Hawaii State Tree

Hawaii State Tree

Candlenut Tree

Euphorbiaceae Aleurites moluccanus Hawaii Candlenut tree

Leaf

Simple and ovate, or trilobed, or rarely 5-lobed; 4″ to 8″ long. Summer foliage is leathery and green. Young foliage has a silveryand powdered appearance.

Flower

Clusters of small, whitish flowers that are often used in leis.

Fruit

1.5″ – 2.5″ diameter brown to black nut. Raw fruit is poisonous but can be prepared as a food source and has been used in traditional medicinal treatments.

Twig

Stout, greenish when young, becoming brown with age. Densely covered with tiny whitish scaly hairs, especially when younger.

Bark

Smooth and dark gray in color.

Form

Medium- to large-sized ornamental tree with wide spreading or pendulous branches. Grows to a mature height of 50 to 80 feet.

Copyright 2003, Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved.
Photos courtesy: Michael Aust, John Baitey, Ctaude L. Brown, Bruce Bongarten,
Susan D. Day, Edward C. Jensen, Richard E. Kreh, Larry H. McCormick, Alex X.
Niemiera, John A. Peterson, Oana Popescu, John R. Seiter, David W. Smith, Kim
C. Steiner, James E. Ward, Rodney E. Will, Shepard M. Zedaker.
Text written by: John R. Seiter, Edward C. Jensen, Or John A. Peterson