Are Wiliwili native to Hawaii?

Range: Wiliwili can be found growing in dry forests on all the main Hawaiian islands at elevations of 1,950 feet. About this species: This species is endemic to Hawaii and will grow in harsh environments where few species can survive.

What is a Wiliwili tree?

Wiliwili means twist-twist or repeatedly twisted referring to the seed pods that twist to expose brightly colored seeds. These are large trees with a yellow somewhat spiny trunk. Earlier Hawaiians believed that when wiliwili were flowering along the coast, sharks were most likely to bite. [ 8,10]

Is the Wiliwili tree endangered?

Sadly, wiliwili are in short supply and uhiuhi are federally listed as endangered.

How do you propagate Wiliwili?

Propagation by Cuttings Cuttings need to be taken when the parent plant is not in flower. Most sources recommend that large cuttings be taken with each cutting at least 1 1/2 inch in diameter and 1 1/2 to 2 feet long. Bornhorst suggests that cuttings can be as long as 6 feet.

What kind of tree is the wiliwili tree?

Wiliwili, with the scientific name Erythrina sandwicensis, is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.

Is there a wiliwili plant in Hawaiʻi?

Wiliwili is occasionally seen in cultivation in Hawaiʻi. It is easily propagated from cuttings. Seven other species of Erythrina were under general cultivation in the Hawaiian Islands, but have been mostly extirpated by the alien gall wasp (see Conservation, below).

Where does the wiliwili pea tree come from?

Wiliwili, with the scientific name Erythrina sandwicensis, is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the only species of Erythrina that naturally occurs there. It is typically found in Hawaiian tropical dry forests on leeward island slopes up…

Where can you find Erythrina wiliwili in Hawaii?

It is the only species of Erythrina that naturally occurs there. It is typically found in Hawaiian tropical dry forests on leeward island slopes up to an elevation of 600 m (2,000 ft). Wiliwili means “repeatedly twisted” in the Hawaiian language and refers to the seedpods, which dehisce, or twist open, to reveal the seeds.