‘Ohai (Sesbania tomentosa)

Photo courtesy of Emmely Cabacungan

Hawaiian name: Nānū also Nā‘ū
Botanical name: Gardenia brighamii
Family: Rubiaceae (Coffee Family)
Status: Endemic, Endangered
Where found: Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Hawai‘i & O‘ahu
Water/Light: Dry, with full sun exposure
Elevation range: 1,0000 to 1,700 feet
Height: Up to 40 feet, with an up to 20-foot spread

Depending on the natural location, ‘ohai flowers can be found in colors from light to dark red, subtle to bright orange, apricot to yellow. While highly prized for lei making, this plant is so rare that few have ever seen a lei ‘ohai. On sunny days, the leaf clusters near the stem have a fragrance that resembles the scent of nectarines. ‘Ohai is drought, wind, salt and heat tolerant.