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Native forest trees
good for leis

In this fifth installment on growing native lei plants, we continue on our journey through the lowland dry forest in search of more trees. All of these trees share the same growing conditions, loving lots of sun and requiring minimal watering once established.

COURTESY RICK BARBOSA Heuhiuhi's blossoms can be strung into a lei.

Kou (Cordia subcordata) was once thought to be a Polynesian introduction, but recent studies have found that it was growing here well before any humans settled these islands. This tree can grow more than 30 feet tall but usually stays in the 20-foot range. It has light-colored bark and light green leaves. Its bright orange flowers are about an inch in diameter and can be strung any way you choose into a beautiful lei.

Lonomea (Sapindus oahuense), also known as aulu and manele (Sapidus saponaria), a k a a'e, are two closely related trees that make equally nice leis. Manele is indigenous to Hawaii and found only on the Big Island. It can grow fairly large and produce numerous small fruit with hard black seeds. It is this seed that can be strung into leis. Sometimes it is polished or oiled to give it more luster. Lonomea is an endemic tree found only on Oahu and Kauai. It, too, can get pretty big (up to 30-plus feet). The fruit, which looks like dried dates, also has a black seed, although this one is a little larger than the manele and is pear-shaped rather than round, but it also makes a cool-looking lei.

Heuhiuhi (Senna gaudichaudii), a k a kolomona (a recent Hawaiian translation for the biblical name Solomon), is a small indigenous tree with creamy yellow flower clusters. These slightly fragrant flowers can be woven into very nice leis. This tree is very closely related to a non-native weedy plant (Senna surattensis) that is commonly called the scramble egg bush but also goes by the name kolomona -- so make sure you get the right one!

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Next Week: Bushes and shrubs of the dry forest make nice leis, too.

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