Issue 14: Flower of Molokai, Kukui Blossom

`A`ohe pau ka `ike i ka halau ho`okahi.
All knowledge is not learned from one school.


Organism of the Week!   kukui blossom, Aleurites Moluccana

This flower is the blossom on the kukui tree or candlenut tree.  The flower is tiny as you can see here, with tiny white petals.  The fruit of this blossom yields the ever useful kukui nut, the uses of which I will go into in a later post.
However, the flower and fruit of this plant are used to make lovely leis in this case, and fortunately grow easily in the wild here in Hawaii as the plant requires lots of tropical weather.  Incidentally, the kukui is not native to Hawaii but was later brought here by early settlers, which I suppose I must have learned at some point in my education, but was forgotten.  Considering how much the kukui tree is a symbol of Hawaii, it's interesting to learn that it was brought from an even more ancient culture here with settlers.
The flower and fruit are not the only well known things about this plant.  The tree itself is a symbol of our state, the state tree.

-Sabrina Robello

Sourced: Here and here 

Community Events:
Climate Change and Philanthropy: Wed, Aug 8, 12pm-1pm, Hamilton Library Classroom 3F
This free event will feature the European Climate Foundation and will discuss climate change and the ways the ECF are striving to stop it.
Ke Kani o Ke Kai:  Thurs, Aug 9, 7pm - 9pm, 2777 Kalakaua Avenue
Wish I'd posted this up earlier!  Tickets are no longer available for Jake Shimabukuro's concert, so for those determined to attend, admittance without pre-ordered tickets will be on a first come first serve basis.  Doors open at 5:30 for the determined!