15 Beautiful Hawaiian Flowers and Their Unique Features

Hawaii is full of flora and fauna with stunning beaches, verdant rainforests, and waterfalls. Around 1000 plant species are native to Hawaii, and half of them are found nowhere else in the world. Some of them are also considered to be endangered or are under threat of extinction due to their habitat loss. But the best part is that some of these flowers can be grown in your own gardens. 

Some of the beautiful Hawaiian flowers are Anthurium, Bird of Paradise, Pikake, Hawaiian Gardenia, and Blue Ginger. They contribute to the bliss and add to the island’s magic. Read the article to learn about 15 beautiful Hawaiian plants, their taxonomy, ideal growing conditions, and fun facts. 

10 Hawaiian Flowers: Names, Images, and Descriptions 

Hawaii has a wide variety of flowering plants that attract thousands of visitors every year. These flowers include perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Here are 10 Hawaiian flowers with names, their description, and ideal growing conditions:

1. Bird of Paradise 

Bird of Paradise is a tropical perennial known for its rare, structured flower that resembles a bird. It is commonly grown outdoors but can also be planted indoors if brought outside during the summer. 

The plant is unlikely to bloom if kept indoors for a longer period. This easy-to-grow plant is a heavy feeder and can grow 3 to 5 ft. tall and wide. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Strelitzia spp.
Common Name	Crane flower
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Strelitziaceae (Bird-of-paradise family)
Genus	Strelitzia Banks
Native Area	South Africa
Hardiness Zone	10 to 12 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Full light with partial shade
Soil	The plant requires rich, well-drained, moist soil with compost or other rich organic matter. It prefers neutral to slightly acidic pH levels ranging between 5.5 and 7.5.
Water Requirements	Keep the soil moist but not overwatered or dry.  Note: Bird of Paradise becomes drought-tolerant once established.

2. Dwarf Poinciana 

Dwarf Poinciana, or peacock flower, is an evergreen shrub with beautiful flowers that bloom in various hues of red, orange, and yellow. In Hawaii, these flowers are often used in preparing leis. Peacock flower is also known to attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. The plant grows from 8 to 12 ft. tall and around 6 to 12 ft. wide. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Fabaceae
Genus	Caesalpinia
Native area	Tropics and subtropics of America
Hardiness Zone	9 to 11 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Full, bright sunlight
Soil	Well-drained, moist loamy soil
Water Requirements	During the growing season, water the plant twice or thrice a week (as required).

3. Pikake 

Pikake is the Hawaiian name for Arabian jasmine. The pikake plants are widely used for their flowers, which are used to make leis and perfumes. The plant grows 6 to 10 ft tall and wide, depending on ideal growing conditions and pruning. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Jasminum sambac
Common names	Arabian jasmine and Sampaguita
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Oleaceae (Olive family)
Genus	Jasminum or Jasmine
Native area	South and Southeast Asia; it was introduced to Hawaii in the 19th century
Hardiness Zone	9 to 11 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Full, direct sunlight for 6 to 8 hours daily for maximum blooms
Soil	Moist, well-drained, rich soil with slightly acidic pH levels and regular monthly feeding during the growing season.
Water Requirements	Once or twice a week during the growing season, and reduce it during winter.

4. Hawaiian Gardenia 

Gardenia is a fragrant beauty that can be grown in your garden. Due to its flowery fragrance and beautiful blooms, Hawaiian Gardenia is known as pollinator-friendly. This beautiful shrub can also be grown indoors in cooler climates. The plant blooms from late spring till early summer and requires fertilizers and mulching for a healthy plant. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Gardenia jasminoides
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Coffee family (Rubiaceae)
Genus	Gardenia
Native area	Tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Madagascar, Australia, and Pacific Islands.
Hardiness Zone	7 to 11 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Partial sun
Soil	Organic, rich, well-drained soil with slightly acidic pH levels between 5.0 and 6.5
Water Requirements	Average. Keep the soil moist but avoid overwatering

5. Hawaiian Hibiscus 

Hawaiian hibiscus is known for its dramatic, vibrant flowers that bloom in different shades of red, yellow, white, pink, orange, and purple but last only for a day. This fast-growing shrub grows from 4 to 10 ft tall and 3 to 6 ft wide and can add up to 24 inches per year in ideal conditions. 

Did you know? The state flower of Hawaii is the native yellow hibiscus (Hibiscus brackenridgei), also known as ma‘o hau hele or pua aloalo.

For more general information about hibiscus, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Common names	Chinese hibiscus, China rose, tropical hibiscus.
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Malvaceae
Genus	Hibiscus
Native area	Asia
Hardiness Zone	9 to 12 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Full sunlight to partial shades
Soil	Well-drained, moist soil with acidic pH levels
Water Requirements	Frequently up to 2 inches deep

6. Blue Ginger 

Blue ginger gets its name from its resemblance to the ginger plant; however, it is not a true ginger. The blue ginger is a tropical perennial plant known for its vibrant coloured blue flower clusters. 

