KUKUI … GROWING UP IN HAWAII

In 1959 the Kukui tree became the official state tree of Hawaii. It takes its botanical name, aleurites moluccana, from the Greek for “floury,” a reference to the white-dusted green of its leaves.

From the ground, its leaves are turned a translucent green by the overhead sun in a leafy canopy of stained-glass hues. Kukui trees mainly grow on the lower slopes of the mountain in gulches. The tallest Kukui groves with trees of eighty to ninety feet are spectacular. Wherever Kukui grows, its distinctive silver foliage is its signature.

At the end of the branches small greenish-tinged white flowers bloom. These flowers, along with the trees distinctive leaves, are often seen entwined in leis.

The fruit of the Kukui is about 2-inches in diameter. The outer part of the fruit is a hard green covering about 1/4-inch thick when immature and as it matures it turns a dark grayish-black and softens. This portion of the fruit decays rapidly after it falls to the ground. Enclosed within are one or two hard, stone like, wrinkled nuts. When young the shell of the nut is whitish, but as it matures it turns brown, then black.

Nuts that remain in the damp soil will sprout. After shedding their shell a small plant takes root. It takes only a few months for it to start Growing Up In Hawaii!

THE KUKUI LEI

The history of the Kukui nut lei dates back to the arrival of the early Polynesians to the Hawaiian Islands. The nuts from these trees had a special significance because of their many uses. The kukui tree is one of the most common trees seen in Hawaii's forests today. This beautiful tree has rightly become the State tree of Hawaii.

In ancient times kukui nut lei were only worn by royalty. The black and brown nuts are strung on ribbon to make a lei that is the traditional necklace given on many occasions in the Islands to express "Aloha" or welcome. Today they are worn by both men and women.

In 1988 our company (Oils of Aloha) started in business as the Hawaiian Kukui Nut Company. We were the only company in Hawaii making kukui jewelry. We had a great crew. The steps required to transform raw kukui nuts into beautiful jewelry was lengthy, but fascinating.

The nuts were gathered in the wild and brought to the factory where they were spread out on tables covered with mesh screens to dry and were sorted into black and brown tones. The nuts were then put into tumblers with coarse grit to begin the polishing process. They were drilled and the inside kernel was ground up, then blown out with high pressured air guns. The nuts were then polished by hand on small grinding wheels. The finished nuts were strung on ribbon to make a lei or made into ear rings or bracelets.

Unfortunately in the early 90's Hawaii was inundated with plastic and poor quality imports from numerous countries. At that time we had started to successfully produce bulk kukui and macadamia oils that were sold into the cosmetic industry. We also had started our own line of kukui skin care products and edible macadamia oils. So we decided to discontinue the jewelry and transition our employees into oil manufacturing.

The Kukui Lei Slide Show: