Rubiaceae

'ahakea lau nui

Bobea elatior Gaudich.

Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Bobea

Pet and kid safety: not checked yet. Check pet-safe plants

'ahakea lau nui: Bobea elatior (habit). Location: Maui, Kopiliula — Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free

Common names

By language (1)

English: 'ahakea lau nui, Ahakea

Synonyms

Bobea elatior var. molokaiensis Rock
Bobea gaudichaudii (Cham. & Schltdl.) H.St.John & Herbst
Bobea platypes Fosberg
Burneya gaudichaudii Cham. & Schltdl.
Timonius gaudichaudii (Cham. & Schltdl.) DC.

Characteristics

Growth habit: Shrub, Tree
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Hawaii: native

Photos

Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Bobea

Hawai'i dogweedBobea sandwicensisRubiaceae
'ahakeaBobea timonioidesRubiaceae
'akupaBobea brevipesRubiaceae
Bobea myrtoidesRubiaceae

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.