Native Forest Exhibit

ʻŪlei, Osteomeles anthyllidifolia, is a part of the Rose family that contains approximately 3,000 species. It produces white, fragrant flowers giving it the nickname of the Hawaiian rose or hawthorn. ʻŪlei is indigenous and often grows in dry areas as a sprawling, shrub-like tree with a spread of 4-10 feet. It can also be found in the Cook Islands, Tonga, and other Polynesian islands. Early Hawaiians used ʻūlei for a variety of purposes. It’s wood was made into digging sticks, spears, instruments, poles, and fishnets. ʻŪlei was also used for kapa dye, parts of the plant were used to treat wounds, and the flowers and fruit are still used today for lei making.

Pittosporum glabrum is the scientific name for the most common species of hōʻawa tree/shrub within the native pittosporums of the Hawaiian Islands. There are eleven species of hōʻawa endemic to the islands, and their habitats vary greatly. Once fully mature these trees can be 15-30 feet tall with beautiful golden leaves and clustering white flowers. Native Plants Hawaiʻi cites hōʻawa as a wood source for gunwales on canoes. The fruit of the hōʻawa plant was also pounded and used for medicinal purposes.

Koa or Acacia koa is an impressive and fast growing tree that can reach over 100 feet, making it Hawaiʻi’s largest native tree. It’s no wonder that koa means bravery, courage, or refers to a warrior. There are three varieties of koa in Hawaiʻi. Koa was the most valuable wood in Hawaii, used for tools, dyes, paddles, houses, and most important was its use for Hawaiian canoes. Today koa is still integral to canoe carving, and continues to be one of the world’s most sought after and expensive woods for crafts. Mass deforestation of koa has led to numerous reforestation projects planting koa trees.

There are two native species of lama: Diospyros sandwicensis and D. hillebrandii (only on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu). Lama is likely found in dry to mesic forests, and on Hawaiʻi Island lama can be seen growing in lava fields. This plant grows slowly but can reach 15-30 feet tall. It has light green leaves, but boasts colorful new growth shades of red, pink and orange leaves. It is closely related to ebony and persimmon, making its nickname Hawaiian ebony or Hawaiian persimmon. Like ebony, lama has a nice dark wood. This wood was used for temple/home construction, chisel handles, fish traps, torches, medicine huts, and at hula alters to represent the goddess of hula, Laka. The meaning of lama is “light” or “enlightenment." Pālamanui Community College got its name from the lama tree.

Loulu is of the Palm family, of which there are 27 species of Pritchardia, and 24 are endemic to Hawaiʻi. Loulu refers to all species of Pritchardia in Hawaiʻi. It is believed that every Hawaiian island has a distinct Pritchardia species. Loulu means “umbrella,” because its large fan-like leaves were utilized as protection from the elements. Loulu wood was used in spear making, its fruits were eaten, and loulu fronds were used to make thatching, hats, and fans.

ʻŌhiʻa refers to several kinds of trees, but ʻōhiʻa lehua or Metrosideros polymorpha, is the most common. ʻŌhiʻa lehua is one of our most important native trees and is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It can be found at elevations near sea level to approximately 8,000 feet, and is a dominant plant in native Hawaiian forest canopies comprising near 80% of Hawaiʻi’s forests. They are also often one of the first plants to appear after a fresh lava flow. Its name, polymorpha means “many forms,” is an apt description for a plant that can take the form of tree or shrub with many leaf shapes and flower colors. Environmentally, ʻōhiʻa lehua provides for native birds and insects, and captures rainwater for our aquifers. ʻŌhiʻa symbology in Hawaiian culture remains strong, and its wood and lehua blossom are still sought after. Today, the plant suffers from a spreading fungal infection called Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death or ROD. To prevent the spread of ROD no portions of the ʻōhiʻa plant should be transported from place to place.

There are various Hawaiian species of this plant, collectively known as hāpuʻu. Hāpuʻu pulu or Cibotium glaucum is the most common native tree fern and is important to the forest understory, and is often used in landscaping. It grows slowly, at about an inch a year, and eventually its fronds can reach over 20 feet.

Hāpuʻu has a distinct net of pulu, or what looks like woolly, golden-brown hair at its frond base. This material was used by Hawaiians for dressing wounds and embalming bodies. The uncoiled fronds or fiddles were boiled and considered a delicious food. The mid 1800s saw the export of pulu material for pillow and mattress stuffing. Removal of pulu often killed the entire hāpuʻu plant, thereby changing the native forest by removing an integral part of its understory.

