The logo for Waikoloa Beach Resort — the naupaka flower — is at its core a symbol of hope and eternal love. Like many stories from Hawai`i’s mythology, the story of the naupaka flower is one born of loss, but buoyed by the possibility of eventual reunion.
The shrub (scaevola) is commonly found both in the mountains (naupaka hiwa) and near the beach, where it is called naupaka kahakai (naupaka by the sea). It is distinctive because at the beach the white petals grow only in half blooms on the lower part of the flower (photo, right), while the other petals appearing to be missing, and in the mountains the petals grow only on the upper half of the flower.
It is a hardy plant that can reach 10 feet in height and typically 15 feet in width. Because it is able to thrive in conditions from drought to wind to salt spray to heat, and in many types of soil from coral to cinder to clay, it is a popular ground cover for homeowners and land planners in Hawai`i.