Kukui (candlenut)

Aleurites moluccanus

Hawaii's state tree: roasted nuts for inamona relish, oil for lamps. Never eat it raw.

Type: canopy tree · nut trees
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 60 ft tall, 50 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: Malesia; carried to Hawaii by Polynesian voyagers
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: food, wildlife.

Native to: Hawaiʻi & Pacific Islands, South & Southeast Asian tropics, New Guinea & Melanesia. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.

The story

Kukui was a canoe plant carried to Hawaiʻi by the first Polynesian voyagers, who roasted the nuts for inamona relish, burned them strung on a midrib as candles, used the oil on skin and canoes, and the bark for dye and medicine; it is Hawaiʻi's state tree and its leis mean peace.

Planting

Full sun, drained soil, heat, and humidity; a fast tree to 60 feet with silvery leaves. Plant seed in the tropics.

Growing

Water young trees; mature ones need nothing. Prune to keep it out of the wind's way; the limbs are brittle.

Harvest and use

Nuts fall year-round; dry, crack, and roast thoroughly before eating. Raw kukui is a strong purgative, so eat it only roasted and in small amounts.

What to watch for

Raw nuts, brittle limbs, and cold.

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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