Native Plants of Hawai‘i - Pandanus tectorius

Pandanus tectorius

Pandanaceae or Screw pine family

Synonyms: Pandanus fatuhivaensis, Pandanus filiciatilis, Pandanus hivaoaensis, Pandanus jonesii, Pandanus marquesasensis, Pandanus mei, Pandanus mendanensis, Pandanus odoratissimus, Pandanus taepa

Hala

Pū hala

Hawaiian screwpine, Pandan, Pandanus, Screw pine, Screwpine

Natural Range & Environment

Hala is indigenous and occurs on the Pacific Islands of Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, as well as New Caledonia to northern Australia, New Guinea, west to the Philippines, Maluku Islands (Moluccas), and Java [Wagner et al. 1990].

In Hawaiʻi, it grows in mesic coastal areas, from sea level to low elevation mesic slopes and valleys further inland, 0-610 m (ca. 0-2,000 ft) but rarely higher [Wagner et al. 1990]. Hala was much more common in the past, with notable groves on Oʻahu (below Nuʻuanu Pali) and in the Honolulu residential area today known as Kāhala. Puna (Hawaiʻi Island) and Hāna (Maui) also once had large groves [Handy & Handy 1972].

Today, wild populations are found on the windward coasts and lower valleys of all the main islands except Kahoʻolawe, in groves ranging in size from a few trees to thousands [Meilleur 1997]. There is a small grove of hala above Kahana Bay, Oʻahu, on the hike to Puʻu Piei, which much shorter in height than other hala I (Eickhoff) have seen elsewhere.

Hala habit at a botanical garden on Oʻahu. Close-up of the aerial roots of a cultivated hala with Oʻahu carex (Carex wahuensis). Keys (fruits) on the ground from a cultivated tree. Fruit from hala hua (female) will sometimes get mistaken for a pineapple by visitors or others not familiar with this native. The spectacular and fragrant inflorescence of a cultivated hīnano (male flowers) and a close-up of the flowers. Notice the abundance of white pollen on the leaves. The hala pictured here may or may not be indigenous.

Description

Hala are small trees to ca. 10 m (ca. 33 ft) tall, with a stout trunk and wide-angled branches. The long, narrow, and sword-shaped leaves can grow to around 6 ft long, have spiny margins, and are arranged in a spiral pattern at the branch tips. Hala has distinctive aerial prop roots that emerge from the trunk and branches to help support the tree, particularly in sandy soils.

Trees are either male or female (dioecious). The male flowers, called hīnano, are tiny, fragrant, and grow in drooping clusters enclosed by showy white bracts. The female flowers, called hala hua, appear in compact greenish flower-heads and develop into a large, segmented, ovoid fruit that somewhat resembles a pineapple. The fruit is actually a segmented, woody syncarp (fused flower segments on a fruit) with dozens to hundreds of individual, fibrous segments called "keys" or "phalanges" that can be pulled apart to eat in cultivated varieties.

Growth Requirements

General

Hala can grow to 30 feet with a 20-foot spread. Plants should be spaced 20 to 30 feet apart for optimum growth, but can be planted closer if leaves are trimmed. Leaves do self-prune and can quickly create thick leaf litter if not attended to.

Hala is tolerant of drought, salt spray, brackish water, heat, wind and periodic saltwater inundation [DOI 2025]. It does not appear to be picky about the types of soils (e.g., limestone, coral, basalt) it grows in, as it is naturally found in a variety of habitats, but prefers moist sandy soil. Though hala prefer full sun, it will tolerate some shade, but it will stop flowering or producing fruit in heavy shade. Hala can also be used to stabilize sandy soils, bind sands to prevent erosion and be used as windbreaks for crops [DOI 2025]. All of this makes hala a great tree to grow near coastal areas where most plants could not grow.

Pests and Diseases

Hala is primarily threatened by the invasive hala scale insect (Thysanococcus pandani) [DOA 2015]. Several hala have been killed by the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle at LCC in the last few years. But several species of mealybugs and aphids can also cause damage. Rats do eat hala fruit, as evidenced by the gnawed keys on trees or on the ground. Rats will also nest in the canopy of hala. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for treatments.

