Tuberose

The beauty of the tuberose flower has made it a favorite in Hawaiian leis. Its scientific name is Polianthes tuberosa, and the traditional Hawaiian name is the kupaloke. This small, white flower has a beautiful luminescence and has a lovely fragrance that has made it a popular blossom. The scent is sweet, strong and longlasting. It’s such a lovely scent that it has been shown to lower stress in those who smell it. This small flower naturally comes in white, but it can also be tinted to make it yellow, pink, green, blue or purple. The tuberose makes a delicate lei. To ensure that your tuberose lei is fresh, those who live on the West Coast should use overnight shipping. Those on the East Coast run the risk of their lei wilting.

The many meaning of a tuberose lei include congratulations, love, friendship and commitment. This flower is originally from Mexico and was brought to Hawaii for its strong scent and lovely peals. A tuberose lei is generally made with wither the kui (piercing) method of lei making or the humu (basting). The tuberose may be paired with flowers and leaves such as the Dendrobium orchid, ti leaf, pikake, ilima, he’e berry and the Hilo maile. This lei is often used for brides and is also common as a graduation lei or for wear at a funeral. The tuberose leis below show the spectacular leis that can be made with this delicate and lovely flower.