Native Plant List for Hawaii
Last updated: September 19, 2026
This is a "starter" list of native plants for Hawaii. It is intended for residential or commercial landscapers who want to create attractive and varied native landscapes.
Native Trees
Hawaii Trees (Native)
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koa | Acacia koa | F | A-D | 50–100 ft | Endemic; Hawaii's premier hardwood; fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing |
| Koaiʻa | Acacia koaia | F | D | 15–30 ft | Dryland koa; dense wood; tough small tree for dry gardens |
| Kauila | Alphitonia ponderosa | F-P | A-D | 50-80 ft | Hawaiian endemic dry-forest tree, slow-growing, IUCN Vulnerable |
| Hame | Antidesma platyphyllum | P | A-W | 15–30 ft | Red-purple fruit used for dye; mesic-wet forest tree |
| Hame | Antidesma pulvinatum | F-P | A-D | 15-30 ft | Hawaiian endemic dry-forest tree; dioecious; bronze new growth |
| Pāpala kēpau | Ceodes brunoniana | F-P | D-A | 15–30 ft | Sticky seeds once used to catch birds; big glossy leaves |
| ʻŌlapa | Cheirodendron trigynum | P | A-W | 20–50 ft | Leaves flutter in the wind, honored in hula; wet-forest tree |
| Hāpuʻu (Tree fern) | Cibotium glaucum | P-S | A-W | 10–20 ft | Hawaiian tree fern; soft golden pulu on fiddleheads; shade garden |
| Kauila | Colubrina oppositifolia | F | D | 15–30 ft | Endangered dry-forest tree; famously hard, heavy wood |
| Kou | Cordia subcordata | F | D-A | 25–40 ft | Orange flowers year-round; prized carving wood; coastal |
| Lama | Diospyros hillebrandii | F-P | A-D | 13-33 ft | Endemic to Kaua'i & O'ahu only; slow-growing, pink new-leaf flush |
| Lama | Diospyros sandwicensis | F-P | D-A | 20–40 ft | Native persimmon; sacred to Laka; slow, elegant dry-forest tree |
| Halapepe | Dracaena auwahiensis | F | D-A | 15–30 ft | Maui–Molokaʻi endemic; IUCN Vulnerable; yellow-green flower clusters |
| Wiliwili | Erythrina sandwicensis | F | D | 15–30 ft | Dry-forest tree; variable pale to orange flowers; seasonally deciduous |
| Mēhamehame | Flueggea neowawraea | F-P | A | to ~100 ft (historic) | Federally endangered; nursery-propagated conservation stock only |
| Kokiʻo keʻokeʻo | Hibiscus arnottianus | F-P | A | 15–30 ft | Native white hibiscus; variable light fragrance; Oʻahu endemic in current taxonomy |
| Clay's Hibiscus | Hibiscus clayi | F-P | D-A | 13-26 ft (tree) / 1.5-3 ft (shrub) | Critically endangered Kauaʻi endemic; nursery-propagated only |
| Kokiʻo ʻula | Hibiscus kokio | F-P | D-A | 10–20 ft | Native red hibiscus; year-round bloom; small tree or large shrub |
| Manono | Kadua affinis | P | A-W | 10–25 ft | Small tree of wet forests; dark blue-black fruit for birds |
| ʻŌhiʻa lehua | Metrosideros polymorpha | F | D-W | 20–80 ft | Iconic red lehua blossoms feed native honeycreepers; highly variable |
| Uhiuhi | Mezoneuron kavaiense | F | D | 15–35 ft | Rare dryland legume; pink to red flowers; historically valued hard wood |
| Kōlea lau nui | Myrsine lessertiana | F-P | A | 20–50 ft | Pink-red new leaves; dark berries feed native birds |
| Olopua | Nestegis sandwicensis | F-P | D-A | 20–60 ft | Native olive; dense hard wood; drought-tolerant once established |
| Hala | Pandanus tectorius | F | D-A | 20–30 ft | Prop roots; leaves woven into mats; salt- and wind-tolerant |
| Hōʻawa | Pittosporum hosmeri | P | A | 15–30 ft | Large woody capsules; seeds eaten by ʻalalā (Hawaiian crow) |
| Loulu (Fan palm) | Pritchardia hillebrandii | F | D-A | 20–25 ft | Endemic fan palm; drought-tolerant; fronds once used for thatch |
| Kōpiko | Psychotria hawaiiensis | P | A-W | 15–30 ft | Native coffee relative; understory tree of mesic-wet forest |
| Alaheʻe | Psydrax odorata | F-P | D-A | 15–30 ft | Glossy leaves, fragrant white flowers; excellent small landscape tree |
| ʻIliahi (Sandalwood) | Santalum freycinetianum | F-P | D-A | 15–40 ft | Fragrant heartwood; root-parasitic, plant near a host like koa |
| Māmane | Sophora chrysophylla | F | D-A | 15–50 ft | Yellow pea flowers; essential food for the endangered palila |
Hawaii Grasses & Sedges
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broom Sedge | Andropogon virginicus | F-P | D-W | 4 ft | Green leaves/stems turn purple & bright orange in fall |
| Tussock Sedge | Carex stricta | F-P | A-W | 24–36 in | Evergreen; blue flowers dissappear quickly; likes full sun |
