Tahitian gardenia Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Tahitian gardenia

Scientific classification
Genus:	Gardenia
Species:	taitensis
Synonyms
Gardenia weissichii H.St.John

Gardenia taitensis, more famously known as the Tahitian gardenia or tiaré flower, is a type of plant from the Rubiaceae family. It's a tropical shrub that stays green all year round.

The flower is so special that it's the national flower of French Polynesia and the Cook Islands.

Descripition
Where can you find it?
Origin of the name
How People Use the Tiaré Flower
Gallery
See also

Descripition

This plant can grow up to 4 m (10 ft) tall and has shiny, dark green leaves that are about 5–16 cm (2–6 in) long.

The flower is the most famous part of the plant. It's creamy-white, shaped like a pinwheel, and has a wonderful fragrance.

Where can you find it?

It's native to the islands of the South Pacific and is one of the few plants that was first grown in Polynesia.

Origin of the name

Interestingly, the name "Tahitian gardenia" is a little misleading because the plant isn't originally from Tahiti. It got its scientific name, Gardenia taitensis, because the first scientist to officially describe it, Jules Dumont d'Urville, studied a flower he collected from Tahiti in 1824. The plant actually comes from Melanesia and Western Polynesia and was brought to places like the Cook Islands and French Polynesia by early settlers.

How People Use the Tiaré Flower

The Tahitian gardenia is not just beautiful; it has many important uses in Polynesian culture.

Making Sweet-Smelling Monoï Oil

The flower is used to make Monoi oil, a popular cosmetic oil.

One of the most famous products made from the Tahitian gardenia is Monoï oil. In the Tahitian, "monoï" (pronounced moh-noh-ee) means "scented oil." This oil is very popular as a treatment to keep hair and skin healthy and soft.

To make it, Tahitian gardenia flowers are soaked in coconut oil. This process, called maceration, must last for at least ten days. It takes at least ten flowers for every liter of oil to get the perfect scent. This method is similar to a traditional perfume-making technique called enfleurage. Because it costs so much to produce, Tahitian gardenia is usually only found in very special and expensive perfumes.

Beautiful Flower Necklaces

Tiaré flower necklaces are called "Ei," "Hei," or "Lei" in different parts of the Pacific.

People in the Pacific islands often use the very fragrant flowers to make beautiful flower necklaces. These are called "Ei" in the Cook Islands, "Hei" in Tahiti, or "Lei" in Hawaii.

There is also a fun tradition in some Pacific islands related to wearing the flower. If you wear a flower on your left ear, it signals that you are in a relationship. If you wear it on your right ear, it means you are single and available!

Traditional Medicine

The Tahitian gardenia is also used in traditional herbalism. For example, in Tonga, a liquid made from the plant's bark is used as drops for the nose, eyes, and mouth to treat an illness they call "ghost sickness." In Samoa, parts of the plant are used to help reduce inflammation (swelling).