The warm breeze carries the sweet scent of plumeria, pikake, and maile through the Hawaiian islands year-round, extending nature’s invitation to celebrate with fresh lei. The beautiful flowers in lei are a perfect choice for any occasion.
Whether you’re planning a graduation ceremony, a wedding, or you just want to share the spirit of aloha with someone special, you might wonder what season is best for ordering fresh lei. The following information will help you understand the important considerations of ordering lei throughout the seasons.
Spring Awakens Island Blooms
Plumeria trees burst into full bloom during spring, offering their iconic five-petaled flowers in varieties like creamy white, sunny yellow, and vibrant pink. The increased daylight hours and gentle rains of spring create ideal conditions for these beloved flowers, resulting in larger blooms with more intense fragrances. Spring plumeria lei carries an especially rich scent that captures the essence of Hawaiian gardens at their peak.
Pikake, often referred to as Hawaiian jasmine, thrives in the spring’s mild temperatures and increased humidity. These delicate white flowers produce some of their most potent fragrances during this season, making spring pikake lei particularly aromatic and long-lasting. The cooler evening temperatures help preserve the flowers’ essential oils, extending their beauty well beyond the initial presentation.
Maile vines also flourish during the spring, producing glossy green leaves with their characteristic vanilla-like fragrance. The consistent moisture and moderate temperatures encourage healthy growth, resulting in supple, fragrant maile that drapes beautifully and maintains its flexibility for extended periods.
Summer Abundance and Reliability
The summer months showcase Hawaii’s lei flowers at their most reliable and abundant. The consistent warm temperatures and established weather patterns create predictable growing conditions that lei makers depend upon for steady production.
Orchids particularly excel during the summer months, with varieties like dendrobium producing spectacular clusters of purple, white, and lavender flowers. These hardy blooms withstand Hawaii’s summer heat better than many other lei flowers, maintaining their structural integrity and vibrant colors, even in warm conditions.
Ti leaves remain consistently available throughout summer, providing the perfect base for mixed lei arrangements. The broad, glossy leaves maintain their rich green color and remain pliable in summer heat, making them ideal for creating dramatic backdrop elements in complex lei designs.
Fall Flowering Continues
Tuberose flowers often reach their peak fragrance potential in autumn. The cooler evening temperatures help concentrate their intensely sweet perfume, creating a lei that fills entire rooms with their heady scent. Fall tuberose lei often lasts longer than those made during warmer months, as the moderate temperatures slow the natural aging process.
Ginger flowers also blossom in the fall, producing their exotic blooms in shades of white, yellow, and coral. The reduced humidity levels help preserve these delicate flowers’ papery petals, extending their lifespan and maintaining their striking appearance.
Crown flowers, or pua kalaunu, continue blooming steadily through the fall months. These unique, star-shaped flowers, which produce blooms in purple and white, maintain their distinctive appearance and remain readily accessible for lei creation throughout the season.
Winter’s Unexpected Gifts
Mokihana berries reach their prime during the winter on the island of Kauai. These small, anise-scented berries require cooler temperatures to develop their full aromatic potential, making winter the ideal time for authentic mokihana lei creation. The berries’ distinctive fragrance intensifies in cooler weather.
Bird of paradise flowers often produce their most dramatic blooms in winter. The increased rainfall and cooler temperatures encourage these exotic flowers to develop their full size and vibrant coloration in hues like orange and blue. Winter bird of paradise lei showcases these stunning flowers at their absolute best.
Even delicate flowers like stephanotis continue blooming during Hawaii’s mild winter season. These tiny white trumpet-shaped flowers maintain their sweet fragrance and pristine appearance, proving that winter lei creation rivals any other season’s offerings.
Seasonal Limitations Worth Knowing
While most lei flowers remain available year-round, a few varieties follow seasonal patterns that could possibly affect their availability. Being aware of these limitations helps you plan special orders and set appropriate expectations.
Certain plumeria varieties may have reduced availability during their natural dormant period, typically occurring over the winter. However, Hawaii’s multiple microclimates mean that while one area’s plumeria trees rest, others continue producing flowers, guaranteeing some variety remains available.
Some imported flowers used in specialized lei arrangements may face seasonal restrictions based on their origin locations. However, these represent a small fraction of lei varieties, and local Hawaiian flowers provide abundant alternatives during potential shortage periods.
Year-Round Ordering Advantages
The beauty of Hawaii’s diverse climate zones and extensive flower cultivation means fresh lei ordering rarely faces serious seasonal restrictions. Professional lei suppliers like Hawaii Lei Stand establish relationships with multiple flower sources across different islands and elevation levels. When you buy Hawaiian lei online, you can count on reliable access, even with local weather variations.
Modern transportation and proper handling techniques allow fresh lei to travel from Hawaii to mainland destinations while maintaining their beauty and fragrance. Whether you order during spring’s abundance or winter’s quieter months, proper care and handling ensure your lei arrives fresh and beautiful.
Many lei varieties ship better during cooler months, as the reduced temperatures during transport help preserve delicate petals and extend the lei’s lifespan once it reaches its destination. This advantage often makes fall and winter ordering particularly successful for mainland deliveries.
Making Your Seasonal Choice
What season is best for ordering fresh lei depends more on the type of flower in the lei, but all seasons are accommodated by the right supplier. Rather than limiting your lei orders to specific seasons, consider the occasion and personal preferences when selecting your flowers. Each season offers unique advantages and distinctive varieties that capture different aspects of Hawaii’s natural beauty.
The key lies in communicating with experienced lei makers, like Hawaii Lei Stand, which have an extensive collection of lei options and access to blooms across all seasons. With our expertise, we can recommend the best available flowers for your specific needs and timing. Our knowledge guarantees you receive stunning lei regardless of when you place your order, celebrating Hawaii’s year-round floral abundance with every carefully crafted arrangement.