Did You Know There’s a Native Lauaʻe? Meet Peʻahi

If you’ve ever heard someone say “lauaʻe,” you probably pictured the fern you see all over Hawaiʻi. That common one is usually Australian lauaʻe (Phymatosorus scolopendria)—tough, lush, and easy to grow—so it’s easy to assume it’s our native fern.

But did you know the “lauaʻe” in most yards isn’t always Hawaiʻi’s native one? We actually have a native variety that’s rare, and a lot of people don’t even know it exists.

photo of Peʻahi by Francis Joy

Have you ever seen peʻahi?

Peʻahi (Microsorum spectrum) is Hawaiʻi’s native lauaʻe fern, and because it’s rare, you could honestly walk right past it on a hike and never realize what you’re looking at. When you do find it, it’s usually in cooler, wetter places like shaded forest trails, misty valleys, and gulches where the air stays damp and the ground is mossy.

Look for fronds that are broad and triangular, with thin, dark veins that can look like snakeskin or stained glass when the light hits them. And once you’re close, you might notice what people love most. Peʻahi is also known for its sweet, familiar scent.

Quick plant terms (because these words matter here)

In Hawaiʻi, when we call a plant native or endemic, we’re talking about its origin story.

• Endemic means the plant evolved here and exists nowhere else in the world.
• Native (indigenous) means it arrived in Hawaiʻi without human help, carried by wind, waves, or birds, and became part of our ecosystems over time.
• Canoe plants were brought by Polynesian voyagers for food, medicine, fiber, and daily life. They’re culturally important, but not “native” in the ecological sense.
• Introduced means it was brought more recently by people, intentionally or accidentally, after Western contact.

Peʻahi is endemic, meaning it’s unique to Hawaiʻi.

Did you know peʻahi symbolizes new life and growth?

One reason we love peʻahi, especially for keiki, is its meaning. Besides being rare, like our keiki, Peʻahi is a native Hawaiian plant that symbolizes new life, new beginnings, and growth. It’s a fitting reminder for families: what we nurture today becomes the legacy our keiki inherit.

Why we made a peʻahi print

We chose peʻahi for a print because it’s more than pretty. It’s a story starter. People might not recognize it and itʻs a great way to learn together and continue to share the stories of our native plants.

A few questions to talk story about with your ʻohana:

• Did you know the lauaʻe in most yards isn’t the native one?
• What other native plants do we want our keiki to recognize by name?

Our hope is simple: this print helps more families notice, learn, and care, one small conversation at a time.

Want to learn more? Start here

• Maui Magazine: https://www.mauimagazine.net/hawaiian-fern/
• Society for Economic Botany: https://ethnobotany.org/home/education/our-favorite-plants/the-scented-hawaiian-lauae-microsorum-spectrum-and-microsorum-grossum-puanani-anderson-fung.html
• Merwin Conservancy (Peʻahi Stories): https://merwinconservancy.org/peahi-stories/discovering-layers-of-meaning/

One last “did you know?”

Did you know you don’t need to be a botanist to raise kids who notice the world around them?

Sometimes it starts with learning the name of a plant on the clothes you wear.

Shop our Peʻahi Collection