Uses

Ancient Hawaiian

In ancient Hawaiʻi, hala was a prevalent feature of the landscape, with its seeds dispersed by streams and the ocean [Krauss 197-]. The early Hawaiians held hala in high regard, utilizing it for a variety of purposes. The fruits (or keys), particularly the red ones, were especially valued [Krauss 197-].

For agriculture, hala was extensively used by ancient Hawaiians, leading to its intentional cultivation near homes [Handy & Handy 1972]. Trees were also planted at the edges of villages and in large groves to ensure a steady supply [Krauss 197-].

Hawaiians crafted canoe sails by plaiting hala leaves. The canoes, or waʻa, were typically coated with a black paint made from ʻakoko (Euphorbia spp.), the inner bark of kukui root, juice from maiʻa (banana) buds, and charcoal from hala leaves. This black finish contrasted beautifully with the unpainted yellow moʻo (gunwales) made from ʻahakea (Bobea spp.) wood, creating an aesthetically pleasing appearance [Krauss 197-].

Hīnano, or male flower bracts, were used to weave the finest garments known as ʻahu hīnano. These bracts were dried and meticulously torn into narrow strips before being plaited. The resulting garments were noted for their soft, fine texture and remarkable flexibility [Krauss 197-].

The soft aerial roots (ulehala) of female hala were used traditionally as cordage [Meilleur 1997]. Additionally, some lau hala cordage was crafted into rings known as pōʻaha, which were used to support bowls with rounded bottoms. In instances where ʻahuʻawa (Cyperus javanicus) was scarce or unavailable, hala fibers were collected in substantial bundles and employed for straining awa (kava) [Krauss 197-].

The sweet tips of fresh fruit were consumed as a last resort during times of famine by ancient Hawaiians due to the presence of irritating raphides (calcium oxalate crystals), which produce effects similar to those experienced when consuming raw kalo (taro) [Krauss 1993, Krauss 197-]. During such periods, children would break open the hard, stony coverings of mature keys to access the flavorful, nut-like centers [Krauss 197-].

Small stuffed cubes were crafted for ball games [Neal 1965]. Kites (lupe) were also made with crude plaiting [Krauss 197-].

The wood from male hala trees was employed in house (hale) construction, particularly for ceilings. In areas where it was plentiful, lau hala was used for roof thatching. Conversely, the wood from female hala (hala hua) was deemed too soft for construction purposes [Krauss 1993, Neal 1965, Krauss 197-].

The leaves (lau) were utilized in crafting baskets, mats, mattresses, cubical pillows filled with lau hala pulu, hats, sandals (kāmaʻa) for traversing rough lava, and fans for cooling [Neal 1965, Krauss 197-, Krauss 1993].

The bracts of hīnano (male flowers) were employed in weaving exceptionally fine-textured and fragrant mats known as moena hīnano. Hala leaves (lau hala) underwent thorough preparation, which involved removing thorny edges, washing, bleaching in seawater, soaking for several days, smoking to soften, sun drying, light pounding with a bone tool, and rolling. This preparation and plaiting process was traditionally carried out by women [Neal 1965].

Fiber from the root tips of female hala was used to string lei [Krauss 197-]. Distinct from the female fruits (keys), the fragrant bracts of the male hala flower (hīnano) were crafted into strikingly beautiful lei, with or without the flowers themselves [McDonald & Weissich 2003].

The ripe hala keys (hala ʻiʻo) used for lei were cut horizontally with a shark tooth in three different ways, depending on the intended use [Krauss 197-]. Hard hala keys (hala iwi nui) were not utilized for lei [Hawaiian Dictionaries].

Various fruit (key) forms were employed for different purposes, with at least six known color forms frequently used by lei makers.

Hala. The common yellow to red keys.
Hala ʻīkoi. Keys are lemmon colored at the base; bright orange upper half.
Hala lihilihi ʻula. Keys are bright yellow at the base, changing to bright red-orange at the top.
Hala melemele, or Hala maoli. Bright yellow keys.
Hala pia. Small canary yellow keys; prized.
Hala ʻula. Orange-red keys; very much prized [McDonald & Weissich 2003].

