Kokia kauaiensis

Common Names

Koki'o, Kauaʻi Treecotton, Kauai Treecotton, Hau Hele ʻUla

Summary

Kauai treecotton is a small to medium Malvaceae tree native to western Kauaʻi, Hawaii, growing 5–10 m tall in coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests at 350–660 m elevation. It features 7–9-lobed, circular leaves 12–25 cm wide with a heart-shaped base; brick-red flowers borne singly or in clusters near branch ends on stout stalks 3–9 cm long, with floral bracts 4–6 cm and curved petals 10–15 cm long densely covered with yellowish silky hairs; fruit is an egg-shaped capsule and seeds are 10–12 mm long with reddish woolly hairs up to 10 mm. Endangered, with around 45–50 individuals remaining in six populations, reflecting a historic bottleneck and ongoing habitat loss threats.

In cultivation, ex situ plants exceed 50 in botanical settings, with a seed bank at NTBG containing about 160 seeds from three of six populations; nurseries hold five plants from two populations and garden grounds include 35 individuals from five populations. Practical uses include ancient Hawaiian lei and dye uses; bark used for red waterproof dye; modern relevance includes grafting Kokia cookei onto related Kokia roots using this species, and dry flower arrangements from capsules and bracts.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

16-33 feet

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial sun.

Soil Type

Organic- or clay-dominant soils with excellent drainage and consistent moisture.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Bloom Color

Brick-red

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Medium to dark green

Growth Rate

Rapid growth, ~0.7 ft/year (0.21 m/year)

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, tissue culture

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators