Māla Lā'au Hawai'i

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Māla Lā'au Hawai'i

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We are a Hawaii native plant nursery specializing in coastal lowland species.

10/23/2026

Neleau - Rhus sandwicensis - Anacardiaceae

Neleau or Neneleau is an endemic shrub to small tree up to 25'. It is naturally found from sea level up to 5000' elevation in dry to wet disturbed areas. Neleau sends root suckers like Ulu and creates dense patches. Great for a hedge. Can be cut to maintain a particular height. Neleau likes full sun to partial shade. It has compound leaves that are dark green on top and lighter on the underside. Liko or new growth is often pink to red and very attractice. Showy flower clusters emerge at the tips of branches and can range from yellow to brown to red. Flower clusters turn to clusters of small red fruit. Neleau is also called the Hawaiian Sumac. It is in the Mango/Cashew Family. Wood was used to make calabashes.

Available in 1 gal pots

gardenofhawaiianplants hawaiianplantnursery laau laauhawaii alohaaina hawaiinativeplants meakanuoiwi alohalaau plantnatives

08/31/2026

Aloha kākou! Mark your calendars, a week from today, Monday September 7th I'll be set up at Hale Hālāwai o Puna for Honi 'Ū I Ka Hinano Ho'olaule'a. 10-4 at the old Akebono Theater lot. Ill be with Kawaiʻula to start the day and ill be set up the rest of the day with mea kanu 'ōiwi. Mahalo pohaku_pelemakaand for hosting and organizing this event. This is a free event open to the community. Come, share and celebrate our Puna cultural practitioners and take part in cultural demonstrations and experiences, live music, and hula. Attendees will enjoy traditional practices such as lei making, lāʻau lapaʻau (plant medicine), ulana niu (coconut frond weaving), coconut milk making, Hawaiian games like
kōnane and ulumaika, moʻolelo (storytelling), lauhala weaving, and more.

Scenes behind the scenes
Photo 2: pōhuehue
Photo 3: hala pepe
Photo 4: hō'awa
Photo 5: manono
Photo 6: pāwale
Photo 7: mamaki groundcover
Photo 8: pala'a
Photo 9: naupaka kuahiwi
Photo 10: 'iliahi

08/22/2026

Aloha kākou! Kū I ka Welo is still on from 10-4 at Shipman Park but I have decided to pull out because of the incoming storm. Im still cleaning up from Lala and was not ready for another storm. I am trying to be better prepared and cut down as many junk trees as i can. Mahalo nui Welo Foundation for organizing this event and inviting me! Im really bummed im not going. I was really looking forward to it. If you feel prepared for the storm go check out Kū I Ka Welo and celebrate all things Hawai'i! There will be mea'ai, hula, mele, hana no'eau, craft vendors. Its gonna be an awesome event!

08/20/2026

Aloha kākou! Hope everyone is recovering from Lala. Been having positive thoughts and prayers for everyone that has been affected. The nursery had some damage from the storm but nowhere near what has happened in Ka'ū. Kū I ka Welo is still on for this Saturday from 10-4 at Shipman Park. Lets holomua and get together to enjoy eqchother. There will be mea'ai, hula, mele, hana no'eau, craft vendors. Im gonna be set up with mea kanu 'ōiwi. Im gonna bring as much as can but somewhat limited supply cause of the storm. Hope to see you there 🤙🏽

08/14/2026

POSTPONED

E aloha ʻohana. Our Hoʻolauleʻa is on standby until further notice. Mahalo a nui kākou a malama pono. Please be prepared, stay safe, and ready to kōkua.

08/11/2026

Aloha kākou! Mark your calendars, this Saturday August 15th I'll be set up at Hale Hālāwai o Puna for Honi 'Ū I Ka Hinano Ho'olaule'a. 10-4 at the old Akebono Theater lot. Ill be with Kawaiʻula to start the day and ill be set up the rest of the day with mea kanu 'ōiwi. Mahalo pohaku_pelemakaand for hosting and organizing this event. This is a free event open to the community. Come, share and celebrate our Puna cultural practitioners and take part in cultural demonstrations and experiences, live music, and hula. Attendees will enjoy traditional practices such as lei making, lāʻau lapaʻau (plant medicine), ulana niu (coconut frond weaving), coconut milk making, Hawaiian games like
kōnane and ulumaika, moʻolelo (storytelling), lauhala weaving, and more.

