkake blooms year round, though less so during the winter months. A 40-inch (100-cm) lei strung using the kui pololei method requires about 100 pīkake blossoms.

Pīkake is the Hawaiian word for peaco*cks, and later came to be the Hawaiian name for the white Arabian jasmine flower because the blossom was a favorite of the last Hawaiian princess, the young Princess Ka‘iulani, who was heir to the throne before she died at the age of 23.

Princess Ka‘iulani had many peaco*cks (known by the Hawaiian word pīkake), which roamed the gardens of fragrant, white Arabian jasmine flowers at her Waikīkī estate known as ‘Āinahau, which was the palace of her uncle, King Kalākaua [David La‘amea Kalākaua]. Princess Ka‘iulani was in England attending boarding school when the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown in 1893.

Princess Ka‘iulani, just 17 years old, left England and went to Washington D.C. to appeal to President Grover Cleveland, who ordered that the monarchy be restored (though this never occurred). In 1899, Princess Ka‘iulani died at ‘Āinahau, where her favored flowers grew and where her peaco*cks roamed.

He pua laha ‘ole.

A flower not common.

One who is as choice and highly prized as a very rare blossom.

An expression much used in chants and songs.

(Pukui: 920-99)

Though Ka‘iulani’s death was attributed to a fever, many believe she died of a broken heart. On the night she died the pīkake (peaco*cks) are said to have made loud vocal displays of their grief.

From its association with the young princess, the Arabian jasmine flower is now also known by the Hawaiian term pīkake. (See Chapter 11, Timeline: 1875, Oct. 16 for more information about Princess Ka‘iulani.)

Some follow the belief that giving someone a gift of one or two pīkake lei is a symbol of friendship, three or four implies romance, and five or six is a testament of love.

Even more pīkake are given to one’s bride. Princesses and queens of pageants and parades also commonly wear pīkake lei.

Pīkake has long been used to make jasmine tea—it takes about 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of flowers to scent about 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of tea. Pīkake is also the national flower of Indonesia and the Philippines.

[Photograph: Pīkake lei]

Ponimō‘ī (Dianthus caryophyllus)

Common Name: Carnation

Post-Contact Introduction: Cultivar, originally from the Mediterranean region.

Family: Caryophyllaceae—Pink Family

Originally brought to the Hawaiian Islands in the mid-1800s by Protestant missionaries, carnations are known for their spicy fragrance and bright colors, and are a popular lei flower. The white carnation lei is usually worn by women, while the red carnation lei is usually worn by men.

Carnation blossoms are about 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter, consisting of about 30 petals. The flowers are usually strung straight through their centers using the kui pololei method. (See Lei Making Methods.) A standard 40-inch (102-cm) lei requires about 70 blossoms.

The Hawaiian name for the carnation is ponimō‘ī, which also means “coronation,” referring to the crowning of a king or queen. The flower gained this name as a result of a confusion between the English words carnation and coronation. The carnation was a favorite flower of King Kalākaua [David La‘amea Kalākaua], who became the first Hawaiian king to have a coronation.

Carnations bloom year round though not as commonly during the winter months.

[Photograph: Carnation lei]

Pua Kalaunu (Calotropis gigantea)

Common Name: Crown Flower

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to tropical and subtropical regions, particularly Africa.

Family: Asclepiadaceae—Milkweed Family

The crown flower was a favorite of Queen Lili‘uokalani [Lydia Kamaka‘eha Pākī-Dominis Lili‘uokalani], who was known to wear long strands of the blossoms, particularly the lavender-purple form. The fragrant flower consists of five twisted (curled-back) petals and a waxy, crown-like center that resembles a small, ivory royal crown (kalaunu means “crown”).

The flower corollas of pua kalaunu are pale violet to lavender or pale greenish-white in color and about 1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 4 cm) in diameter. The crown flower is a favorite of butterflies, and the plant’s large leaves are thick and hairy, and contain a milky sap that is distasteful to butterfly predators.

Lei made from pua kalaunu may use just the crowns or the complete flowers. The crowns may be strung through their centers using the kui pololei method, or a round lei is strung using the kui poepoe method. (See Lei Making Methods.) The crown flower blooms year round, particularly in summer. A standard 40-inch (100-cm) lei requires about 60 to 70 blossoms.

A sacred flower in India, the crown flower is associated with Kama, the Indian God of Love. It is most commonly seen today in hot, lowland areas. The lavender-purple variety was brought to the Hawaiian Islands in 1888, and the white-flowered variety was brought from India around 1920.

Like Cupid, Kama is known to shoot his arrows (one of them tipped with a crown flower) into the hearts of humans causing those being shot to fall in love with one another. The crown flower is often displayed in Indian temples, and is used in Thailand for weddings and for offerings.

[Photograph: Crown Flower lei]

Pua Kenikeni (fa*graea berteriana)

Common Name: Ten Cent Flower

Post-Contract Introduction: Native to South Pacific region and Southeast Asia.

Family: Loganiaceae—Logania Family

The wonderful fragrance of pua kenikeni blossoms makes them a favorite for use in lei as well as for scenting coconut oil. The 5-petalled, tubular flowers are about 2 inches (5 cm) long, and grow in clusters at the end of the tree’s branches.

The tree may reach a height of about 15 feet (4.6 m), and has quadrangular branches and blunt-tipped leaves. The tree also produces orange or red berries that are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.

Pua kenikeni flowers are creamy white, changing to yellow and then orange by day’s end, while still maintaining their delicious scent. The plant’s name means “ten cent” flower, referring to the former price of the blossoms, which was much higher than other flowers.

