Most visitors are familiar with this ti plant (kī in Hawaiian) as it is found throughout the tropics and is sold as a garden or house plant on the U.S. mainland. The plant is possibly native to India or to Southeast Asia and Australia, but has been distributed widely with human migrations.

The leaves were used to flavor food, as thatch for houses, and for hula skirts. A popular usage today is as a wrapper for the Hawaiian laulau dish, providing much of the flavor to the kalo leaves, accompanied by pork and fish in the wrapper.

Kī plants are easily propagated from stem cuttings that readily root if exposed to moisture. However, a few kī plants at Nā Pōhaku o Hauwahine were growing here before the park was developed. Are these remnants from the original occupation of the site by the Hawaiians?