Capparis sandwichiana
endemicCapparaceae

Capparis sandwichiana

Maiapilo

Endemic to Hawaiʻinative

Found naturally nowhere else on Earth.

Capparis sandwichiana is a species of flowering plant in the Capparaceae family endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Common names include maiapilo, pua pilo, and Hawaiian caper. C. sandwichiana can be found on the main islands, Midway Atoll, the Pearl and Hermes Atoll, and Laysan. It inhabits coastal low shrublands and rocky shores at elevations from sea level to 325 feet (99 m). Maiapilo is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN and is threatened by grazing, competition with...

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Seasonality
26 flowering · 1 fruiting annotations · iNaturalist · fetched Jul 2026
JFMAMJJASONDpeak
flowering (peak February) fruiting (peak January)

This is an inference, not a schedule. The curve reflects when observers annotated flowering and fruiting — which tracks observer effort as well as plant behavior, and pools all elevations and islands into one signal. Hawaiʻi’s microclimates vary enormously; a species may fruit in January at sea level and June at elevation. Use this to know when to look, then look.

Gallery · 3 · iNaturalist
open-licensed photos · click any to view its source
Where documented · 47 ahupuaʻa
documented occurrences · iNaturalist + GBIF · iNaturalist 52 · GBIF 90 records
Kalaoa 1-5 · HawaiʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 9
Puʻuwaʻawaʻa · HawaiʻiiNat 4 · GBIF 4
Puʻuanahulu · HawaiʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 5
Waimea · KauaʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 5
ʻOʻoma 1 · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 3
Waimea, Waikoloa · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 3
Paeahu · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 4
Pūlehunui · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 4
Ukumehame · MauiiNat 2 · GBIF 2
Kēōkea · MauiiNat 2 · GBIF 2
Mahaiʻula · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 3
Waikīkī · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 2
Kau · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 1
Palauea · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 2
Kailua · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 2
Awakeʻe · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 1
Keauhou 2 · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 1
Kanahena · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 2
N/A · KahoʻolaweiNat 1 · GBIF 2
Puʻukapu · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Kealakehe · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Kahaluʻu · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Lāʻiemaloʻo · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Mohopilo · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Papaʻanui · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Waiohuli · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Kaʻūpūlehu · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Kalulu · LānaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Kaʻā · LānaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1
Kamoku · LānaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1