Leis are Hawaii's tradition of giving appreciation to one another with flowers. They can either be made out of real flowers from trees or even paper leis. But in order to make the best lei for someone, you'll probably want to get the best quality flowers for it. Plumeria flowers are the most common handmade lei... there's plumeria trees all over the island - even in a neighbor's backyard!
Step 1
Start picking in the Spring. Flowers begin to bloom again about late November and will take time to see a good amount of bloomed flowers on a tree. The best times to do plumeria picking are the months of March and April.
Step 2
Wait until the flower has opened. Flowers that resemble buds should be left on the tree so that they can bloom. Don't pick these off and toss it on the ground. You'll see many buds/unopened flowers around post-winter season.
Step 3
Choose radiant and powerful color flowers. Try look for plumerias that just blossomed. These are the ones that are vibrant in color and have curls in the petals. If you are looking at white plumerias, good flowers have that "splash" of yellow in the center.
Step 4
Be careful of the fully blossomed flowers. Plumerias that are fully blossomed or have petals that "stretch" out may be more fragile than others. Especially the white ones, the petal may part away from the stem while making the lei. They're also fragile where the petal may come off by itself if the flower is not properly taken care of.
Step 5
Avoid getting flowers off the ground. This is the number one rule of picking flowers. Plumerias that have fallen off from the tree may be an invitation to bugs and other creatures that are attracted to the individual flower.
Step 6
Don't get wilted flowers. Wilt is when the flower, usually happens faster with white ones, starts to turn brown. The edges will shrivel up first, then the coloring happens.
Step 7
Know that the best are on the top. During "May Day" and graduation ceremonies, people flock in yards to gather flowers. The flowers that rarely get touched are the ones at the very top or out of a person's arm reach. Grabbing and pulling down branches may help you get good flowers. Be careful not to snap the branch, since they are delicate and fragile themselves.
Tips
- It's in good faith to ask people if you can pick flowers off of their trees for your wants.
- Know that plumerias do not last long when you pluck them off of trees. On average, they can stay fresh up to a day or two; 3 if they are really taken care of.
- Try to get a whole bunch of one color instead of a mix. A solid color lei will look more presentable than mix-match.
Warnings
- Plumerias have milk sap in the bottom of their stems. Please watch out and always pick flowers in the opposite direction from your face. The milk may spray if the flower comes off too quickly.
