Gardenia brighamii (Native Hawaiian Gardenia Nau)
Botanical name: Gardenia brighamii
Common name: Native Hawaiian Gardenia Nau
Family: Rubiaceae
Origin: Hawaii








Gardenia brighamii is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and at one time thought to have occurred on all of the main islands. Judging from its use by the Hawaiians as a cloth dye, its habitat, associated species, and distribution in the early 1900s, it was probably a relatively common member of the lowland dry forest. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was considered common on west Moloka`i and Maui, but already either extirpated or very rare on the other islands. Today, the total known wild individuals of Gardenia brighamii numbers less than 20 and are distributed among 6 populations on Oah`u, Lana`i and Moloka`i. Gardenia brighamii, the Hawaiian gardenia, somewhat resembles the commonly cultivated Tahitian gardenia (Gardenia taitensis). Gardenia brighamii is a small tree, which may grow up to 20 feet in height. The leaves are oval-shaped, shiny and dark green. The solitary flowers are white and very fragrant. Read more about gardenias.
Similar plants: Gardenia brighamii (Native Hawaiian Gardenia Nau)
- Atractocarpus fitzalanii (Native Gardenia)
- Gardenia carinata (Golden Gardenia)
- Gardenia cornuta (Natal Gardenia)
- Gardenia erubescens (Golden Fruit Gardenia)
- Gardenia gjellerupii (Thai Gardenia)
- Gardenia hydrophila (Mok Luang)
- Gardenia jabiluka (Gardenia)
- Gardenia jasminoides ''Four Seasons'' (Four Seasons Gardenia)
- Gardenia jasminoides (Bush Gardenia)
- Gardenia mutabilis (Golden Gardenia)