puhala fruit

These fascinating fruit trees are easy to spot in Hawaii and belong to Hawaiian islands. These are dioecious trees with male and female plants are separate. It means the fruit of the puhala or hala tree only grows on the female tree. It can be eaten when it turned brought yellow. It was used throughout Polynesia as a food during times of famine. The round fruit is a cluster of seed pods. As it ripens, the fruit breaks apart into single seeds called keys. A new hala tree will from these seeds. Fruits can be eaten raw or cooked.

Every part of hala tree is useful.

• The leaves are used often in weaving.
• The male flowers are fragrant and the pollen is thought to be an aphrodisiac.sprout
• The ariel roots are very phallic in appearance. They are an alterative, used as a blood cleanser.
• They are also diaphoretic and diuretic.
• The large female “cone” fruit are used to tonify chi. They are adaptogenic and can be used for low energy, sluggish digestion, hangovers, etc.
• The medicine of this tree is said to strengthen mind and spirit.
• Image credit: Farmityourself.com, fineartamerica.com (Enhanced image)