Bidens is a worldwide genus with hundreds of species, and Hawaii Island has one of these species all to its own. This endemic plant is called Bidens hawaiensis. Its Hawaiian name is ko’oko’olau, which is a fun word to say, if not to spell.
Ko’oko’olau comes from the sunflower family, which includes our famous silverswords. But unlike those spectacular plants, ko’oko’olau is hardly noticed most of the year. It is an ordinary looking shrub with simple, dark-green, toothed leaves. But when it flowers, you can see it from quite a distance. This bushy plant has multiple bright yellow flowers which stand out in the landscape. The flowers are smallish for sunflowers, just a couple of inches across, but can be very profuse. They come with a dark yellow center and radiating lighter yellow petals.
I saw several of this showy display on New Year’s Day, but it is also known to bloom many months earlier. If you would like to check out ko’oko’olau, you need to look in open shrubland or mesic forests, such as the area you see between Highway 11 and Kipukauaulu (Bird Park). It’s always a good way to start the new year with a cheerful, sunny-looking flower.
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