Koaiʻa
Acacia koaiʻa
A tree with the same physical resemblance to Koa but only smaller (up to 15 ft.). It has the same sickle shaped foliage, which aren’t actually leaves but modified stems called phyllodes. It also has harder, more dense wood and longer, narrower seed pods with a different arrangement of seeds. Some sources list this tree as a variety of Koa while others separate it into its own species.
Kohu like ke koaiʻa me ke koa. ʻO ka ʻokoʻa naʻe, haʻahaʻa ke koaiʻa (ʻumikūmālima kapuaʻi ke kiʻekiʻe loa) a kiʻekiʻe loa ke koa. Like nā lau hoaka o ke koaiʻa me ko ke koa. A ʻoi aku ka paʻa o ka lāʻau koaiʻa ma mua o ka lāʻau koa.
Much less abundant than Koa. Only found on Maui, Molokai, Kaua’i, Lānaʻi, and Big Island in very restricted populations. There is also a single plant thought to still exist on O’ahu. Often found in more dry open areas.
ʻAʻole nō laha loa ke koaiʻa e like me ke koa. Ulu kākaʻikahi ma nā mokupuni ʻo Maui, Molokaʻi, Kauaʻi, Lānaʻi, a me ka moku o Keawe. Hoʻokahi wale nō koaiʻa e ulu ʻāhiu ana ma Oʻahu. ʻO ka mea maʻamau, ulu ke koaiʻa ma nā wahi maloʻo.
The very hard wood of this small tree is used to make many useful tools including kapa anvils and spears. The name koai’a comes from combining the two words koa (like the koa tree) and i’a (fish), since the wood from this plant was used to make fish hooks but more specifically due to its durability, shark hooks.
Kālai ʻia ke koaiʻa i kua kuku kapa, i ihe, i niho ʻoki, a i makau. Ma muli paha o ke kālai ʻana i mau makau i kapa ʻia ai kēia he koaiʻa (koa & iʻa). Mai ke koaiʻa nā makau no ka lawaiʻa manō.
Use as a specimen tree any where with lots of sun. Requires little watering and is a beautiful small tree. Because of where it is found naturally, many people prefer to use this tree, rather than Koa, in drier low elevation areas. Due to its durability, beauty, cultural significance and size, koai’a has the potential to be a very successful landscape tree. Only its rarity is preventing it from being as popular as it should be. Hopefully as more people become native plant enthusiasts, that downfall will change.
E kanu i ke koaiʻa i kahi e pā nui ai ka lā. ʻAʻole pono ka wai he nui. Ma muli o kona ikaika i ka lepo maloʻo, hoihoi nā kānaka e kanu i ke koaiʻa i ka pā hale ma kahi o ke koa. Nani nō ka ulu ʻana o ke koaiʻa ma kona ulu haʻahaʻa ʻana.
Another name for Koaia is Koai’e. This may be due to the fact that this plant was used to make kapa beaters which are called i’e kuku. So it’s the type of Koa used to make i’e, hence the name Koai’e.
ʻO ke koaiʻe kekahi inoa ʻē aʻe no ke koaiʻa. Ma muli paha o ke kālai ʻana i nā iʻe kuku kapa.