The remaining photos are from my day today. Alot of ppl get the case of the Mondays. I love Mondays. Every Monday im in the nahele saying aloha to my hoa nā mea kanu 'ōiwi :)

Photo 2: Maile about to flower
Photo 3: Lonely Lama amongst dead 'Ōhi'a
Photo 4: 'Ohe fruiting
Photo 5: 'Ie'Ie showing her colors with mamaki in the background
Photo 6: Kupukupu or Pāmoho top side
Photo 7: Kupukupu or Pāmoho underside with spores
Photo 8: 'Ohe'ohe and 'Ie'ie
Photo 9: Kōlea like
Photo 10: Arthrostemma, one of my worst enemies

06/11/2026

Kāmanamana - Adenostemma lavenia - Asteraceae

Kāmanamana is an indigenous shrub found naturally in mesic to wet forests. It is a perennial groundcover shrub 2'-4' that likes partial shade to full shade. It has opposite leaves with serrated edges. Stems are dark reddish purple with small hairs. Kāmanamana has small white flower clusters turn to sticky seeds. There's not a whole lot written about it being used in lā'au lapa'au other than it being used for fevers. It being an indigenous plant found elsewhere in the world, other cultures have used it medicinally. It is brewed into a tea. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is beneficial to lungs and liver.

Available in 6" pots

04/30/2026

Native plant month is coming to an end but I'm gonna extend the native plant goodness into May. I'm gonna be set up with mea kanu ōiwi at the 21st annual Hilo Lei Day festival Friday May 1st at Kalākaua Park from 10-2. Theres no vending so I am just gonna be plant ranting :) Can put in orders though! Come talk story and enjoy this beautiful event all things lei. There will be demonstrations and teaching workshops. There will be live music and hula performances by Hālau Ha’a Kea O Nā Wai Hua Lani & Hālau Leimanu. This is a free event so come enjoy :)

04/21/2026

Its been an awesome native plant month so far and it's gonna keep getting better! Come celebrate Lā Honua, Earth Day at Pepe'ekeo Park this Sunday April 26th from 9-1. This years festival is highlighting Kō, sugarcane. The kō rabbit hole is a deep one that I honestly haven't dove down. I'm excited to start my kō journey. There's gonna be no food and live music, I'll be set up with mea kanu ōiwi and my wife will have her handmade up cycled sustainable clothes. Mahalo for putting this event together and letting us be apart!

Right after that I'm gonna jam back to Waiakahi'ula for our Lā Kanu from 3-5 with Come malama and plant some native plants! Bring tools and gloves if have, water, and good waibes 🤙🏽 it's gonna be a fun day

04/08/2026

Hau'oli Mahina Mea Kanu Ōiwi and Merrie Monarch week! Mea kanu ōiwi have done and taught me so much. Everything I do is trying to give back to them. They need so much help. There are over 1,400 plant species native to Hawai’i. 90% of those plants are endemic, meaning they are found in Hawai’i and only Hawai’i. This is why Hawai’i is considered the native species capital of the world. It unfortunately is also considered the endangered species capital of the world.

Native Hawaiian plants and Hawaiian culture are so deeply intertwined. Early Hawaiians were exceptional botanists, and were the first people to identify and classify Hawaiʻi’s flora and fauna. Botanists today comment on how accurate the Hawaiians were at classifying species. Hawaiians not only classified these plants but also discovered countless uses for them. Plants were essential in every aspect of life, from medicine, to construction, tools, weaving, clothing, lei-making, hula, and more. If Hawaiians gave a plant a name, it meant that plant had a recognized purpose or significance. Importantly, Hawaiians also honored and cherished these plants, recognizing them as gifts from nature. I want to keep this pilina with mea kanu ‘ōiwi alive and well. Everyone can and should have a māla lā'au Hawai'i at home :)

Photo 1: Lepelepe a moa (Selaginella arbuscula) and Palai hihi (Vandenboschia cyrtotheca)
Photo 2: 'Iliahi alo'e (Santalum ellipticum)
Photo 3: Puapuamoa (Ophioglossum pendulum)
Photo 4: 'Ūlei (Osteomeles anthylidifolia)
Photo 5: Kūkaenēnē (Coprosma ernodeoides)
Photo 6: Kūpaoa (Dubautia scabra)
Photo 7: Mā'ohi'ohi (Stenogyne calaminthoides)
Photo 8: Neleau (Rhus sandwicense)
Photo 9: 'Āwikiwiki (Canavalia hawaiiensis
Photo 10: Wahine noho Mauna (Adenophorus tamariscinus)

Address

Pahoa, HI
96778

Telephone

+18088555402

Website

http://www.malalaauhawaii.com/

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