Hawaii's State Flower: The Yellow Hibiscus

Overview

Hawaii's official flower is the yellow hibiscus (Hibiscus brackenridgei), adopted in 1988 after earlier designating any hibiscus as territorial flower in the 1920s.

Description

Tropical mallow family. Wild: small tree to 30 feet. Gardens: shrub 3–15 feet tall, 8–15 feet wide. Fuzzy maple-like leaves with toothed 3–7 lobes. Bright yellow 4–6 inch flowers with maroon centers, lasting one day (open 2–4 PM, close 9 AM–1 PM). Main bloom spring–summer; sporadic year-round. Full sun, low water needs.

Native Habitat

Endemic to Hawaii's dry lowland forests and shrublands (400–2,600 ft elevation). Absent from Ni'hau and Kaho'olawe; uncommon elsewhere.

Endangered Status

Development, fire, overgrazing, invasive plants reduced wild population to <60 plants on Maui, Hawaii, Lana'i. Conservation: weed control, fencing, habitat preservation, botanic garden/seed bank collections.

Propagation

Never harvest wild. Licensed nurseries sell seeds/cuttings. Cuttings root fastest; seed-grown plants may be more vigorous.

Cultural Meanings

Popular in Hawaiian shirts and hair adornments. Right ear = available; left ear = taken. Hawaiian: "pua" = flower, "aloalo" = hibiscus.