The Florist Guide to Hawaii Lei Flowers
A lei is more than just a beautiful garland—it's a symbol of aloha, love, and respect deeply woven into Hawaiian culture. Whether you're making your first lei or looking to expand your floral knowledge, choosing the right flowers is essential for creating something truly special.
Traditional Lei Flowers
Plumeria (Melia) The quintessential lei flower, plumeria offers incredible fragrance and comes in white, yellow, pink, and red varieties. The waxy petals hold up well and release their sweet scent throughout the day. White and yellow plumeria are most traditional, symbolizing new beginnings and positivity.
Pikake (Hawaiian Jasmine) Named after Princess Kaiulani's beloved peacocks, pikake produces tiny, intensely fragrant white flowers. These delicate blooms create elegant, sophisticated leis perfect for special occasions. The scent is often described as intoxicating and romantic.
Tuberose Known locally as kupaloke, tuberose flowers are creamy white with an incredibly powerful fragrance that intensifies in the evening. These flowers are often used for wedding leis due to their association with eternal love.
Maile While technically not a flower but a vine, maile is one of Hawaii's most sacred lei materials. The glossy green leaves have a subtle vanilla-like scent and are traditionally given to honor achievements or mark important life events.
Colorful Garden Favorites
Orchids Hawaii's diverse orchid varieties make stunning leis. Dendrobiums are particularly popular, offering purple, white, and lavender options that last for days. Vanda orchids provide vibrant blues and purples, while cattleya orchids offer larger, more dramatic blooms.
Bird of Paradise The smaller blooms and colorful bracts create striking contemporary leis with bold orange and blue colors that capture Hawaii's tropical spirit.
Hibiscus The state flower of Hawaii, hibiscus creates beautiful but short-lived leis. Red hibiscus is most traditional, though yellow, pink, and orange varieties are equally stunning. These work best for immediate use as they wilt quickly.
Bougainvillea The papery bracts in magenta, purple, white, and orange create textured, long-lasting leis with a unique appearance that differs from traditional flower leis.
Fragrant Specialty Options
Ginger Flowers White ginger produces incredibly fragrant, butterfly-like blooms perfect for special occasion leis. Yellow ginger offers a spicier scent, while red ginger provides dramatic color.
Gardenia These waxy white flowers offer an intense, sweet fragrance and hold up well in leis, though they can brown if handled too much.
Stephanotis Small, star-shaped white flowers with a delicate fragrance, often used in bridal leis for their symbolism of marital happiness.
Tips for Lei Making
Flower Selection: Choose flowers that are just beginning to open rather than fully bloomed ones, as they'll last longer. Avoid flowers with brown edges or wilted petals.
Preparation: Pick flowers in the early morning when they're most hydrated. Keep them cool and mist lightly until you're ready to string them.
Stringing Technique: Use a lei needle and strong thread. Pierce flowers through the center or base, depending on the type. Create a pattern or mix flowers for visual interest.
Preservation: Keep finished leis refrigerated in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel. They'll typically last 2-3 days, though hardier flowers like orchids may last longer.
Cultural Considerations
Remember that lei making and giving carries deep cultural significance in Hawaii. Traditional protocol suggests never refusing a lei, and it should be removed privately rather than in front of the giver. Consider learning about the cultural meaning behind different flowers and colors to create leis that honor Hawaiian traditions.
The beauty of lei making lies not just in the final product, but in the time spent creating something with intention and aloha. Whether using traditional flowers or experimenting with contemporary varieties, each lei carries the spirit of Hawaii's welcoming culture.
