Niu
Common name: Coconut
Scientific name: Cocos Nucifera
Where to Find: Can be found in a wide range of environments, but primarily along sandy coasts.
Status: Indigenous
Coconut can be found in all tropical environments across the world. Depending on the species, it can range from ten feet tall to well over fifty feet tall. The Coconut is one of the most versatile and prolific plants found throughout the Hawaiian islands.
Early Hawaiians figured out multiple ways to use every part of the coconut tree, from the nutritious fruit to the weavable leaves. Even the tree trunk can be carved into a large drum called a pahu. The Niu has a fragrant flower that acts as a perfume when heated with coconut oil.
Did You Know?
Experiments have shown that coconuts can develop after floating at sea for periods of 110 days and can even germinate in saltwater as long as the water is undisturbed.