ʻIlima
Sida fallax
Golden flowers strung into royal lei; tough on dry coasts.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 2 ft tall, 3 ft wide
From: Hawaiʻi
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: pollinators.
Native to: Hawaiʻi & Pacific Islands. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The story
ʻIlima is the flower of Oʻahu. It takes about five hundred of the paper-thin golden blossoms to make a single strand of lei, which is why ʻilima lei were once reserved for royalty.
Planting
Full sun and well-drained soil. The low coastal form makes a tough groundcover.
Growing
Water to establish, then only in long dry spells. Trim to keep it dense.
Harvest and use
Flowers nearly all year for native yellow-faced bees. Used in lei, and in traditional Hawaiian practice.
What to watch for
Overwatering. Each flower lasts a single day.
See if ʻIlima fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home