Lo`ulu Hiwa / Center For Plant Conservation
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Plant Profile

Lo`ulu Hiwa (Pritchardia martii)

Loulu or Loulu hiwa Arecaceae Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands Oʻahu (Cultivated) Loulu, pronounced low-loo, means "umbrella," because the leaves were formerly used as protection from rain or sun. The fruits, called hāwane or wāhane, were peeled and eaten by early Hawaiians. They collected young fruits. The flavor of young fruit with the soft interior is similar to coconut. The trunks loulu were notched for climbing to gather the immature fruits and fronds. Older specimens still bear notches that can be seen today. The fronds, or leaves, called lau hāwane were used by the early Hawaiians for thatching and more recently as plaiting such as papale (hats) and fans. Photo Credit: David Eickhoff © 2007
  • Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Arecaceae
  • State: HI
  • Nature Serve ID: 154290
  • Lifeform: Tree
  • Categories of Interest: Palms
  • Date Inducted in National Collection:
Description:

This beautiful palm tree species may be slow growing, but its majestic fronds and brilliant clusters of green, white, and yellow flowers are worth the wait. Not only are its flowers impressive, but its fronds show various shades of olive and blue-green on top and silvery-bronze on the bottom. Thanks to their numerous arthropod pollinators, including bees, black olive-shaped fruits are produced by this palm in the summer months. Early Hawaiians utilized all parts of the trees in this genus for the improvement of their daily lives: the hard wood of the trunk for spears, immature fruits for food, and fronds for thatching roofs. Today, the fronds are used for fashionable hats and fans while the seeds are collected and made into a lei.

Where is Lo`ulu Hiwa (Pritchardia martii) located in the wild?

Habitat:

This palm is found at moderately high altitudes, on the slopes and cliffs found through the area.

Distribution:

Endemic to the Ko'olau Mountain Range of Oahu, this palm is found today in altitudes of 30 to 50 m in its natural habitat.

States & Provinces:

Lo`ulu Hiwa can be found in Hawaii

Which CPC Partners conserve Lo`ulu Hiwa (Pritchardia martii)?

  • Harold L. Lyon Arboretum

    Not Sponsored
    Assigned 06/09/17
    • CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

    Conservation Actions

    Clarice Mendoza
    • 09/01/2017

    This species is threatened by infestations of mealybugs and white flies, predation by rats on its immature fruit, and changes in temperature and rainfall due to climate change.

    Be the first to post an update!

    Nomenclature
    Taxon Pritchardia martii
    Authority (Gaud.) H.A. Wendl.
    Family Arecaceae
    CPC Number 13690
    ITIS 42485
    USDA PRMA5
    Duration Perennial
    Common Names Loulu | Ko'olau Range Pritchardia | Hawane | Loulu hiwa | Noulu | Wahane | Koolau Range pritchardia
    Associated Scientific Names Eupritchardia gaudichaudii | Eupritchardia martii | Livistona gaudichaudii | Livistona martii | Pritchardia gaudichaudii | Pritchardia kahanae | Pritchardia kahukuensis | Pritchardia kamapuaana | Pritchardia macdanielsii | Pritchardia martioides | Pritchardia rockiana | Washingtonia martii | Pritchardia martii | Eupritchardia kamapuaana | Livistona martiana | Styloma gaudichaudii | Styloma martii | Styloma rockiana | Washingtonia gaudichaudii
    Distribution Endemic to the Ko'olau Mountain Range of Oahu, this palm is found today in altitudes of 30 to 50 m in its natural habitat.
    State Rank
    State State Rank
    Hawaii S1S2
    Ecological Relationships

    Photos

    Loulu or Loulu hiwa Arecaceae Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands Oʻahu (Cultivated) Loulu, pronounced low-loo, means "umbrella," because the leaves were formerly used as protection from rain or sun. The fruits, called hāwane or wāhane, were peeled and eaten by early Hawaiians. They collected young fruits. The flavor of young fruit with the soft interior is similar to coconut. The trunks loulu were notched for climbing to gather the immature fruits and fronds. Older specimens still bear notches that can be seen today. The fronds, or leaves, called lau hāwane were used by the early Hawaiians for thatching and more recently as plaiting such as papale (hats) and fans. Photo Credit: David Eickhoff © 2007

    Loulu, pronounced low-loo, means "umbrella," because the leaves were formerly used as protection from rain or sun. The fruits, called hāwane or wāhane, were peeled and eaten by early Hawaiians. They collected young fruits. The flavor of young fruit with the soft interior is similar to coconut. The trunks loulu were notched for climbing to gather the immature fruits and fronds. Older specimens still bear notches that can be seen today. The fronds, or leaves, called lau hāwane were used by the early Hawaiians for thatching and more recently as plaiting such as papale (hats) and fans. Photo Credit: David Eickhoff © 2007

    Loulu, pronounced low-loo, means "umbrella," because the leaves were formerly used as protection from rain or sun. The fruits, called hāwane or wāhane, were peeled and eaten by early Hawaiians. They collected young fruits. The flavor of young fruit with the soft interior is similar to coconut. The trunks loulu were notched for climbing to gather the immature fruits and fronds. Older specimens still bear notches that can be seen today. The fronds, or leaves, called lau hāwane were used by the early Hawaiians for thatching and more recently as plaiting such as papale (hats) and fans. Photo Credit: David Eickhoff © 2011

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