Native Plants of Le‘ahi—

Scan this QR code to access these signs anda plant brochure to assist you in identifying
these native plants as you explore Lē‘ahi.

Restoration
efforts have reintroduced
native plants to Lē‘ahi. Unfortunately, theintroduced and invasive species can out compete thesenative plants, making it difficult for them to get established and spread.
Park staff and volunteers are working hard to keep invasive weeds under control
so the native species have a chance of grow and thrive.

Pōhinahina‘A‘ali‘i

Dodonaea viscosaIndigenous

Kento & William

Description: ‘A‘ali‘i grows as a shrub to a small tree.
Its flowers have red, oval petals. The glossy green
leaves have a red rib and are slightly sticky. It isfound on all major Hawaiian islands.
Uses: The wood was favored for making spears
and house posts. The flower are used in lei and as adye for kapa. Medicinal plant for skin rashes.
Fun Facts: The long tap root enables it to standstrong and not break in the wind.

‘IliahiSantalum freycinetianum
EndemicHikaru,Max &Luna

Description: Ko‘oloa‘ula is a shrub with small
hibiscus shaped flowers that can be medium todark red and yellow. It can reach 10 feet in height
and lives in dry forests.
Uses: Used for medicine. The flowers are used tomake lei.
Fun Facts: ‘Ula means red and refers to the color of
the flower. This plant is critically endangered.

Description: ‘Ākulikuli is a sprawling succulent
with white to purple flowers and small green fleshy
leaves. It is found on sunny, windy, sandy beaches
on all the Hawaiian islands.

‘ĀkulikuliSesuvium portulacastrum
Lily & OzzieIndigenous

Uses: It is edible with a salty flavor. The flowers areused for lei but too tiny to string an ‘ākulikuli lei.
Used as medicine for its anti-bacterial property.
Fun Facts: Good ground cover but prone to slug
and snail attacks.

Ko‘oloa‘ula

Abutilon menziesii
Endemic

Rylie & Elyse

Description: ‘Ilima papa is a shrub with yellow
flowers that have 5 petals and bloom year round. It
is found from the dry mesic forests to the shoreline
where it can tolerate the harsh sun and salt spray.

‘Ilima papa
Sida fallax
Indigenous

Theo & Kaiji

Uses: The flowers are used to string lei and often
used as a lei for the ali‘i. Medicinal uses include
soothing injuries and healing dry skin.
Fun Facts: ‘Ilima is in the hibiscus family and is thelei flower of O‘ahu.

Louise & Leinani

Description: Koa is a tree with crescent shaped
leaves that are silver to dark green in color. Theflowers are small fluffy yellow pom poms. It canreach a height of 115 feet (35 meters).
Uses: The wood was used to make weapons,canoes, surfboards, and wooden beds. It remains afavored wood for calabashes and bowls.
Fun Facts: Koa is the largest native tree and foundon all major islands except Kaho‘olawe and Ni‘ihau.

Carter,Nazeem,& Brixton

Description: Kukui is a common tree that grows
up to 80 feet tall in Hawai‘i’s forests. Its leaves have
silver accents and the small white flowers are inclusters. The nut is within the green fruit.
Uses: The oil from the nut was lit and used as acandle. The meat of the nut is mashed to season
food. Charcoal dust was used for tattoos and dyes.
Fun Facts: Kukui is the state tree and is known as
the candlenut tree.

Chappell& Reilynn

Description: Wiliwili is a large tree measuring35-45 feet tall. It drops its leaves and hibernates
during the hot, dry summer. Flowers are claw
shaped and yellow, orange, light green, or white.
Uses: The wood was used to make canoes, fishinggear, containers, and surfboards. The red or orange
seeds are used to make lei.
Fun Facts: Wiliwili means repeatedly twisted andrefers to the twisted seed pods.

Koa

Koa acacia
Endemic

Description: Ma‘o is a shrub with silvery green
leaves and yellow flowers that produce black seeds
inside a cottony covering. Known as Hawaiian
cotton, it is found in hot, dry, windy habitats.

Reef &Gianluca

Uses: The flowers and leaves are used to make agreen dye for kapa.
Fun Facts: Caterpillars are not attracted to ma‘o.
Ma‘o was bred with other cotton plants in the U.S.
to make them resistant to caterpillars.

Maia& Andy

Description: Ma‘o hau hele is a small tree thatgrows 3-15 feet high. It has bright yellow flowers
with a bit of red at the center. In the hibiscus
family, the pollen on the stem attracts pollinators.
Uses: The petals are used to treat stomach issues.
They can boost appetite and put an end tocommon cold symptoms.
Fun Facts: Ma‘o hau hele is the official state flower.
The flowers only last a day and turn green.

Ma‘oGossypium tomentosum
EndemicMa‘o hau hele

Hibiscus brackenridgei
Indigenous/Canoe Plant

Waikīkī School sits at the base of this iconic landmark. Lē‘ahi, also
known as Diamond Head, is part of who we are. Students and staff
learn and play in its shadow. We are extremely grateful to have been
given the opportunity to partner with Hawai‘i State Parks whichallowed us to immerse our students in the history, culture, andbiological diversity of Lē‘ahi. Please enjoy these signs and artwork
produced by the children of Waikīkī School, “The Mindful School”, andhopefully you will walk away with a sense of awe and wonder befitting
such a beautiful site.

Kukui

Aleurites moluccana
Indigenous/Canoe Plant

Wiliwili

Description: ‘Iliahi is the Hawaiian sandalwood. It
ranges from a 3-foot shrub to a 40-foot tree. Theflower buds are red to yellow. It is found mainly incoastal regions on all major Hawaiian islands.
Uses: Due to its fragrance, it is used for perfumeand soap. Wood is used for musical instruments.
Also used for religious and cultural purposes.
Fun Facts: Leaves and wood from this species
were sold to China to make carved items.

Erythrina sandwincensis
Endemic

Waikīkī School wants to say mahalo nui loa to all thepeople who guided, supported, and gave of their timeto help create this exhibit for Lē‘ahi. Scan this QR codeto see our partners and supporters who were willing toshare their knowledge about the important resources
and rich history of this very special place.
Special mahalo to Courtney Carpenter for coordinating
this project with State Parks and the student’s work usedin this exhibit. Courtney is the Partnerships and PlaceBased Education Coordinator at Waikīkī School.

Le‘ahi / Diamond Head State Monument—

STATE OF HAWAI‘I / Department of Land and Natural Resources / Division of State Parks

Plant artwork and text
prepared by the 4th gradestudents of Waikīkī School
under teachers Lory Peroffand Eileen Carr.