Flower profile
'uki'uki
Dianella sandwicensis
'uki'uki is a wildflower. In Hawaii it's most often seen in bloom in February–August.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Hawaii
Quick look
Dianella sandwicensis, the Hawaiian lily, is a species of flax lily native to Hawaii and New Caledonia. In Hawaiian it is called ʻukiʻuki. Neal (1965) reports that historically, Hawaiians used the berries to make blue dye for kapa. They also used the leaves for thatching house walls.
- It belongs to the Asphodelaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) 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 February–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 641 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #77 among the 105 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist
'uki'uki gift ideas
Handmade 'uki'uki 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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'uki'uki art print
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'uki'uki greeting card
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'uki'uki mug
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'uki'uki earrings
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'uki'uki embroidery pattern
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'uki'uki sticker
When does it bloom?
In Hawaii, most flowering sightings come in February–August.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure 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: S3, vulnerable 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 S3 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 'uki'uki 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: Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui.
More Hawaii flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DISA6.
- iNaturalist, Dianella sandwicensis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Dianella sandwicensis (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, Dianella sandwicensis (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Kevin Faccenda via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.