It can be grown both indoors and outdoors and easily propagated by stem cuttings. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Dichorisandra thyrsiflora
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Commelinaceae (Spiderwort family)
Genus	Dichorisandra
Native area	Shady woodlands of Brazil
Hardiness Zone	9 to 11 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Partial shade and indirect, bright sunlight
Soil	Well-drained, moist soil
Water Requirements	Frequently during summer and reduce it in winter.

7. Naupaka 

Naupaka or beach naupaka is a flowering plant found in mangrove swamps and rocky or sandy coastal areas. 

It grows as a large bush that grows around 3 to 10 meters tall and wide. Naupaka blooms throughout the year in unique fan-like clusters, which attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The plant grows 2 to 6 ft tall with oval leaves. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Scaevola taccada
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Goodeniaceae
Genus	Scaevola
Hardiness Zone	10 to 12 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Full, direct sun for 6 to 8 hours
Soil	Well-drained, loose, rocky, or sandy soil
Water Requirements	Water the plant regularly during the growing period; gradually reduce watering the plant as it becomes drought-tolerant once established.

8. Plumeria 

White plumeria or white champa is a tropical tree known for its sweet-scented flowers. This slow-growing plant can reach up to 30 ft. tall, often forming an umbrella shape, and can be planted outdoors. Its flowers bloom with a soft yellow center that fades to white near the flower tips. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Plumeria alba
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Apocynaceae
Genus	Plumeria
Native area	North and South America, Caribbean
Hardiness Zone	10 to 11 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Full, direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day
Soil	Fast-draining, loamy or sandy soil mixed with organic compost or gravel
Water Requirements	Allow the soil to completely dry out between two watering sessions

9. Heliconias 

Heliconias are commonly known as lobster claws adds up an exotic touch to your landscape. This beautiful, showy, and ornamental plant grows upright with a tall stem that features lush, dark green, paddle-shaped foliage and bright red flowers. This cluster of flowers stays for a week before exhausting completely. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview and ideal growing conditions of the plant: 

Botanical Name	Heliconia rostrata
Common names	False bird of paradise, lobster-claw, hanging lobster claw, hanging heliconia
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Heliconiaceae
Genus	Heliconia
Native area	South America
Hardiness Zone	8 to 11 USDA Zones
Light Requirements	Bright, indirect sunlight with partial shades
Soil	Moist, fertile soil with neutral to acidic pH levels
Water Requirements	Water the plant regularly, but avoid overwatering

10. Flowering Maple – Ko’oloa ‘ula

Ko’oloa ‘ula is an aesthetically appealing shrub that is an endangered species of flowering shrub and is endemic to Hawaii. The most appealing feature is its flowers, which range from dark maroon to bright yellow. This native Hawaiian plant grows from 6.6 ft to 8.2 ft tall. For more general information, here is the taxonomic overview of the Ko’oloa’ula plant: 

Botanical Name	Abutilon menziesii
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Malvaceae
Genus	Abutilon
Native area	Only found in Hawaii’s dry forest regions
Hardiness Zone	10 to 12 USDA Zones

Read more: 20 Beautiful Flowers That Starts With A: Add Aesthetics to Your Garden

5 Additional Hawaii Plants That Represent the Spirit of Hawaii 

The bonus list of five Hawaiian Flowers with names, images, and descriptions is as follows:

Flower name and image	Description
Frangipani	Grown in: Hawaii Botanical name: Plumeria rubra Hardiness zone: 9 to 11 USDA Zones
Mamane	Native: Hawaii Botanical name: Sophora chrysophylla Hardiness zone: 9 to 11 USDA Zones
Flamingo Lily	Native: South America Botanical name: Anthurium andraeanum Hardiness zone: 11 to 12 USDA Zones
White Ginger Lily	Native: Hawaii’s rainforests Botanical name: Hedychium coronarium White Ginger Lily, also known as Awapuhi-ke’oke’o, is popular for its fragrant flowers, and it is also a popular garden plant.
Fringed Orchid	Native: Hawaii Botanical name: Platanthera holochila Fringed orchid is one of the endangered species found in shady wet bogs of Hawaii.

Read more: 20 Stunning Flowers That Start With the Letter P (With Pictures & Facts)

Conclusion

The most famous Hawaiian flowers include Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus, Plumeria, and blue ginger. These bright, tropical flowers not only fill the islands with bright colours and a sweet smell, but are also known as pollinator-friendly. Hawaii has a number of non-natives that get along well with the local plants and have been embraced by the local culture. They are used for their ornamental value, lei making, and medicinal properties. 

Don’t let this list of 15 flowers limit your imagination about how beautiful the Hawaiian landscape must be. It has many more interesting and beautiful flowers. Next time you are planning a trip to Hawaii, do explore its flora and fauna!

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