Lilikoi is the Hawaiian name for passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), a familiar yellow fruit celebrated for its intensely tart and tropical flavor. Despite its widespread presence and cultural recognition throughout the islands, it is not native to Hawaii. This flowering vine, whose pulp is used in countless local desserts and drinks, is an introduced species that has since found an ideal home in Hawaii’s climate.
Where Passion Fruit Is Truly Native
The geographical origins of Passiflora edulis lie in the tropical and subtropical zones of South America. Its native range extends through southern Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina, where the species evolved in humid environments. The purple form of the fruit, P. edulis, thrives best in subtropical conditions, often found in lower-elevation scrubland and forest margins.
The yellow variety, Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa, is the form most commonly known as Lilikoi in Hawaii. This variety is thought to have originated in the Amazon region of Brazil and is better adapted to warmer, more tropical climates than its purple counterpart. Both forms are vigorous perennial climbers that naturally inhabit forest edges, using tendrils to ascend host plants in search of sunlight.
How Lilikoi Arrived in the Islands
The passion fruit vine was first introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the mid-1800s. Early records suggest one introduction occurred around 1880, with a planting brought from Australia to the Lilikoi district of East Maui. This specific location is believed to be the source of the plant’s ubiquitous Hawaiian name.
Foreign settlers imported the vine primarily for its edible fruit and its striking, complex flowers, which were valued as ornamentals. From these initial cultivated sites, the plant quickly escaped. By the 1930s, the vine had spread and established wild populations across all the main Hawaiian Islands. Its rapid propagation was aided because the seeds are readily dispersed by various animals, including feral pigs.
Current Classification in Hawaii
Lilikoi is classified as an introduced and naturalized species within the Hawaiian ecosystem. A naturalized species is non-native but has established a self-sustaining, reproducing population in the wild without direct human intervention. This status is distinct from being native (evolved locally) or endemic (found only in Hawaii).
Due to its vigorous growth habit, the vine is also regarded as an invasive species in certain parts of the islands. As a fast-growing, woody perennial climber, it forms dense canopies that smother and shade out native trees and shrubs. This invasiveness is evident in disturbed low- to mid-elevation mesic forests and shrublands, where the plant can easily outcompete slower-growing local flora. Its continued spread is largely facilitated by the consumption and subsequent seed dispersal of the fruit by wildlife.