Tree of the Week: November 5th, 2024
Our last entry in our Hawaiian theme, ArborNote’s Tree of the Week is the Koa Tree (Acacia koa). The Koa tree is endemic to Hawaii and can be found on all the main islands except Kaho’olawe and Ni’ihau. Koa is the largest native tree species in the Hawaiian islands, reaching heights of approximately 115 feet. It can be found at elevations ranging from 200 to 6,500 feet. The word “koa” means “warrior” in Hawaiian. The warriors of King Kamehameha the Great, created canoes and weapons from the wood. This wood became synonymous with the warriors themselves, and it became known as koa. In years that followed, koa wood was already so highly regarded that it was “kapu” or prohibited for anyone to possess koa wood except the Hawaiian monarchs and ali’i royalty class. After the great king’s death, his widow Kaahumanu and son Liholiho abandoned the kapu system, thus allowing all Hawaiians to possess koa wood. Koa wood was also used by early Hawaiians to build ocean-going canoes, surfboards, spear handles, and ukuleles. Koa wood is also used to create acoustic guitars, with brands like Taylor, Collings and Martin all using Koa wood for their guitars. Today, Koa is one of the most valuable hardwoods in the world!
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