Kou

The kou (Cordia subcordata) is a small to medium sized tree with a wide canopy that grows well near the ocean. They tolerate salt water spray, and the seeds can travel long distances in the ocean. It is indigenous to tropical places from East Africa to the Pacific Islands.

The kou tree was thought to have been introduced to Hawai‘i by the first Polynesian settlers. Recent archeology has found evidence of the kou predating the arrival of humans, in addition to those brought by Polynesians.

Native Hawaiians used the Kou for its timber. Kou wood is durable, easy to carve, and has beautiful grain. It was used for tools, eating utensils, and sculptures. It’s especially desirable for food bowls. Kou doesn’t change the flavor of food with distasteful resins, like some other native woods.

The kou has many other uses. The flowers make attractive lei. The wood burns especially well, leading to the nickname “kerosene tree.” The seeds (although not especially tasty) can be eaten in times of famine.

Kou trees were planted in villages by the sea as shade trees. Women would gather and make kapa cloth under them. The kou still makes an attractive landscape tree today, and is planted in urban areas as a shade tree.

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