Hawaii’s Plants Life Archive - Page 3 of 4 - Maui Ocean Center

HAWAI‘I’S Plant Life

Naupaka Kahakai (Beach Naupaka)
Landscapers in Hawaiʻi love using naupaka to embellish coastal areas, because it’s a beautiful shrub that thrives in salty, dry environments. You will almost certainly...
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Naupaka Kahakai (Beach Naupaka)
‘Ākulikuli (Seaside Purselane)
ʻĀkulikuli is one of Hawaiʻi’s most salt tolerant plants, and can most often be found in wetland environments near brackish water. They thrive in salty, windy coasta...
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‘Ākulikuli (Seaside Purselane)
Niu (Coconut)
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 Coconu...
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Niu (Coconut)
‘Ūlei (Hawaiian Hawthorne, Hawaiian Rose)
This common species does best in dry and sunny conditions. Too much rainfall hinders its ability to flower. Young flexible branches could be bent into loops to create a b...
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‘Ūlei (Hawaiian Hawthorne, Hawaiian Rose)
Mai‘a (Banana)
There are over 140 varieties of banana found in Hawaiʻi. In ancient Hawaiʻi, it was kapu (forbidden) for women to eat most types of banana.    Maiʻa was not cultivat...
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Mai‘a (Banana)
Kalo (Taro)
Kalo was by far the most important plant to early Hawaiians. Kalo was the staple food through the main Hawaiian islands and is still consumed in large quantities to this ...
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Kalo (Taro)
‘Ape (Elephant’s Ear, False Kalo)
‘Ape is so closely related to Kalo, and some people refer to it as “Giant Kalo.”  The distinguishing feature between Alocasia species vs. Colocasia species (kalo) ...
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‘Ape (Elephant’s Ear, False Kalo)
‘Awapuhi (Shampoo Ginger)
‘Awapuhi is characterized by tall, cane-like stems that can reach heights of up to six feet. The plant produces cone-shaped clusters of flowers, with the bracts surroun...
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‘Awapuhi (Shampoo Ginger)
A‘ali‘i
‘A‘ali‘i is a shrub or a small tree that averages between six to twelve feet tall, but can reach up to twenty-five feet.  This species has separate male and femal...
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A‘ali‘i
Alahe‘e
‘Alahe‘e can grow as a shrub or a small tree, which can reach heights from six to thirty feet tall, but only grow to widths of three to seven feet.  This plant woul...
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Alahe‘e