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Hawai'i Forestry Extension

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One-page summaries of information on 152 common forest trees in Hawaii, both native and introduced, from USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 679 by Elbert L. Little Jr. and Roger G. Skolmen, 1989. Reprint published by CTAHR (2003).

This handbook provides an illustrated reference for identifying the common trees in the forests of Hawaii. The 152 species described and illustrated by line drawings comprise 60 native species (including 53 that are endemic), 85 species introduced after the arrival of Europeans, and 7 species introduced by the early Hawaiians.

To find a common name, use the "find in page" command in your browser. Many different trees may share a common name, for example, "ironwood" may refer to several different, unrelated species. Common names in Hawaiian and other Pacific Island languages are spelled without diacritical marks (the okina and kahako, in Hawaiian), as some internet browsers do not support these.

These illustrations describe trees which commonly grow in Hawaii. They are not recommendations. Some tree species, for example Falcataria moluccana and Grevillea robusta, have escaped cultivation and have become serious pests in natural forests in Hawaii. Please do not plant trees which may become weeds in our natural ecosystems. Please see the Hawaii Weed Risk Assessment and the Hawaii Ecosystems at Risk page for more information about invasive species.

For photographs of many of these trees, see the CTAHR "forestry and agroforestry trees" page.

Files are Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

Link to Adobe Acrobat Reader

Acacia confusa, Formosa koa, small Phiilppine acacia, yanangi (Belau)

Acacia koa, Koa

Acacia mearnsii, Black-wattle acacia

Acacia melanoxylon, Blackwood acacia

Albizia faicataria, syn. Falcataria moluccana, Paraserianthes falcataria, Albizia falcataria, Molucca albizia, albizia, Moluccan sau, white siris

Aleurites moluccana, Kukui, candlenut-tree, tutui, varnish tree, candleberry tree, lumbang (Guam), sakan (Belau), lama (Samoa), Indian or Belgaum walnut

Alnus nepalensis, Nepalese alder, Nepal alder, Indian alder

Alphitonia ponderosa, Kauila

Angophora costata, Lanceleaf gum-myrtle

Antidesma platyphyllum, Hame

Araucaria angustifolia, Parana-pine

Araucaria columnaris, columnar araucaria, "Norfolk Island pine", Cook pine, Cook araucaria

Araucaria cunninghamii, Hoop-pine

Ardisia elliptica, Shoebutton ardisia

Artocarpus altilis, Ulu (Hawaii, Samoa), breadfruit, dodog (Guam), lemai (Northern Marianas), arudo (Belau), maa (Yap), mai (Chuuk, Pohnpei), mohs (Kosrae), ma (Marshalls)

Bambusa vulgaris, Ohe, common bamboo

Bobea sandwicensis, Ahakea

Broussaisia arguta, Kanawao

Calophyllum inophyllum, kamani, Alexandrian laurel, beautyleaf, Borneo mahogany, beach mahogany, poon, oil nut tree (English), kamani, kamanu (Hawaii), dilo (Fiji), beach Calophyllum (Papua New Guinea), daog or daok (Guam, Northern Marianas), btaches (Belau), biyuch (Yap), rakich (Chuuk), isou (Pohnpei), eet (Kosrae), lueg (Marshalls), fetau (Samoa), fetau (Tonga), tamanu (Cook Islands, Society Islands, Marquesas), te itai (Kiribati)

Canthium odoratum, syn. Psydrax odorata, Alahee

Cassia siamea, syn. Senna siamea, Siamese cassia, pheasantwood, Thailand shower, kassod tree

Cassia surattensis, syn. Senna surattensis, Kolomona, scrambled-eggs

Casuarina cunnighamiana, River-oak casuarina, small-cone ironwood, Australian pine, beefwood

Casuarina equisetifolia, Horsetail casuarina, ironwood, coast she-oak, whistling pine, Australian pine, horsetail beefwood, Australian oak, swamp oak, toa (Samoa)

