Hawaiian hibiscus are frequently used for ornamental purposes.
These are used to prepare leis to greet tourists with.
Natives of Hawaii refer to these flowers as the “Pua Aloalo”
(also known locally as “Ma`o-hau-hele”)
On June 6, 1988, the Pua Aloalo was officially adopted as Hawaii’s state flower.
Hibiscus flowers are large, trumpet shaped flowers that have five or more petals.
The color and the size of the flowers make them quite prominent attracting humans and insects.
These flowers can be of several colors white, pink, red, purple or yellow.
The leaves of the flower are in alternate arrangement.
They have a zigzag margin and are ovate to lanceolate.
If the petals are torn away the flower is left with a long slender pink tube like structure that has narrower tubes in it which grow outward to carry the powdery yellow pollens
that are the male reproductive part of the flower.
Inside the stamen there is a long tube, which is called the style, and below the style
and the stamen tube is the placenta that helps to reproduce a seed and then a new plant.
Although tourists regularly associate the hibiscus flower within experiences visiting
the US state of Hawaii, and the plant family Malvaceae includes a relatively large number of species
that are native to the Hawaiian Islands, those flowers regularly observed by tourists are generally
not the native hibiscus flowers. Most commonly grown as ornamental plants in the Islands
are the Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and its numerous hybrids.
The 7 species of hibiscus regarded as native to Hawaii are :
Hibiscus arnottianus
Hibiscus brackenridgei
Hibiscus clayi
Hibiscus furcellatus
Hibiscus kokio
Hibiscus tiliaceus
Hibiscus waimeae
Hibiscuses come in a floral rainbow of colors.
Color meanings differ from culture to culture, but they do have some common associations.
Some hibiscuses are a mixture of colors, but one color will predominate.
. White for purity, beauty and the female.
. Yellow for happiness, sunshine and good luck.
. Pink for friendship and all kinds of love, not just romantic love.
. Purple for mystery, knowledge and the higher classes.
. Red for love and passion.
Hibiscus was largely used as a flower of cosmetic importance by the people of India and other Asian countries but now the whole world has identified its cosmetic worth. The extract of Hibiscus is used in hair and scalp treatment. Infusions of the Hibiscus flower and the leaves mixed with herbal oils are applied on the scalp and are believed to enhance hair growth.
Hibiscus has a soothing effect on the scalp and it helps to eliminate toxins.
It also stimulates blood circulation and ensures the supply of essential nutrients to the hair follicles.
The extracts of Hibiscus help to control dandruff and hair fall. They help to counter
the common hair problems, which occur due to chemical pollutants in the air.
The use of Hibiscus on scalp can also bring down fever and can also help in case of rashes since it can bring down a lot of heat. The use of Hibiscus extracts also helps if you have an itchy scalp
or there is redness or scales. The clogging of the pores can also be done away with
and it can actually make your hair look healthier and less oily.
Tropical Hibiscus is not only used for landscaping and decoration,
it can also provide health benefits for humans in the form of Hibiscus tea.
Studies have revealed that drinking as little as 2-3 cups of hibiscus tea
can decrease blood pressure.
In Victorian times, giving a hibiscus meant that the giver was acknowledging
the receiver’s delicate beauty.
Hibiscus flowers are delicate and very beautiful just as young women appear to be,
so hibiscuses often symbolize young women.
Youth, fame and beauty are very much like hibiscus flowers, which have short lives.
Although the flowers may die, they do grow back as long as their bush or tree is cared for.
Enjoy beautiful moments while they last.
The Refuge 