Plumeria, pīkake, pua kenikeni. These flowers—and their scents—conjure up memories of Hawai‘i, but none of them are actually native to the Islands. Plumeria are endemic to Mexico and Central America, pīkake to India and pua kenikeni to the South Pacific. In fact, many of the tropical flowers commonly associated with Hawai‘i, like birds of paradise […]
Hawaiʻi is the land of beautiful pua (flowers). From the coastlines to the fiery crater of Kīlauea, rare and stunning flowers can be found growing across the Islands. These flowers have been important symbols in Hawaiian culture. Stories of the Hawaiian gods are often connected to many flowers, while some varieties were once used for
Updated on April 23, 2021 One of Hawaiʻi’s most iconic tree, the ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and is steeped in the Islands’ history. The flowers are gorgeous—coming in a variety of colors from red to yellow and even white—and have played muse for many local clothing and accessory
The first case of Rapid Ohia Death (ROD) has been found on the island of Oahu yesterday, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The disease was discovered on a dead ohia tree on private land in the Koolau Mountains above Pearl City. Researchers gathered a sample from the tree and analyzed it
I first spot them as I rumble along the long gravel road. The soft, bristled flowers are like mini red fireworks dotting the forest. I’m in Mountain View, a small town about 15 miles east of Hilo, visiting a tucked-away property called the Lyons Estate. True to its name, Mountain View is known for its scenic
Never has the spiky, scarlet-studded flower of the ohia lehua been more on our minds—or social media feeds—lately. Unfortunately, a lot of that is due to growing awareness of the Rapid Ohia Death crisis, a fungal infection that has already killed hundreds of thousands of its trees, and could allegedly destroy 90 percent of the
When many visitors step out of the plane and breathe in Hawaiʻi’s air, the first thing they often say is “it smells like flowers.” These six iconic flowers, although not all of them are indigenous, capture the romance and tropical beauty of the Islands. Plumeria Few flowers remind people of Hawaiʻi more than the ever-present