Casuarina glauca, Longleaf casuarina, longleaf ironwood, swamp she-oak

Cecropia obtusifolia, Trumpet-tree

Charpentiera obovata, Papala

Cheirodendron platyphyllum, Lapalapa

Cheirodendron trigynum, Olapa, common cheirodendron

Cibotium chamissoi, Hapuu-ii, Hawaiian treefern

Cibotium glaucum, Hapuu-pulu, Hawaiian treefern

Cibotium hawaiiense, syn. Cibotium chamissoi, Meu, Hawaiian treefern

Cinnamomum camphora, Camphor-tree

Citharexylum caudatum, Fiddlewood

Clermontia arborescens, Ohawai, haha, tree clermontia

Coccoloba uvifera, Seagrape

Cocos nucifera, Coconut, niu

Coffea arabica, Coffee

Coprosma montana, Pilo

Cordia subcordata, Kou, (Hawaii), sea trumpet, beach cordia, tauanave (American Samoa), puataukanave (Tonga), vaua asi (Solomon Islands), kalau (Palau), te kanawa (Kiribati), koa (Guam), niyoron (Guam, northern Marianas), galu (Yap), ikoak (Kosrae), ikoik (Pohnpei), anau (Chuuk), nawanawa (Fiji), tou (Cook Islands), ironwood (Australia)

Cordyline fruticosa, Ti, common dracaena

Corynocarpus laevigatus, Karaka

Cryptomeria japonica, Sugi pine, Japanese cedar

Cupressus arizonica, Arizona cypress

Cupressus lusitanica, syn. Cupressus glauca, Mexican cypress, Portuguese cypress

Cupressus macrocarpa, Monterey cypress

Cupressus sempervirens, Italian cypress

Diospyros hillebrandii, Lama, Hillebrand persimmon

Diospyros sandwicensis, Lama

Dodonaea viscosa, Aalii

Elaeocarpus bifidus, Kalia

Erythrina sandwicensis, Wiliwili

Erythrina variegata, India coralbean

Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus, eucalypt

Eucalyptus botryoides, Bangalay eucalyptus

Eucalyptus camaldulensis, River-redgum eucalyptus

Eucalyptus citriodora, syn. Corymbia citriodora, Lemon-gum eucalyptus

Eucalyptus deglupta, Bagras eucalyptus, rainbow gum, rainbow bark eucalyptus, kamarere, Mindanao gum, New Guinea gum, Indonesian gum, deglupta, amammanit eucalyptus

Eucalyptus globulus, Bluegum eucalpytus, southern bluegum, Tasmaniam bluegum

Eucalyptus grandis, Rosegum eucalyptus, flooded gum

Eucalyptus microcorys, Tallowwood eucalyptus

Eucalyptus paniculata, Gray-ironbark eucalyptus

Eucalyptus pilularis, Blackbutt eucalyptus

Eucalyptus resinifera, Kinogum eucalyptus

Eucalyptus robusta, Robusta eucalyptus, swamp mahogany eucalyptus, swamp messmate, beakpod eucalyptus

Eucalyptus saligna, Saligna eucalyptus, Sydney bluegum eucalyptus, flooded gum

Eucalyptus sideroxylon, Red-ironbark eucalyptus

Eugenia cumini, Java-plum

Eugenia jambos, Rose-apple, ohia loke

Eugenia malaccensis, Ohia ai, mountain-apple

Eugenia sandwicensis, Ohia ha

Ficus microcarpa, Chinese banyan

Flindersia brayleyana, Queensland-maple, silkwood

Fraxinus uhdei, Tropical ash, Mexican ash, Hawaiian ash, shamal ash, fresno (Spanish)

Gouldia affinis, Manono

Grevillea banksii, Kahili-flower

Grevillea robusta, Silk oak, silky oak, silver oak, oka kilika, haiku keokeo

Hibiscus arnottianus, Kokio keokeo

Hibiscus elatus, Blue mahoe, Cuban-bast

Hibiscus tiliaceus, Hau, sea hibiscus,

Ilex anomala, Kawau, Hawaiian holly

Juniperus bermudiana, Bermuda juniper

Leptospermum scoparium, Manuka

Leucaena leucocephala, Koa haole, tangan-tangan (Guam, CNMI), ipil-ipil (Philippines), lamtoro (Indonesia), leadtree

Mangifera indica, Mango, manako (Hawaii), iedel (Belau), manga (Yap), kangit (Chuuk and Pohnpei)

Melaleuca quinquenervia, Paperbark, cajeput-tree

Melia azedarach, Chinaberry, pride-of-India

Melochia umbellata, Melochia

Metrosideros polymorpha, Ohia, ohia lehua

Morella faya, syn. Myrica faya, Fayatree (firetree)

