Koki‘a, Hau hele ‘ula (Kokia drynarioides)

Photo courtesy of Jupiter Nielsen

Hawaiian name: Koki‘a, Hau hele ‘ula
Botanical name: Kokia drynarioides
Family: Malvaceae (Hibiscus Family)
Status: Endangered, endemic
Water/Light: Dry, full sun
Elevation range in the wild: 1,380 – 2,700 feet
Where found: Hawai‘i (Big Island)
Height: 24 feet

There are four endemic Kokia species in Hawai‘i; three are seriously endangered and one is extinct. They are gorgeous trees, especially in bloom, with hundreds of scarlet flowers that can reach nine inches across. These flowers were bird pollinated; many of the birds that relied on these trees are now extinct. It is said that one flower can produce up to a liter of nectar in its lifetime. The calyxes are beautiful for lei making and wreaths.