The hala tree possesses a unique and architectural form that adds character to outdoor spaces. Its umbrella-like canopy, formed by long, strap-like leaves arranged in a spiral pattern around the trunk. The leaves of the hala tree are long and leathery and have a glossy texture and vibrant green color.
The hala fruit is a large edible fruit made up of numerous segments called keys or cones and is found in Southeast Asia, eastern Australia, Pacific Islands and Hawaii. Also called the Tahitian screw pine or thatch screwpine, the hala fruit tree is one of the 750 or so trees that belong to the Pandanus species.
Hala fruits have remained primarily localized to their native growing regions and are challenging to find as they are not commercially cultivated. Some seeds were carried and planted in Florida and other select tropical areas, but most of the fruits are found in their native habitats.
Range: Hala can be found growing in moist coastal locations and valley slopes up to an elevation of 2,000 ft. Hala have been found throughout the Hawaiian islands with the exception of Kaho'olawe. Extensive Hala forests can be found along the Hawaii island coast.
Every portion of the growing and mature plant provides materials for housing, food, medicine, fishing implements, bedding, canoe sails and included in religious ceremonies and moʻolelo. The spiny hala leaves are tough and durable and were woven into mats and used extensively as floor-coverings.
In Hawaiian culture, the hala tree is associated with fertility and prosperity.
Hala fruit has a mild and sweet tropical flavor, often described as a combination of mango and pineapple sweetened with sugar cane juice. Some people have also likened its flavor to that of ripe jackfruit.
Common names in English include thatch screwpine, Tahitian screwpine, hala tree (pū hala in Hawaiian) and pandanus. The fruit is edible and sometimes known as hala fruit.
Originally hala was the dominant tree in the lowlands here, but is less common today due to invasive species brought to the islands. People often ask the question, “Is that a pineapple tree?” The large fruits do indeed closely resemble pineapples.
Early Hawaiians used hala extensively in their everyday lives, incorporating materials from this tree species into their canoes, clothing, games, and houses. During famine, the sweet, fresh fruit tips of the hala could be relied upon as a source of food. The leaves of hala are used in lauhala weaving.
Here in Hawaii, pandanus fruit are sometimes called the “tourist pineapple” because they resemble pineapple closely enough that visitors sometimes mistake them for pineapples. In reality, the pandanus tree is not related to the pineapple at all, although their fruits do have a bit of a resemblance to one another.
Notes: Hala leaves (lau hala) are exceptional for weaving mats, hats, roof thatching, canoe sails, baskets, sandals (kāma'a), fans and so much more. In old Hawai'i, the preparation of lau hala was done only by women. The fruit of the female hala tree can be made into striking yellow to deep-orange lei.
[Hawaiian Dictionary (1986) (Hawaiian)] hala. 1. nvi. Sin, vice, offense, fault, error; to sin (Kan.
Islanders chew on the raw fruit, boil it with grated coconut, or grind it into a paste. One taster likened the flavor of fresh hala juice to “a mixture of sugarcane and mango,” with the consistency of thick nectar.
Four types of hala based on color of fruit: common hala is yellow, hala 'ula is orange, hala lihilihi 'ula is red fading to yellow and hala pia is small & pale yellow. Habitat Commonly occurs in mesic coastal sites and into on low elevation slopes of mesic valleys further inland 0–610 m (Wagner et al. 1990:1479–1481).
Hala is highly useful. Lei material, specimen tree, shade, protection from unwanted visitors (thorns on leaves), mats, hats, bracelets, baskets, dye from roots, food are just some of the uses.
Pineberry is a white strawberry cultivar with red seeds and a pineapple-like flavor.
Some grow on vines on the ground, while others might grow on small plants or bushes. Let's take a closer look at some fruits that you won't find growing on a tree. Watermelons, for example, do not grow on trees. Given the size of these large melons, we can all be happy about that.
Hala will cease to flower or produce fruit in heavy shade, but will grow well with intermediate levels of shade. Plants should be spaced 20 to 30 feet apart. For shrubs or denser plantings, hala can be planted from 5 to 15 feet apart, if managed, for foliage.
The husk of the Hala Fruit is fibrous enough such that it can be turned into Dental floss. Besides Dental floss, the inner yellow neucleus-like part tastes like sweet juice of Sugarcane and Mango. It has the texture of thick Nectar which can be used to make Jam(s), desserts and Sauce.
The name Hala derives its origins from Arabic, with its literal meaning translating to Halo, ring, or glory. This name, steeped in cultural significance, has a rich history that continues to resonate in modern-day usage.
The fruits with the highest sugar content include mangoes, pomegranates, oranges, and pears.
ANANAS BLEUE LIGNÉE - BLUE PINEAPPLE LINE. Fruit identical to "Blue Pineapple" with as only difference, the epidermis adorned with longitudinal blue lines... Recent variety, still unstable, from Belgium. An off-type that appeared in a Blue Pineapple plantation at José Antoine, Ambiorix.
Regions. Hala Fruit traces its origins to the lush tropical landscapes of Southeast Asia, where it thrives in warm and humid climates. Today, it is grown and cultivated in countries across the region, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and the Pacific Islands.