Morinda citrifolia, Noni, Indian-mulberry

Myoporum sandwicense, Naio, false-sandalwood

Myrsine lessertiana, Kolea

Myrsine sandwicensis, Kolea lau-lii

Nesoluma polynesicum, Keahi, Hawaiian nesoluma

Osmanthus sandwicensis, Olopua, pua

Pandanus tectorius, Hala, screwpine

Pelea anisata, Mokihana

Pelea clusiifolia, Alani, clusia-leaf pelea

Perrottetia sandwicensis, Olomea

Persea americana, Avocado

Pinus elliottii, Slash pine

Pinus patula, Jelecote pine

Pinus pinaster, Cluster pine

Pinus radiata, (syn. P. insignis), Monterey pine

Pinus taeda, Loblolly pine

Pipturus albidus, Mamaki

Pisonia brunoniana, Papala kepau

Pisonia sandwicensis, Aulu

Pithecellobium dulce, Opiuma

Pithecellobium saman, Monkeypod, ohai, raintree

Pittosporum confertiflorum, Hoawa

Platydesma spathulatum, Pilo kea, spatula-leaf platydesma

Pleomele aurea, Halapepe, golden dracaena

Pouteria sandwicensis, Alaa

Pritchardia spp., Loulu

Prosopis pallida, Kiawe, algarroba

Psidium cattleianum, Strawberry guava, waiawi

Psidium guajava, Guava, kuawa

Psychotria hawaiiensis, Kopiko

Rauvolfia sandwicensis, Hao, Hawaiian rauvolfia

Reynoldsia sandwicensis, Ohe makai, Hawaiian reynoldsia

Rhizophora mangle, Mangrove

Rhus sandwicensis, Neneleau, Hawaiian sumac

Roseodendron donnell-smithii, Primavera, goldtree

Sadleria cyatheoides, Amau

Santalum ellipticum, lliahi-a-lo e, coast sandalwood

Santalum freycinetianum, Iliahi, Freycinet sandalwood

Sapindus oahuensis, Aulu

Sapindus saponaria, Wingleaf soapberry, manele

Scaevola gaudichaudiana, Naupaka kuahiwi, mountain naupaka

Schefflera actinophylla, Octopus-tree

Schinus terebinthifolia, Christmas-berry

Sequoia sempervirens, Redwood

Sophora chrysophylla, Mamane

Spathodea campanulata, African tuliptree

Streblus pendulinus, Aiai, Hawaiian false-mulberry

Styphelia tameiameiae, Pukiawe

Syncarpia glomulifera, Turpentine-tree

Tamarindus indica, Tamarind

Terminalia catappa, Indian almond, tropical almond, false kamani

Terminalia myriocarpa, Jhalna, hollock

Tetraplasandra hawaiiensis, Oheohe

Thespesia populnea, Milo (Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tonga), portia tree, Pacific rosewood, seaside mahoe, Indian tulip tree, badrirt (Belau), banalo (Northern Marianas), bang-beng (Yap), kilulo (Guam), mio (Marquesas), miro, amae (Rarotonga, Society Islands), mulomulo (Fiji), panu (Kosrae), polo (Chuuk), pone (Pohnpei)

Tibouchina urvilleana, Glorybush

Toona ciliata, Australian toon, Australian redcedar, Indian mahogany

Tournefortia argentea, Tree-heliotrope

Trema orientalis, Gunpowder-tree

Tristania conferta, syn. Lophostemon confertus, brushbox, Brisbane box, vinegar tree

Urera glabra, Opuhe

Wikstroemia oahuensis, Akia

Xylosma hawaiiense, Maua, xylosma

Zanthoxylum oahuense, Ae

Breadfruit, artocarpus altilis
Kou flower, Cordia subcordata
Casuarina equisetifolia - iron wood
Eucalyptus microcorys
Flindersia brayleana - pods
Melaleuca quinquenervia, paper bark
Metrosideros polymorpha - ohia - yellow flower
Metrosideros polymorpha - ohia flower
Pinus radiata, Monterey pine - cone
Syzygium malaccense, mountain apple
Syzygium malaccense, mountain apple flower
Terminalia myriocarpa, jhalna, hollock - flower
Sequoia sempervirens, redwood
Thespesia populnea - flower

Page design by Jody Smith and J. B. Friday

Last updated 8/20/2008


“Although it is composed of trees, the forest is far more than a collection of trees standing in one place. It has a population of animals and plants peculiar to itself, a soil largely of its own making, and a climate different in many ways from that of the open country. Its influence upon the streams alone makes farming possible in many regions, and everywhere it tends to prevent floods and drought. It supplies fuel, one of the first necessaries of life, and lumber, the raw material, without which cities, railroads, and all the great achievements of material progress would have been either long delayed or wholly impossible."