Family: Malvaceae
Hau is an evergreen shrub or small tree with broad, heart-shaped leaves and attractive flowers. The flowers change color over about a day, from yellow to red, before falling off. In tropical areas such as Hawai‘i, hau blooms year-round. The small, round fruit capsules of hau split open when mature, releasing seeds. The trunk of the tree can be trained.
Habitat & Uses
Hau grows in tropical and subtropical environments. Most agree that hau is both indigenous to Hawaiʻi and an important canoe plant. It typically grows along coastlines, streams, and other wet areas, and can form dense thickets when unmanaged. Hau thrives in elevations from 0 – 2000 ft. It is salt-tolerant.
Hau has many uses. One of the most common uses of hau is as cordage. It can also be used to make kapa. In traditional Hawaiian medicine (laʻau lapaʻau), the flower buds, sap, and inner bark are all used to treat ailments. Hau wood is light, so it is used for floats for fishnets, the spars of outriggers, adz handles, and more. The trees are also useful for woodworking, preventing erosion, providing shade, and acting as windbreaks or living fences.
Plant Uses:
- Cultural significance
- Edible
- Erosion control
- Hedge
- Lei flower
- Medicinal
- Ornamental
- Privacy / screening
- Shade
- Windbreak
- Woodworking
- Bonzai
Plant Dangers:
- No dangers