Pāpala kēpau or Pisonia sandwicensis is an endemic tree that can reach over 50 feet in its natural habitat in dry to mesic zones. The fruit of the the pāpala kēpau are sticky and were used to trap native birds. Once trapped, their feathers were plucked to make cloaks, helmets, lei, and other ornamentation. The native ʻiʻiwi, ʻamakihi, and ʻapapane birds were plucked and then eaten. Hawaiians were also able to use this plant as an adhesive to repair bowls.

There are six different species of hala pepe, Chrysodracon forbesii, each endemic to its own Hawaiian island. The soft whitish to reddish wood was used by early Hawaiians to make idols (kiʻi) and to decorate altars. Early Hawaiians used the leaves in bathing and steam baths for chills (liʻa), headaches, fever, and thought to stop burning temperature or sensation. Leaves and flowers are used in lei making.

Kupukupu, also known as sword fern, generally refers to ferns on a single stem. Kupukupu or Nephrolepis exaltata subsp. hawaiiensis is endemic to Hawaiʻi. Nephrolepis cordifolia is thought to be another native kupukupu or an early introduction to the islands. There are also several naturalized sword ferns that will form hybrids with the native species. The word kupu means “to sprout,” and kupukupu would be placed at hula alters to signify the sprouting of knowledge. It is common for the fronds to be used in making lei for the wrists, ankles, and head.

Pōhinahina or Vitex rotundifolia is an indigenous sprawling shrub with pale green leaves and purple flowers. It is naturally found near the coast, along beaches, and in dry zones, although it is now popular as a planted landscape hedge. Pōhinahina is a part of the Mint family, Lamiaceae, and its leaves, when crushed have an aromatic scent. Its leaves and flowers were used by Hawaiians medicinally, as well as in lei making, and its popularity as an adornment continues to this day.

Aʻaliʻi or Dodonaea viscosa is an indigenous shrub-like plant known for its hardiness in windy, dry environments. Aʻaliʻi is one of the rare native plants whose seeds can survive fires. Brightly colored 3-4 winged seed capsules of green, white, yellow, pink, orange, and red can be found on the female flowers of the aʻaliʻi. Other varieties of aʻaliʻi produce different capsules. The capsules and leaves continue to be used in lei making. Its crushed leaves have been used to make a topical medicine. The aʻaliʻi wood was used for fishing, house construction, and tools. With its beautiful colors and hardy quality, aʻaliʻi had become more popular as a planted landscape shrub.

Palapalai or Microlepia strigosa var. strigosa is an indigenous fern with lace-like fronds that can grow more than 3 feet. As an important native ground cover in the forest, there are said to be 2 indigenous species of Palapalai, and a hybrid in Hawaiʻi. Palapalai or M. strigosa has small hairs on its leaves. Palapalai is associated with Laka, the goddess of hula, and fronds were used to adorn hula alters, and to make lei for the head, neck, and wrist. Hula hālau continue to use the palapalai as an adornment for their hula dancers.

ʻIlieʻe or Plumbago zeylanica is an indigenous ground cover with lovely small, white flowers. It can have a spread of up to 15 feet and grows naturally in dry zones. ʻIlieʻe fruits are sticky. Small amounts of its toxic roots were utilized as a tonic and for toothaches. A mixture of its bark, leaves, and roots were used for swollen parts of the body and the leaves and stems used on sores. Its sap was used as medicine for babies and also used as blue-black tattoo coloring.

Alaheʻe or Psydrax odorata is a member of the Coffee family. It is an indigenous tree or tall shrub with glossy dark green leaves and fragrant white flowers. It does well in dry zones but is found in a variety of habitats up to 4,000 feet. Alaheʻe is known for its hardy wood and fragrant flowers. Its name translates as, “slippery or swift like a squid (octopus),” and often times the spears to catch heʻe, or octopus, were made from alaheʻe wood. Other tools and fishing implements were made from the hard wood of the alaheʻe, such as ʻōʻō, hooks, dip nets, and adze blades.

Today alaheʻe often serves as a native replacement for mock orange because of the similarities in their leaves and flowers.

‘Ohe makai or Polyscias sandwicensis is an endemic, drought tolerant tree that does well at drier, lower elevations. It is becoming more rare in its natural habitat. ʻOhe makai is unique in that it is one of the few native Hawaiian deciduous trees, losing its leaves in the summer and during other dry times. ʻOhe makai fruits were used as medicine for babies. Its long, straight wood was used by children and men for a fun game of walking on stilts, called kukuluaeʻo or aeʻo after the Hawaiian black-necked stilt.