The young aerial or prop root tips, known as scales before they reach the ground, were utilized medicinally both internally and externally [Krauss 197-]. The soft part of the male flowers (hīnano) was chewed by mothers and given to infants and young children as a laxative, a practice also followed by adults [Krauss 1993, Krauss 1979]. The keys of the hala pia form were employed for medicinal purposes [McDonald & Weissich 2003]. Aerial root tips were pounded, their juice strained and heated [Krauss 1979]. David B. Leonard, founder of the Earth Medicine Institute, notes that these aerial roots were combined with eucalyptus in a pūloʻuloʻu (steam bath) to treat colds. When mixed with other plants, they were used to address urinary tract infections, low energy, and red eyes [Leonard 2012]. A mixture of aerial roots with kō (sugar cane) and other plants served as a tonic for mothers weakened by childbirth and was also administered for chest pains [Krauss 1979].

The dried keys, also known as phalanges, drupes, or fruits, were traditionally utilized as brushes for applying dyes in painting, stenciling designs, and perfuming kapa. [Krauss 1993, Krauss 197-].

The mature keys, often collected after falling from the female tree, were carefully cleaned of any remaining pulp by combing through the fibers with thin, pointed instruments such as bamboo (ʻohe). The ends of the fibers were then trimmed evenly, with the hard upper end of the key serving as a handle for the brush [Krauss 197-].

The wood from male trees (hala hīnano) is considered aesthetically pleasing, though less common than the softer wood of female trees. The hard wood was employed in the construction of canoe rollers and occasionally for crafting bowls. The softer wood centers were hollowed out and used as pipes to channel water from one kalo (taro) loʻi to another [Neal 1965].

Hīnano was reputed to have aphrodisiac properties. In a traditional practice, a girl would pick the entire hīnano stem of flowers (inflorescence) and pursue the boy of her choice. Upon catching him, she would tap him on the head with the stem, releasing pollen that covered his head, supposedly causing him to fall in love with her. Additionally, the pollen was sometimes collected and discreetly added to a drink, which the unsuspecting recipient would consume, thereby ingesting the love concoction [Krauss 197-].

Modern

Hala Use Outside of Hawaiʻi

In contemporary times in Polynesia, lei are crafted from the unripe fruit, known as keys, which have seemingly shed their initial negative connotations [Ide 2001]. These keys are noted for their pumpkin-like aroma [Neal 1965].

The tradition of creating floor and table mats, hats, purses, baskets, and other items from lau hala is still used today [Neal 1965].

Hala is not commonly consumed as food in Hawaiʻi, both historically and presently, likely due to the specific varieties found in the region. In various parts of the Pacific, however, lau hala has been, and often continues to be, utilized in the production of sails, hats, kites, thatching, satchels, and garments [Neal 1965].

Polynesian Names for Female Tree:

ʻAra (Cooks, Mangareva); ʻAra tai (Cooks); ʻAra taʻatai (Cooks); Balawa (Fiji); Fā (Niue, Tonga, ʻUvea); Faʻa (Southern Marquesas); Fala (Futuna, Samoa, Tokelau, Tuvalu); Fara (Societies, Tuamotus); Fasa (Samoa); Haʻa (Northern Marquesas); Hala or Hala hua (Hawaiʻi); Vadra (Fiji) [Whistler 2009].

Polynesian Names for Male Tree:

Higano (Tokelau, ʻUvea); Hingano (Tonga); Sigano (Futuna, Samoa); Hinano (Marquesas, Societies); Hīnano (Hawaiʻi); ʻIngano (Cooks) [Whistler 2009].

Special Features and Information

General

Hala, or Pandanus, belongs to the Screw Pine family (Pandanaceae). Within this family, there are two indigenous representatives in Hawaiʻi. The other member, ʻieʻie (Freycinetia arborea), is frequently observed in mesic or wet forests, where it ascends trees or sprawls over rocks and the ground.

Hawaiian Name

According to Hawaiian Dictionaries, the term "hala" in Hawaiian culture is associated with passing away or death, and traditionally, lei made from hala were intended for personal use only. They were not given to others, except with ill intent. The word "hala" also translates to sin, vice, offense, fault, error, or failure, and wearing it at certain times was considered inauspicious [McDonald & Weissich 2003]. However, many craftspeople whom I (Eickhoff) know who work with and wear hala today do not accept this.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Amboinese term pandan, Latinized to produce Pandanus [Gledhill 2008]. The Latin specific epithet tectorius carries the meanings "of plasterer; of rooftops, growing on rooftops, of the tiles" [Gledhill 2008].

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