Koa  Acacia koa

Koa`ia  Acacia koa

Family: Fabaceae

Description:  Everyone knows koa trees for its prized hard wood.  Koa`ia is a variety which tolerates lower elevations and drier conditions.  Koa is a large tree up to 60 feet tall which thrives above 1500 feet elevation.  A fast growing evergreen tree with sickle shaped phyllodes (modified leaves).  This tree needs lots of room, medium water and does fine in full sun.  One of the dominant canopy trees in Hawaiian forests, this tree is a good candidate for agroforestry projects.  There are a few pests and diseases which may hinder the growth of koa trees, but starting with a healthy specimen and avoiding compaction around the roots will often reward the grower with a fast growing native tree.  All of our koa trees are grown from seed.  Seed selection is important as there are many genetically diverse populations throughout the state.

(close up of phyllodial leaf and flower)

(young Koa tree in the wild)

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