24-04-2025
Lei season is approaching, hereʻs how to make your own
HONOLULU (KHON2) – With May Day, Mother's Day and graduation season fast approaching, the demand for fresh flower lei is on the rise. To help celebrate sustainably, the Board of Water Supply is encouraging residents to turn to their own gardens and use xeric (drought-tolerant) plants to create beautiful, water-wise lei.
Sheri Mikami, Community Relations Specialist with the Board of Water Supply, shared how using xeric plants can help conserve outdoor water use by 30% or more. Many of these plants are already popular in traditional Hawaiian lei making, including plumeria, stephanotis, crown flower, song of India, and ti leaf.
'These plants are not only beautiful and resilient, but many are perfect for lei making,' Mikami explained. 'For example, I used a succulent vine with heart-shaped flower buds that open in the sun and close at night. It's a great groundcover, loves full sun, and can even grow indoors.'
Mikami demonstrated several lei styles during the segment:
A succulent flower lei, strung with bright pink buds
A double stephanotis lei, made by stringing flowers from the side for added fullness
A song of India lei, braided with softened leaves and raffia
A haku lei, crafted by braiding softened ti leaves with raffia and adding non-wilting foliage and flowers
According to Mikami, making a simple lei doesn't require many supplies. For a basic 40-inch lei, she recommends using 100 inches of thread or string, scissors, clippers, a lei needle, and about 50 to 75 flowers. The thread should be doubled over with room to tie at each end. For lei poʻo she suggests using raffia or ti leaves, along with durable leaves and flowers that won't wilt easily.
For more step-by-step guidance, residents can view the Board of Water Supply's DIY lei-making workshop available on their website Workshops – Board of Water Supply.
By using water-wise plants and crafting their own leis, residents can celebrate upcoming holidays with both beauty and sustainability.
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