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Alternate Name(s)
Hawaiian Cotton, Huluhulu
Scientific Name
Gossypium tomentosum
Class
Equisetopsida
Order
Malvales
Family
Malvaceae
Genus
Gossypium
Status in Hawaii
Endemic, Vulnerable
Native Region
Hawaiian Islands
Cultural Significance
Maʻo held significant cultural importance in early Hawaiian society, where it was valued for many uses: its leaves produced green and red-brown dyes for kapa, its petals yielded yellow dye [1], its flowers were dried for food [2], and its blossoms were used in lei [3]. Medicinally, maʻo fibers, flowers, and bark were used to treat stomach ailments and assist during childbirth [2], while its fibers also served practical purposes such as stuffing pillows [4]. In modern times, maʻo has gained importance beyond cultural traditions for its role in agriculture, particularly in strengthening the global cotton industry through hybridization that increases pest resistance, heat tolerance, and unique fiber traits. Although native maʻo populations have declined, conservation and restoration efforts—such as those on Oʻahu—demonstrate its resilience and highlight the continued cultural, ecological, and economic value of preserving Hawaiʻi’s native flora [5].
Sources
NatureServe Explorer 2.0. (2025). Natureserve.org. https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.152685/Gossypium_tomentosum
[1] "Plants in Hawaiian Culture" by Beatrice H. Krauss, page 66.
[2] Gossypium tomentosum | Plant Pono. (2021, September 24). Plant Pono. https://plantpono.org/pono-plants/gossypium-tomentosum-mao/
[3] Native and Endemic Plants – Healthy Climate Communities. (2015). Healthyclimatecommunities.org. https://healthyclimatecommunities.org/native-and-endemic-plants/
[4] "Amy Greenwell Garden Ethnobotanical Guide to Native Hawaiian Plants & Polynesian Introduced Plants" by Noa Kekuewa Lincoln, page 25.
[5] Native Plants Hawaii - Viewing Plant : Gossypium tomentosum. (2025). Hawaii.edu. http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Gossypium_tomentosum/
Collection Date
Fall 9-20-2025
Collection Number
BYUH_25_3
Recommended Citation
Gamba, Clariza Mae Anoc, "Maʻo" (2025). Herbarium Collection. 4.
https://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/herbarium/4