Aleurites moluccana
ALEURITES MOLUCCANA (kukui)
Euphorbiaceae | Mala Maununu
Euphorbiaceae
The Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, are a large family of flowering plants.
Native To:
Malaysia, Western Polynesia
Plant Status:
Secure
Plant Habit:
Tree-like, 10-20 m tall
Plant Habitat:
Lower mountain areas, warm weather
Cultural Uses
Kukui was brought to Hawaiʻi by the Polynesians when they first arrived. The flowers of this plant were often chewed by parents and then placed into a child’s mouth to help heal sores. The most common use for the nuts was fuel for candles and lights. This led to the tree sometimes being called the Candlenut tree. The nuts could also be burned to create dark ash that was used for tattoos and to paint canoes.
Interesting Fact
The Kukui Tree is the Hawaiʻi state tree.