| Three-way Sedge | Dulichium arundinaceum | F-P | W | 12–36 in | Will thrive in up to 2" standing water; resembles bambo |
| Squarestem Spikerush | Eleocharis quadrangulata | F-P | W | 12–42 in | 4-sided stems; wetland plant |
| Virginia Wild Rye | Elymus virginicus | P-S | D-A | 36 in | Distinguished by relatively stiff, erect spikes |
| Purple Love Grass | Eragrostis spectabilis | F | A | 18–24 in | Fluffy clouds of bronze-red inflorescences summer/fall |
| Pili Grass | Heteropogon contortus | F | D | 1-3 ft | Native bunchgrass of HI & SW deserts; twisted awns; not native in FL |
| Canada Rush | Juncus canadensis | F-P | A-W | 36 in | Rapid growth; green foliage & flower |
| Smooth Rush | Juncus effusus | F-P | A-W | 36 in | Bright green cylindrical stems without nodes, no leaves |
| Switch Panic Grass | Panicum virgatum | F-P | D-W | 4–6 ft | Bluish cast in summer; reddish fall color |
| Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | F-P | D-A | 2–4 ft | Bright green to light blue leaves turn copper, orange |
| Cottongrass Bulrush | Scirpus cyperinus | F | W-A | 3–5 ft | Clumping grass-like perennial; wooly seed heads in fall |
| Yellow Indian Grass | Sorghastrum nutans | F-P | A-D | 3–6 ft | Foliage varies from drooping & green to upright and blue |
Hawaii Shrubs
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ewa Hinahina | Achyranthes splendens | F | D | 2–6 ft | Small, silvery grey-green shrub. |
| Maile | Alyxia oliviformis | F-P | D-A | 3–6 ft | Small flowers represent the 4 mythic Maile sisters of hula. |
| 'Anapanapa | Colubrina asiatica | F-P | D-A | 3–10 ft | Tough. Can be vine-like. Wind- and salt-tolerant. |
| 'A'ali'i | Dodonaea viscosa | F-P | D-A | 3–10 ft | Wind-tolerant. Round. Bright red seeds. |
| Ma'o | Gossypium tomentosum | F | D-A | 1½–5 ft | Bright yellow flowers year-round. |
| Ma'o Hau Hele | Hibiscus brackenridgei | F | D | 3–15 ft | Hawaiian state flower. Large yellow flowers. |
| Pūkiawe | Leptecophylla tameiameiae | F-P | D | 1-15 ft | Native Hawaiian shrub; lava to alpine bog; white-pink-red berries |
| Naio | Myoporum sandwicense | F-P | D | 3–30 ft | Smells of sandalwood. Conspicuous flowers. |
| 'Ulei | Osteomeles anthyllidifolia | F-P | D-A | 3–15 ft | White, fragrant blossoms. Round fruit. |
| Mountain Naupaka | Scaevola gaudichaudiana | P-S | W-A | 5-10 ft | Fragrant white half-flowers; wet-forest shrub, Oahu & Kauai endemic |
| Beach Naupaka | Scaevola sericea | F-P | D-A | 3–10 ft | Dense, spreading. White/cream colored fragrant flowers. |
| 'Ilima | Sida fallax | F-P | D-A | 5–10 ft | Popular lei flowers. |
| Pohinahina | Vitex rotundifolia | F | D | Drought-tolerant. Hardy. Velvety, silvery leaves. | |
| ʻĀkia | Wikstroemia uva-ursi | F | D | 1-6 ft | Coastal/lava shrub; salt & drought tolerant; toxic, berries not edible |
Hawaii Flowering Perennials
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puakala | Argemone glauca | F | D | 1-4 ft | Spiny blue-gray HI endemic poppy; toxic sap/seeds, white blooms |
| 'Uki 'Uki | Dianella sandwicensis | F-P | A-D | 12–36 in | Purple dye berries; good drainage. Tolerates dry spells once established. |
| Beach Strawberry | Fragaria chiloensis | F-P | A | 4-8 in | Mat-forming coastal groundcover; white flowers, small edible fruit |
| Nehe | Lipochaeta integrifolia | F | D | 4–12 in | Yellow-flowered coastal groundcover; needs freely draining soil. |
Hawaii Perennial Ferns
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uluhe | Dicranopteris linearis | F-P | W-A | 2–3 ft groundcover, climbing to 20+ ft | Keystone native fern; aggressive spreader, erosion control, no shade |
| Pala Palai | Microlepia strigosa | F-P | A | Fronds over 36 in | Lei fern; keep soil evenly moist, never waterlogged. Avoid hot exposure. |
| ʻAmaʻu | Sadleria cyatheoides | F-S | A-W | 3-13 ft | Endemic Hawaiian fern; red new fronds; pioneer species on lava flows |
| 'Ama'u | Sadleria pallida | P-S | A-W | Fronds 12–42 in; whole plant to 13 ft | Cool, humid, moist shade; frond length is not mature height. |
| Sun Exposure | Soil Moisture | Drought Tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| F = Full Sun | W = Wet | E = Excellent |
| P = Part Sun | A = Average | G = Good |
| S = Shade | D = Dry | M = Moderate |
| P = Poor |
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