Pikake, Puakenikeni, Plumeria & Crown Flower: A Guide to Hawaiian Flower Jewelry

Hawaiian flower jewelry turns four of the islands' most recognizable blossoms — pikake, puakenikeni, plumeria, and the crown flower — into charms you can wear every day. Each flower carries its own history and look: pikake is sweetly fragrant jasmine, puakenikeni shifts from white to gold as it blooms, plumeria is the classic five-petaled bloom, and the crown flower was once reserved for Hawaiian royalty. Here's how to tell them apart and which one fits you.

What Is Pikake Jewelry?

Pikake is Hawaiian jasmine, prized for a fragrance so sweet it's traditionally strung into lei for graduations, weddings, and proposals. The name comes from Princess Ka'iulani, who loved the flower almost as much as she loved her pet peacocks ("pikake" is the Hawaiian word for peacock). In jewelry, pikake shows up as a small, soft charm with a delicate tassel drop — a nod to the way the real blossom is threaded into lei. Our Pikake Necklace carries that tasseled charm on an adjustable chain, and the Pikake hoop earrings give you the same flower in a smaller, everyday size.

What Is Puakenikeni Jewelry?

Puakenikeni translates to "ten cent flower" — the going rate for a single bloom when lei makers used to sell them by the string. What makes it distinctive is its color shift: the flower opens white and deepens to gold or orange as it ages, so a single lei (or a single piece of jewelry) can read in warm, two-toned shades. It's one of the most fragrant flowers in Hawaii, often described as a mix of citrus and gardenia. A puakenikeni charm bracelet is an easy way to wear the bloom without committing to a full necklace.

What Is Crown Flower Jewelry?

The crown flower, or pua kalaunu, gets its name from the small, star-shaped crown at the center of each pale lavender-white bloom. It was a favorite of Queen Lili'uokalani, Hawaii's last reigning monarch, and carries a more formal, regal association than the other three flowers on this list. If you're drawn to understated jewelry with a bit of backstory, the crown flower hoop earrings are a quiet way to wear it.

What Is Plumeria Jewelry?

Plumeria is the flower most people picture when they think "tropical" — five broad petals, a soft spiral center, and a scent that's heaviest at night (it's pollinated by moths). It's the bloom you'll see tucked behind an ear or printed on a sundress, and in jewelry it tends to show up bolder and more sculptural than the other three. The plumeria statement studs lean into that, with a bigger, more graphic take on the petal shape.

How to Choose Between Them

If you're shopping by meaning: pikake for romance and milestones, puakenikeni for fragrance and warmth, crown flower for something quieter and more refined, plumeria for a bolder, more graphic look. If you're shopping by how much jewelry you want to wear, each flower comes as a necklace, bracelet, and pair of hoops, so you can build toward a full set over time or start with just one piece. And because every piece is waterproof and tarnish-free, none of that depends on taking it off for the shower, the gym, or a rainy day — see our guide to tarnish-free gold for more on how that holds up over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Hawaiian flower is traditionally used for lei?
All four can be strung into lei, but pikake and puakenikeni are the most common choices for special-occasion lei because of their strong fragrance. Plumeria is the most widely recognized flower overall, and crown flower lei are traditionally more formal.

Can I wear Hawaiian flower jewelry in water?
Yes. Every piece is made to be waterproof and tarnish-free, so showering, swimming, or sweating in it won't dull the finish or cause irritation.

What's the difference between puakenikeni and plumeria?
Puakenikeni flowers are smaller, narrower, and change color from white to gold as they age, while plumeria flowers are larger, flatter, and stay a consistent color. In jewelry, that translates to puakenikeni pieces reading more delicate and plumeria pieces reading bolder.