Hawaiʻi’s flowering plants include coastal shrubs, forest trees, native orchids, and rare mountain geraniums. Many familiar garden flowers associated with the islands were introduced from elsewhere. In this guide, endemic means native only to Hawaiʻi, while indigenous plants also occur naturally beyond the islands. Hawaiian names can apply to more than one plant, so use the botanical name when identifying a species. For authoritative descriptions, consult Bishop Museum’s Plants of Hawaiʻi and the university’s Native Hawaiʻi Plants profiles. Observe wild plants without collecting flowers, seed, or cuttings; buy legally propagated material when a species is suitable for cultivation.
ʻAʻaliʻi
Dodonaea viscosa is an indigenous shrub or small tree also known as hopbush. Its small flowers are less conspicuous than the papery, winged capsules that can turn pink, red, or pale green. Those colorful structures are fruits, not large flower petals. Its tolerance of wind and varied conditions makes it a familiar native landscaping plant.
ʻAkaʻakaʻawa
Hillebrandia sandwicensis is an endemic member of the begonia family, distinct from the genus Begonia. It grows in wet forest ravines and has broad, asymmetrical leaves with pink to white flowers. Its habitat is very different from a dry coastal planting. A photograph of foliage alone can conceal that ecological difference.
ʻAkiahala
Hibiscus furcellatus, also called ʻakiohala, has showy pink to light-purple flowers. It is indigenous rather than endemic and favors moist or wet settings. Do not treat every Hawaiian hibiscus as a dry-site shrub or assume every hibiscus grown on the islands is native. The named species determines both its origin and growing requirements.
Alaheʻe
Psydrax odorata bears clusters of fragrant white flowers above glossy foliage. This indigenous shrub or tree can later produce dark fruits. Its overall appearance differs from a large-petaled hibiscus: the display comes from many small flowers together. Allow room for its eventual woody growth when considering a garden specimen.
Hāhā
Cyanea angustifolia belongs to Hawaiʻi’s distinctive lobelioid group in the bellflower family. Narrow leaves can cluster toward the ends of the stems, with curved tubular flowers below. It is not a palm despite a sometimes palm-like silhouette. A forest species’ appearance does not establish that it will thrive in an ordinary small container garden.
Iliau
Wilkesia gymnoxiphium is a Kauaʻi endemic with a crown of narrow leaves and a tall, branching display of pale flower heads. The university species profile describes its dry-site requirements and flowering. Its leaf rosette and upright flowering structure make a striking contrast with rounded, bushy coastal shrubs.
ʻIlima kū kahakai
Sida fallax is indigenous and includes low coastal forms as well as taller plants. Its small yellow to orange flowers are important in lei traditions. A low-growing coastal selection and a tall inland form should not be assumed to have the same mature size. It generally suits sun and good drainage rather than heavy, constant irrigation.
Kāʻeʻe
Mucuna gigantea is an indigenous woody vine with hanging clusters of yellow-green pea-family flowers. Its large seeds are known as sea beans. This is a substantial climber, not a small bedding flower. Do not eat the seeds or infer medicinal use from another Mucuna species; shared genus names do not establish safety or a treatment.
Kāmole lau liʻi
Ludwigia octovalvis has yellow flowers and grows in wet places such as stream margins and ditches. Bishop Museum’s species account treats it as indigenous in Hawaiʻi, noting an earlier suggestion of introduction. Use the current species account rather than presenting the old uncertainty as a settled introduced status.
Kanawao
Broussaisia arguta is an endemic woody plant often called Hawaiian hydrangea. It has broad leaves and rounded clusters of many small flowers, with color varying among plants. It belongs to moist forest settings, so it should not be grouped with sun-baked coastal flowers under a single watering rule.
Koali ʻawahia
Ipomoea indica carries blue to violet funnel-shaped morning-glory flowers on vigorous climbing stems. Its Hawaiian names and long cultural history do not by themselves resolve questions about its arrival or status. Confirm regional botanical guidance before planting or encouraging spread. Treat this as an ornamental description, not permission to use the plant medicinally or eat its parts.
Kokiʻo
Kokia drynarioides is an endemic Hawaiian cotton tree with striking red flowers. It is distinct from Kokia cookei, another rare species with a different conservation history. Avoid merging the two species’ wild populations or propagation stories. The university profile identifies K. drynarioides and its growing requirements.
Koʻoloa ʻula
Abutilon menziesii is an endemic shrub with pendant flowers, often maroon to reddish, set against soft-looking foliage. It is a mallow-family relative of hibiscus, but its smaller hanging blooms give it a different character. Nursery-grown plants can contribute to suitable native gardens; collecting wild material is not an appropriate way to obtain one.
Kou
Cordia subcordata has orange, funnel-shaped flowers and develops into a substantial tree. Once widely treated as a Polynesian introduction, it is categorized as indigenous by the Native Hawaiʻi Plants account, which discusses evidence predating human arrival. A tree’s cultural importance and its botanical origin are separate questions.
Maʻo hau hele
Hibiscus brackenridgei is the native yellow hibiscus associated with Hawaiʻi’s state flower. Its large yellow blooms often have a darker center. It is endemic, unlike the many introduced hibiscus hybrids grown in tropical gardens. Identify the species and selection rather than assuming any yellow hibiscus is the state-flower plant.
Maʻohiʻohi
Stenogyne microphylla belongs to an endemic Hawaiian genus in the mint family. It is part of a flora quite different from culinary garden mint, with tubular flowers rather than a crop grown for peppermint flavor. The University of Hawaiʻi botanical gallery documents the species on Hawaiʻi Island and Maui. Do not extend that record to every island.
