Koki`o

Koki`o (Hibiscus arnottianus A. Gray) is an endemic white hibiscus. It is a small tree which grow wild at altitudes of 1,000 to 3,000 feet on most of the islands, but are sometimes cultivated. It can grow to a tall shrub 10 to 25 feet high, with a dense crown of foliage. Veins and stems of the smooth oval leaves are commonly red. The flowers have an exquisite fragrance, with delicate white petals, surrounding a red or white stamen. The fruit is an inch-long, papery capsule with brown seeds. Another koki`o (Hibiscus kokio Hillebr.), known as koki`o `ula`ula has red to orangish-red petals, tubular yellowish sepals, and showy stamens and stigma. It produces pale brown capsules with dark brown seeds that are kidney-shaped. In Kauai, it can grow at elevations 70- 890 meters. Its petals were used as kapa dye.

It is from this genus that the state flower of Hawaii (Hibiscus brackenridgei A. Gray) is derived. The petals of the genus hibiscus have been used by the Hawaiians as a source of dye. Koki`o ke`oke`o (white native species) has been much used as one of the parents in producing new horticultural varieties. It was more common in the past than today, as many references are made to it in old Hawaiian songs and legends.

Koki`o is the Hawaiian name for several native species of the genus Hibiscus. It is a diverse group of about 200 species of tropical and subtropical shrubs to trees belonging to the family Malvaceae. The native species consists of 5 indigenous and 5 endemic species that include the white Hibiscus, koki`o ke`oke`o (Hibiscus arnottianus A. Gray), the red-flowered koki`o `ula (Hibiscus kokio Hillebr) and the yellow flowered ma`o hau hele (Hibiscus brackenridgei A. Gray)- the official state flower of Hawaii. The koki`o ke`oke`o has exquisite fragrance, with delicate white petals, surrounding a red or white staminal column. The koki`o `ula has red to orangish-red petals and the ma`o hau hele produces delicate yellow petals, usually with maroon spot at the base. This generic name was derived from a Greek word "hibiscos" which means mallow.