Hawaiian Flowers With The Strongest Scents Revealed

Hawaii is known for its fragrant flowers, which evoke powerful memories and signals. The flowers of Hawaii are abundant and relatively easy to grow and enjoy on the islands. Some of the most popular and well-known flowers in Hawaii include pikake or jasmine, plumeria, gardenias, and puakenikeni flowers, which are commonly used in leis, displays, perfumes, lotions, shampoos, and other products. The pikake or jasmine flower is considered one of the best-smelling flowers in Hawaii, with over 200 species and a unique, distinctive aroma. The plumeria, found everywhere in Hawaii, has a sweet fragrance and is often worn over the ear to indicate relationship status. The gardenia, an endangered species, has an intoxicating smell and is admired for its large blooms and long-lasting scent. The puakenikeni flower, also known as the ten cent flower, has a wonderful fragrance and is often used in leis. Other fragrant Hawaiian flowers include the tuberose, crinum lily, rhododendron, orchid, anthurium, bird of paradise, and hibiscus.

Pikake or Jasmine

Pikake, also known as Arabian jasmine or Hawaiian jasmine, is a flower with a strong, sweet fragrance. It is a variety of jasmine, or Jasminum sambac, to be precise, and is named after the peacocks that roamed Princess Ka'iulani's palace gardens in the 1800s.

The pikake flower is small and white, with rounded petals, and blooms in soil grown in rich loam. Its scent is characteristic of jasmine but with a touch more sweetness and body. The main aromas are citrus and greens, with mid-notes of tuberose and jasmine, and a musk base. Pikake is also known as the ""flower of love"" for its aphrodisiac and seductive qualities, and it is often used as a symbol of love and romance.

Pikake is a wonderful addition to a Hawaiian garden. It can serve as a low shrub or be supported to grow into a vine. The bright white flowers of the pikake make a striking contrast to the plant's dark green leaves. It is an attractive plant to use as a single garden specimen or to include in a hedge. Pikake plants produce clusters of three or more blooms, which open fully in the early evening and may stay open for nearly 24 hours. Though they stay fragrant throughout the day, their perfume is strongest in the morning, between 7 and 10 a.m.

Pikake is also used in a variety of products, including perfumes, body mists, candles, and tea. The blooms of the pikake plant are an important ingredient in jasmine tea, and the plants are also grown commercially for perfume-making. Pikake's relaxing, citrusy, jasmine-heavy musk is a popular scent for home and beauty products.

Plumeria

In terms of pest control, Plumeria can be susceptible to pests such as mealybugs, scale insects, and whiteflies, which can lead to sooty mould on the leaves. Controlling these insects is crucial to prevent mould. Pruning is generally minimal and is mainly done to remove any diseased or broken stems or to maintain the desired shape and size of the plant.

Hawaiian Gardenia

The Gardenia brighamii, commonly known as the Hawaiian Gardenia, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. It is a small tree, reaching heights of between 4 and 12 feet tall, though some specimens have been known to reach 20 feet. The leaves are glossy and light or dark green, measuring between 1 and 4 inches long and about half as wide. The flowers are tubular with 6 or 7 lobes and fused petals that form a tube with a fragrant aroma that has been likened to the scent of coconut oil. The flowers are usually white, but can also be a clear to opaque yellow colour, and are about 2 inches across.

The Hawaiian Gardenia is an endangered species native to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is known as nānū, naʻu, or forest gardenia. It is extremely rare, with only around 10 plants left in the wild, found on Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island. It is believed to be a relatively common member of the lowland dry forest, but its population has declined due to habitat loss, the establishment of invasive species, and other factors. The Hawaiian Gardenia is long-lived, with a lifespan of at least 15 years under cultivation and one specimen documented for over 65 years in the wild.

The flowers of the Hawaiian Gardenia are used to make lei, and the wood is used for making house posts and kapa anvils. The fruit of the plant yields a yellow dye that was used by Native Hawaiians. The plant requires full sun and well-drained soil, and daily watering is recommended if the soil can accommodate it.

In the wild, the flowering and fruiting periods of the Hawaiian Gardenia vary among populations. On Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island, it blooms from October to December, while on Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi, it blooms primarily in the spring months of March, April, and May, with some additional flowering in December and July. Cultivated plants tend to flower more or less continuously year-round with brief rest periods.

Puakenikeni

The name Puakenikeni means "ten-cent flower" because, historically, it cost ten cents for this flower in lei form. The scientific name for the tree is Fagraea berteriana, and it is in the Loganiaceae plant family. It was imported to Hawaii before 1900 and widely propagated as its flowers were perfect for lei making. The first historical planting may have been in Maunawili, in windward Oahu, and it became known as the flower of Kane`ohe in the early days.

The Puakenikeni tree is not native to Hawaii, nor did the ancient voyagers bring it on their great sea-travelling canoes. It only arrived in Hawaii in the late 1800s and became popular around 1920. The tree is mentioned in the classic book NA LEI by Marie McDonald, who writes that it was brought to Hawaii from other South Pacific islands by Jarrett P. Wilder.

The Puakenikeni tree is considered sacred in many cultures. In Tahitian legend, the first Pua tree was brought from the tenth heaven by Tane, the god of the forests. In Mangaian, the Pua tree was said to guard the entrance to the land of the spirits in the underworld.

Hawaiian Hibiscus

The Hawaiian hibiscus is a tropical flowering shrub or tree native to Hawaii. There are seven species of hibiscus regarded as native to Hawaii, with two indigenous and five endemic species. The hibiscus blooms almost daily, but each bloom only lasts a day or two.

The yellow hibiscus (Hibiscus brackenridgei) is Hawaii's official state flower. It is also known as ma'o hau-hele or pua aloalo in the Hawaiian language. This species is endangered and can grow up to 30 feet tall. The flowers are bright yellow and only bloom in the winter and spring.

Another species of Hawaiian hibiscus is the Hibiscus arnottianus, or the O'ahu white hibiscus. This variety blooms all year long and has a scent, a rare trait among hibiscus flowers. The flowers are white, sometimes with hints of pink.

The Hibiscus clayi has red flowers and no scent. Its petals are slightly thinner than those of other varieties.

The Hibiscus furcellatus is a smaller variety, usually only spreading out to eight feet. It has light purple and pink flowers that only last a day but can bloom all year long.

The Hibiscus kokio is a rare variety that blooms orange and yellow flowers all year long.

The Hibiscus tiliaceus is an indigenous species with red or yellow flowers. Its bark is used to make mats, cordage, and other useful items. This variety can grow up to 50 feet tall.

The Hibiscus waimeae is a native endangered species that usually only grows up to 14 feet tall. It is more tolerant of shade than other varieties.

The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, or Chinese hibiscus, is not a native Hawaiian species but is the most common hibiscus found on the islands. It is often smaller than other varieties and produces pink, yellow, and red flowers in the summer.

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