Flower profile
Ma'o
Gossypium tomentosum
Ma'o is a flowering plant. In Hawaii it's most often seen in bloom in January–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Hawaii
Quick look
Gossypium tomentosum, commonly known as maʻo, huluhulu or Hawaiian cotton, is a species of cotton plant that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Genetic studies indicate that Hawaiian cotton is related to American species of Gossypium, with its closest relative Gossypium hirsutum.
- It belongs to the Malvaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Hawaii. NatureServe
- In Hawaii, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as indeterminate. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 6 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 614 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #83 among the 105 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist
Ma'o gift ideas
Handmade ma'o gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Ma'o art print
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Ma'o greeting card
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Ma'o mug
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Ma'o earrings
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Ma'o embroidery pattern
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Ma'o sticker
When does it bloom?
In Hawaii, most flowering sightings come in January–December.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed Not listed under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS ECOS does track it with the label “Resolved Taxon,” which is informal and gives no legal protection. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G2 Imperiled worldwide. NatureServe
- Hawaii
- Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: S2, imperiled in Hawaii. HAR 13-107
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S2 in Hawaii. NatureServe
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records ma'o in 1 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Hawaii.
Hawaii counties with USDA records: Honolulu, Kauai, Maui.
More Hawaii flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile GOTO.
- iNaturalist, Gossypium tomentosum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Gossypium tomentosum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Hawaii: Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
- Hawaii: Hawaii noxious weed list (HAR 4-68).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Gossypium tomentosum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Sonny Gamponia via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.