May Day is Lei Day in Hawai‘i! On this special day, we honor the tradition of making and giving lei.
While it's understandable to want to assign each lei a meaning, the truth is, lei is less about which flower you use; it's about the intent behind it. As lei maker, author, and HIE founder Meleana Estes writes in her book Lei Aloha, lei culture is really about the occasions, the memories, and the people.
“When I think of May Day, I see a big lei [of people] around the Waikīkī Shell, all the way out to the grass,” said kumu hula and beloved entertainer Robert Cazimero, when I called to ask him about his favorite memories of lei. His annual concert, which began in 1978 and ran for thirty years, capped a day of May Day festivities in Kapi‘olani Park and was a treasured tradition for many Honolulu families, including mine. “All kinds of people. Local people, mainland people, but everybody taking the opportunity to have a big party. Why? Because we all love lei. We all love to make lei, wear lei, give lei.”
Below, we highlight some beloved backyard flower lei care tips and more. We hope this encourages you to make use of whatever flowers you have access to, and make a lei, wear a lei, and give a lei this May Day (and beyond!).
Lei Pua Melia (Plumeria)
Plumeria blooms abundantly in backyards across the islands and is often the first lei people learn to make. Simple, generous, and sweet-scented, you'll see plumeria lei at almost every kind of celebration: graduations, birthdays, school performances, and May Day pageants.
Making & care tips: Give freshly picked flowers a good rinse, and then dry them out on a towel before stringing. The refrigerator can be a bit cold for your flowers or finished lei, but a cooler or the vegetable drawer works great. Mele likes to store her lei in a paper bag to help prevent those brown spots!
Lei Pīkake (Jasmine)
Pīkake, aka jasmine sambac, is named after the peacocks that would rest under Princess Ka‘iulani’s Jasmine bushes at her ʻĀinahau estate. Intensely fragrant and delicate, lei pikake feel extra special at milestone celebrations and meaningful gatherings. Peak bloom season runs roughly from March through September, making it perfectly timed for Lei Day, graduations, and summer occasions.
Making & care tips: Harvest buds in the morning between 7 and 10 a.m., when fragrance is at its peak. Look for fully white buds. Cream-colored or greenish buds might not be mature enough to open. Kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, a finished pikake lei can hold its freshness for four to six days.
Lei Pua Kenikeni
A backyard classic for many Hawai‘i families, pua kenikeni bloom creamy white and, in a day or two, will change to deep orange. This flower looks hearty, but the blossom is deceivingly fragile. It’s not fond of being handled and bruises easily. Each blossom is a treasure, and usually two days of blooms are needed to make one lei, making a lei pua kenikeni a meaningful gift.
Making and care tips: If you do pick when freshly bloomed, let the flowers rest for at least a half day, as they don't love to be handled, especially when fresh off the tree! Mele likes to cut each blossom at a diagonal and layer tightly together (though all styles are beautiful). When the lei is complete, give it a good drink and store it in a pan under a ti leaf to keep it cool, then place a towel on top. Some people opt to store the lei in a plastic bag over a bowl of water. It's best to wait to tie if you are not sharing that day, as the flowers will shrink a little. Never place lei puakenikeni in the fridge, they will brown!
Lei Pua Kalaunu (Crown Flower)
With its sculptural beauty and striking deep lavender or white blooms, crown flower is one of the most beautiful lei flowers. It was said to be a favorite of Queen Liliʻuokalani, and it remains beloved today for its versatility, as crown flower can be taken apart and sewn into many different styles.
Care tip: The sap of the pua kalaunu is very poisonous; make sure to keep your hands away from your face, and wash your hands immediately after picking and stringing.
Lei Pakalana
Lei Pakalana is one of Hawaiʻi's most beloved backyard lei varieties, crafted from the small, star-shaped blossoms of the pakalana plant. This vine made its journey from China to the Hawaiian Islands around the mid-1800s during a period of rich cultural exchange between Asia and Hawaiʻi. Its intensely sweet and unique perfume is so captivating that a single strand can fill an entire room with fragrance, making it a cherished choice for any special occasion.
Making & care tips: Pick pakalana buds—not open blooms—early in the morning when they're freshest. Unlike some other lei flowers, pakalana does well with a little cold: store buds in a jar or sealed container in the refrigerator until you're ready to string...they can be stored up to 1 week!
Kaimana Beach Hotel May Day Mākeke, May 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For Meleana, lei has always been a lifelong practice, a creative language, and a deep expression of aloha. The love of this tradition is woven into every HIE piece, from the plumeria motifs on the Meleana bangle to the lei pikake-inspired collection. So we're thrilled to once again participate in Kaimana Beach Hotel's May Day Mākeke, located just across from Kapi‘olani Park, where the annual Lei Day celebrations are held.
Happy Lei Day from all of us at HIE. May your May 1st be filled with beauty and aloha. We can't wait to see the lei you make!
