Orchid lei on Oʻahu

Most orchid lei sold in Honolulu are strung from dendrobium, a commercially grown orchid that comes in purple, white and combinations of the two. Because it is farmed rather than gathered, it is the one common lei that is not really seasonal: shops can get it in January as readily as in June, and the price moves far less across the year than plumeria or pīkake.

Its other advantage is toughness. Orchid blooms are waxy and hold their shape, so a strand keeps for several days in the refrigerator and travels better than anything else on this list. That is why it dominates the airport stands, why it is the usual choice for a lei being carried to the mainland, and why shops that ship lei ship orchid more than anything else.

You will see single and double strands. A double orchid lei is simply two strands' worth of blooms strung together, roughly twice as full and priced accordingly; it is the common choice when the lei is the main gift rather than a greeting. Triple and braided versions exist for weddings.

What orchid does not have is much scent. Dendrobium is close to odourless, so an orchid lei is chosen for how it looks and how long it lasts rather than for perfume. If the smell is what you are after, pīkake or puakenikeni is the better buy, and several shops will string a mixed lei that gets you both.