Hāpu’u
Names
- ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi: Hāpu’u
- Common: Hawaiian Tree Fern
- Scientific: Cibotium menziesii
Species Information
Hāpu’u is Hawai’i’s largest tree fern. It is endemic to to Hawai’i and found on all major Hawaiian islands. It can reach 10 m (35 ft), but often only grows to 2 to 7 m (7 to 25 ft), while the trunk can grow up to 0.75 m (2.5 ft) in diameter (“Cibotium menziesii,” n.d.). Hāpu’u are distinct from other tree ferns with the upper parts of the frond stalks covered with stiff, black hairs.
Distribution
Hāpu’u is found on all the major Hawaiian islands.
Habitat
Hāpu’u can grow either terrestrially (on the ground) or epiphytically (on trees or shrubs). It grows in moist, wet forests and is most common at elevations ranging from 300 to 1800 m (1,000 to 6,000 ft) (“Cibotium (C. Glaucum, C. Menziesii),” n.d.).
Threats
Not sure
References & Additional Resources
“Cibotium (C. Glaucum, C. Menziesii).” Bishop Museum – Ethnobotany Database, https://data.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/ethnobotany.php?b=d&ID=hapuu.
“Cibotium Menziesii.” Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources: University of Hawaii at Manoa, https://www2.hawaii.edu/~eherring/hawnprop/cib-menz.htm.
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