Hala Hala.
The Hawaiian screwpine, instantly recognizable by its aerial prop roots and pineapple-like fruit.
Hala — the Hawaiian screwpine — is one of the most recognizable plants of the Hawaiian coast, with its dramatic aerial prop roots and clusters of pineapple-like fruit.
Its long, sword-shaped leaves (lau hala) are dried, stripped, and woven into mats, baskets, hats, fans, and the sails of voyaging canoes — a craft tradition that is still actively practiced today.
The fruit segments (keys) were eaten in times of famine and used as natural paintbrushes for kapa cloth-making. The prop roots and aerial branches make hala easy to identify even from a distance.
More from Coastal Plants.
ʻŌhai
An endangered native shrub with stunning orange-red pea-like flowers and silvery foliage.
Naupaka kahakai
A wave-tough beach shrub with distinctive "half-flowers."
Maʻo hau hele
The bright yellow Hawaiian hibiscus — official state flower of Hawaiʻi.
Pōhuehue
Beach morning glory — a sprawling vine that anchors loose sand with runners up to 100 feet long.