He Moʻolelo Kōkua — Plant Story

The maʻo hau hele holds a singular honor: it is the official state flower of Hawaiʻi. Yet this bright ambassador of the islands is critically imperiled in the wild — every subspecies is federally and state listed as endangered, and the plant is a target of the state's Plant Extinction Prevention Program (PEPP), which focuses on species fewer than 50 wild individuals remain of.

Its Hawaiian name translates evocatively as "green traveling hau" (maʻo = green, hau = the related native hibiscus, hele = traveling/wandering), a nod to the way its form and character seem to wander across the islands. As a member of the mallow family (Malvaceae), it is kin to the cotton plant and to the hau tree that lines island valleys.

Every plant stewarded in home gardens is a safeguard against losing this species altogether — a living ark for a flower that the state itself chose as its emblem.

Kino — Plant Identification

  • Leaves: Maple-like, bright to medium green. Subspecies differ: subsp. brackenridgei has leaves with more rounded margins and yellow veins; subsp. mokuleianus has more serrated margins, pink veins, and tiny spines on the branches

  • Flowers: Large, bright yellow hibiscus blossoms with a prominent central column, borne on flowering stalks that rise above the rest of the plant

  • Height & habit: Shrub to small tree, up to 3 m (10 ft) tall; sprawling to erect

  • On Hawaiʻi Island: The subspecies here is H. brackenridgei subsp. brackenridgei — rounder leaves, yellow veins, no branch spines

  • Easy ID tip: A tall yellow hibiscus with maple-shaped leaves, unlike the commonly seen Chinese hibiscus (which has glossy, darker, non-maple foliage)

Mālama — Care Instructions

Light

Full sun to partial shade. In low-elevation Kaʻū, afternoon shade is tolerated well.

Water

Needs very little water to thrive once established — this is a dryland-adapted hibiscus. Daily watering is acceptable but not necessary. Water regularly only during establishment (first months after planting out).

Soil

Well-drained soil suits it best, consistent with its dry-forest heritage.

Feeding

No heavy feeding required; a modest slow-release fertilizer in spring is sufficient if growth seems sluggish.

Pruning & Maintenance

A fast grower. Prune lightly to shape after flowering; remove leggy or crossing branches. Note: unlike most hibiscuses, maʻo hau hele does not perform well as a hedge — it looks best as a specimen plant given room to show its form.

Flowering

Sources describe flowering somewhat differently — some growers report blooms occurring in two flushes a year, each lasting up to two months, with flowers opening daily along a tall stalk; university garden references note flowering typically beginning the second year in the ground and often centered in winter. Expect variation with your microclimate and subspecies — either way, the reward is worth the wait.

Common Problems

  • Rose beetles may nibble the leaves. Hand-pick in the evening or apply gentle controls; damage is usually cosmetic.

  • Avoid overwatering, which suits few of its needs.

Propagation (for expanding your stewardship)

Per University of Hawaiʻi CTAHR: select an upright-growing branch and air-layer between 1 and 2 feet from the branch tip. Cuttings can also strike from semi-hardwood wood.

Growing in Containers

Possible while young; plan to plant out, as it wants to become a 10-foot shrub.

Ko Kuleana — Your Stewardship Kuleana

This flower was chosen to represent our entire state — yet it survives in the wild only in scattered, fragile populations. As its steward, you hold a living piece of Hawaiʻi's future. Report how your plant is doing: [contact email] — and let us know when it blooms!

E Kōkua Mai — Learn More & Connect

Sources & further reading:

Maʻo Hau Hele —

Native Yellow Hibiscus

Hibiscus brackenridgei — The Hawaiʻi State Flower

Status: Federally and State Listed as Endangered · Endemic to Hawaiʻi · Full sun to part shade · Water needs: Low