Māmane
Sophora chrysophylla is an endemic shrub or tree with clusters of yellow, pea-shaped flowers followed by seed pods. It is an important part of native ecosystems, including upland woodland. The seeds are not a general wildlife-safe or edible food recommendation; specialized ecological relationships do not establish safety for people or pets.
Milo
Thespesia populnea has broad leaves and hibiscus-like yellow flowers with darker centers that change appearance as they age. It is closely associated with Hawaiian cultural landscapes and useful wood. Accounts of its historical arrival have varied, so avoid treating cultural use alone as proof of endemic status. It is a tree that needs space, not a compact perennial flower.
Nanu
Gardenia brighamii is an endemic Hawaiian gardenia with fragrant white flowers. It differs from common introduced florist gardenias. Its dry-forest associations are important when choosing a garden position and watering routine. Legally propagated nursery stock provides a way to grow suitable native plants without disturbing wild populations.
Naupaka kai
Beach naupaka is Scaevola taccada, also encountered under the name S. sericea. Its pale flowers have the distinctive fan-shaped, half-flower appearance associated with naupaka. This indigenous coastal shrub is not confined to Hawaiʻi. It suits appropriate coastal landscaping, but check local invasive-plant advice if considering it outside its native region.
Nehe
Nehe is a name used for more than one Hawaiian daisy-family plant, so the scientific identification matters. Lipochaeta connata has yellow flower heads and a spreading to shrubby habit that varies among forms. Do not assume every nehe is the same low groundcover or has an identical island range. Use a named nursery selection suited to the site.
Nohoanu: silver geranium
Geranium cuneatum includes silvery-leaved forms found in Hawaiian uplands. At Haleakalā, the subspecies tridens has small leaves with three prominent teeth. The fine leaf hairs contribute to its pale appearance. The National Park Service geranium guide compares it with the other local species.
Nohoanu: Hawaiian red cranesbill
Geranium arboreum has unusual red, curved flowers associated with pollination by native birds. It is a woody Hawaiian geranium, quite different from bedding plants commonly called geraniums. Its distinctive flowers and specialized habitat make it a conservation subject rather than a routine garden recommendation.
Nohoanu: manyflowered geranium
Geranium multiflorum produces pink, purple, or white flowers in upland habitats. Native yellow-faced bees are among its pollinators. It shares Hawaiian common names with related species, so color and the name nohoanu alone are not enough for identification. The leaf shape and arrangement of flowers help distinguish it from its relatives.
Nohoanu: Maui geranium
Geranium hanaense is another distinct Maui species, with pale to purple-marked flowers and leaves that can resemble those of silver geranium. Its recognition illustrates how closely related plants can differ in flower and leaf traits. Observe it through conservation and botanical resources rather than seeking wild material for a garden.
Oʻahu pilo kea
The plant historically called Platydesma cornuta is also treated as Melicope cornuta in modern classifications. It is an endemic woody member of the citrus family, with pale flowers and broad leaves. Oʻahu is an island; Honolulu is not an interchangeable island-range description. Use a current botanical record when checking its varieties and distribution.
ʻŌhiʻa lehua
Metrosideros polymorpha ranges from small shrubs to tall trees. Its familiar brush-like flower clusters owe much of their appearance to numerous stamens, often red but also yellow or other shades. This endemic species is central to Hawaiian forests. Follow local biosecurity guidance when visiting ʻōhiʻa habitats rather than moving soil or plant material between sites.
ʻOkika: native orchids
Hawaiʻi has three native orchid species: Anoectochilus sandvicensis, Liparis hawaiensis, and Platanthera holochila. Their native status does not mean all three occur on every island or grow like common florist orchids. The university’s Liparis account identifies the three. For cultivated moth orchids, use our separate Phalaenopsis care guide.
Pōkūlakalaka
Polyscias racemosa, formerly known as Munroidendron racemosum, is a Kauaʻi endemic tree with long, hanging flower clusters. The small flowers are pale yellow with reddish centers, followed by pale fruits. Its dramatic display comes from the pendant raceme rather than a single large blossom. Compound foliage adds another recognizable feature.
Poʻolā nui
Bidens cosmoides is a Kauaʻi endemic with showy yellow to light-orange flower heads. It belongs to the daisy family, alongside many Hawaiian relatives that share names such as koʻokoʻolau. Its moist-forest associations differ from those of dry coastal daisies, so the family relationship does not imply identical garden care.
Pua ʻala
Brighamia rockii carries a crown of leaves above a thick stem, with white tubular flowers. Its close relative B. insignis has yellow flowers. The university account distinguishes the Molokaʻi plant and its cliff habitat. The thickened base and rosette give both species the memorable appearance of a cabbage raised on a stem.
Pua kala
Argemone glauca is an endemic prickly poppy with white petals and prominent yellow stamens. Its spiny foliage contrasts with the delicate flower. It is associated with sunny, dry settings, but it is not a touch-friendly plant for the edge of a busy path. Do not use a poppy’s ornamental appearance as evidence that its sap or seeds are safe to consume.
ʻUkiʻuki
Dianella sandwicensis has strap-like leaves, small pale blue to whitish flowers, and conspicuous blue-purple fruits. It is an endemic grass-like perennial rather than a true grass. Its foliage can provide structure even when the flowers are less noticeable. Treat the fruits as ornamental and do not taste them to confirm identification.
Familiar introduced flowers
Plumeria, bird of paradise, bougainvillea, carnations, tuberose, and many florist orchids are strongly associated with Hawaiian gardens or lei, yet that cultural association does not make them native. The distinction matters when choosing plants for native habitat restoration. For a tropical indoor display elsewhere, choose a cultivated plant suited to your light and space; a familiar garden flower can be easier to accommodate than a specialized forest species.