Pua kenikeni blooms from April to November, and standard 40-inch (100-cm) lei requires about 40 to 50 flowers, which are usually strung lengthwise through their centers using the kui pololei method. (See Lei Making Methods.)

[Photograph: Pua kenikeni lei]

Pua Kīkā (Cuphea ignea)

Common Name: Cigar Flower

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Mexico and West Indies; naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

Family: Lythraceae—Loosestrife Family

The cigar flower gets its name from its small, tubular, orange-red flowers, which have six black/grey-tipped teeth that also display a bit of white at the tip (similar to the ash at the tip of a burning cigar or cigarette).

Pua kīkā lei are often made using the kui poepoe method by piercing the flowers crosswise and then stringing the lei round. (See Lei Making Methods.)

Kīkā is a shrub that usually grows to about 24 inches (60 cm) tall with stems that are 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm) long and slender flowers that are about ½ to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm) long. Kikā’s small, bright green leaves are elliptical in shape, measuring about 1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 4 cm) long and 1/5 to ½-inch (5 to 13 mm) wide. The scientific name of the plant, Cuphea ignea, means “Curved fiery red,” describing the flowers.

The cigar flower blooms year round, but infrequently during July and August. A standard 40-inch (100-cm) double lei is often made using the kui poepoe method, stringing the blossoms crosswise and arranging them around the string facing outwards. (See Lei Making Methods.) This may require more than 1,700 blossoms.

[Photograph: Cigar Flower lei]

Pua Male (Stephanotis floribunda)

Common Name: Stephanotis

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar and Asia.

Family: Asclepiadaceae—Milkweed Family

The Hawaiian name for the stephanotis flower is pua male, which means “marry flower.” A popular lei flower for weddings, stephanotis blossoms are tubular and waxy, with widely flared white lobes. The fragrant, 5-petalled flowers are about 1 to 2½ inches (2.5 to 6 cm) long and grow in clusters.

Pua male blooms from March to November. A lei may require about 250 blossoms, which are usually strung straight through their centers using the kui pololei method. The pua male lei may also be made with the kui poepoe method, stringing the blossoms across the corolla and then arranging them in a circular pattern. (See Lei Making Methods.)

Stephanotis has oval, leathery leaves that are deep green in color and may have a waxy appearance. Sometimes referred to as Madagascar jasmine or creeping tuberose, stephanotis is a member of the milkweed family, though it is not typical of other milkweeds. A vine and not a bushy plant, stephanotis also produces mango-like fruits that appear unusually large given the modest stature of the plant.

[Photograph: Stephanotis]

Pua Pākē (Chrysanthemum species)

Common Name: Chrysanthemum

Post-Contact Introduction: Cultivars, originally native to eastern Asia.

Family: Asteraceae—Sunflower Family

There are thousands of different chrysanthemum cultivars and they produce a wide range of blooms. The flowerheads may be from 1 to 6 in (2.5 to 15 cm) wide, growing in a variety of colors, most commonly yellow, white and pink.

Chrysanthemum plants may grow up to about 5 feet (1.5 m) tall, though they are usually shorter, with leaves that are about 3 inches (8 cm) long. The leaves are bluntly lobed with a gray felt-like material on the underside.

The Hawaiian term pua Pākē refers to all species in the genus Chrysanthemum (about 200 species). A naturalized species formerly known as Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (as documented in the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai‘i: Revised Edition,[v] was reclassified as Leucanthemum vulgare in the 2002 Electronic Supplement to the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai‘i.[vi]

[Photograph: Chrysanthemum lei]

Pua Pihi (Zinnia species)

Common Name: Zinnia

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Mexico; two species naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands.

Family: Asteraceae—Sunflower Family

Pua pihi means “button flower” and refers to all types of zinnias, but the most common is Zinnia elegans, which grows to a height of about 30 inches (75 cm) with flowers that bloom in various shades of orange, yellow, purple, red and white.

Two post-contact introductions of zinnia now grow wild in the Hawaiian Islands. These naturalized species are: Z. palmeri, which grows on O‘ahu’s Koko Crater; and Z. peruviana, found on Maui, Lāna‘i and Kaho‘olawe.

[Photograph: Zinnia lei]

Pukanawila (Bougainvillea species)

Common Name: Bougainvillea

Post-Contact Introduction: Native to Brazil.

Family: Nyctaginaceae—Four-O’Clock Family

Bougainvillea is a woody vine that produces three tiny whitish, tubular flowers within three larger colorful, papery bracts (modified leaves). The flowers are 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) long, and may be various shades of red, purple, orange and white. Bougainvillea has a lengthy flowering period, making it popular as cultivated plant.

Bougainvillea lei may be constructed using the kui pololei method, stringing the flowers straight through their centers (hundreds are required), or attaching the flowers together in bunches. (See Lei Making Methods.) A 40-inch (100-cm) double lei strung using the kui poepoe method (arranged in a circular pattern) requires about 70 to 80 blossoms.

Another Hawaiian term for bougainvillea is pua kepalō, which means “devil flower,” in reference to the plant’s thorns (some say the red colors symbolize hell).

Bougainvillea has been cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands since about 1827, and is named after renowned world navigator Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811), who discovered B. spectabilis, a dark, purple-red Brazilian species.

In the Hawaiian Islands, B. spectabilis and B. glabra (and their hybrids and cultivars) are the most commonly cultivated bougainvillea species.

[Photograph: Bougainvillea lei]