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The Monkeypod tree is also known as saman and rain tree and has the Hawaiian name ōhai. It is also known by it's scientific name "Alibizia Saman". This plant is native to the neotropics (i.e. South mexico and all the way down to Peru.) It was purposefuly introduced to Hawaii in 1847 by Peter A. Brinsmade, then consul of the Kingdom of Hawaii in Mexico city. He brought in two seeds, the first of which was planted in bishop street and the second which was grown on Kauai.
The monkeypod tree has been used for woodworking for a longtime because it is a light wood that is very resistant to decay and also resistant to termites. It is a difficult type of wood to work on, but it was the wood used for the bowl trade in Hawaii which started in the 1940s. It has also been used to make wooden boat frames as well as wooden souvenirs for tourists who come to Hawaii (which are actually made in the Phillipines and Malaysia where monkeypods are also plentiful).
Another use for the tree is the nutritious pods of the tree which cattle, hogs and goats love to eat. Some humans also like to chew on the pods because it has a licorice-like flavor to it.
Nowadays, the tree is mainly prized for the beauty and the amount of shade it provides and is used to line many streets in Hawaii for that reason. However many people in Hawaii dislike the tree because it drops messy sticky pods and flowers on cars that are parked beneath. It can also be a dangerous tree when close to homes and roads because it can become top heavy and have huge branches falling.
The tree attains 15-23 meters in height, with a relative small trunk between .6 to 1.2 meters in diameter. The branches of the tree grow mostly horizontally, making the tree a huge 24-30m across with a large symmetrical gown shape to the tree top. It has brush like flowers and also fruits (pods) that look like beans. The leaves on the other hand are small and oval and they fold in rainy weather and in the evening, hence the nickname "rain tree". Because it was introduced to Hawaii, it is neither Indigenous nor endemic. Some people do however consider it an invasive species because it grows very easily in humid parts of land and can prevent other plants from growing due to it's large size.
The monkeypod tree has been used for woodworking for a longtime because it is a light wood that is very resistant to decay and also resistant to termites. It is a difficult type of wood to work on, but it was the wood used for the bowl trade in Hawaii which started in the 1940s. It has also been used to make wooden boat frames as well as wooden souvenirs for tourists who come to Hawaii (which are actually made in the Phillipines and Malaysia where monkeypods are also plentiful).
Another use for the tree is the nutritious pods of the tree which cattle, hogs and goats love to eat. Some humans also like to chew on the pods because it has a licorice-like flavor to it.
Nowadays, the tree is mainly prized for the beauty and the amount of shade it provides and is used to line many streets in Hawaii for that reason. However many people in Hawaii dislike the tree because it drops messy sticky pods and flowers on cars that are parked beneath. It can also be a dangerous tree when close to homes and roads because it can become top heavy and have huge branches falling.
The tree attains 15-23 meters in height, with a relative small trunk between .6 to 1.2 meters in diameter. The branches of the tree grow mostly horizontally, making the tree a huge 24-30m across with a large symmetrical gown shape to the tree top. It has brush like flowers and also fruits (pods) that look like beans. The leaves on the other hand are small and oval and they fold in rainy weather and in the evening, hence the nickname "rain tree". Because it was introduced to Hawaii, it is neither Indigenous nor endemic. Some people do however consider it an invasive species because it grows very easily in humid parts of land and can prevent other plants from growing due to it's large size.