Orange-flowered kerosene tree spotted along a Kauai highway
iNaturalist: nam6266
Native Plants
This tree's clusters of crinkled orange flowers and its history as a canoe plant Pacific Islanders carried across the ocean make it a striking, low-maintenance choice for anyone landscaping near the coast.
Someone out in Princeville, Hawaii spotted a Kerosene Tree growing right along Kuhio Highway and logged it on iNaturalist, where other naturalists confirmed the identification. The tree gets its odd name from the strong smell of its wood when burned, but it's better known for its bright orange, crepe-paper-like flowers and its long history traveling with Pacific voyagers as a useful coastal plant.
Key Findings
Observation reached 'research-grade' status on iNaturalist, meaning the species ID was confirmed by community consensus
Location documented: roadside habitat along Kuhio Hwy in Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Cordia subcordata is a known Polynesian canoe plant, historically introduced to Hawaii for its wood, medicine, and ornamental flowers
chevron_right Technical Summary
A citizen scientist documented a Kerosene Tree, a coastal tropical species with striking orange flowers, growing along a highway in Princeville, Hawaii. The confirmed sighting adds to a public database tracking where this plant grows in the wild.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Kerosene Tree (Cordia subcordata) observed in Kuhio Hwy, Princeville, HI, US
Research-grade observation of Kerosene Tree in Kuhio Hwy, Princeville, HI, US.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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