Acacia koa Acacia koa Acacia koa is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree. The highest populations are on Hawaii, Maui and Oahu. Its name in the Hawaiian language, koa, also means brave, bold, fearless, or warrior. Koa is a large tree, typically attaining a height of and a spread of . In deep volcanic ash, a koa tree can reach a height of , a circumference of , and a spread of . It is one of the fastest-growing Hawaiian trees, capable of
Primitive koa finch Primitive koa finch fossils have been found on Maui and Oahu. It is believed that it inhabited lowland dry forests and savannas, where dominant plant species included "ka palupalu o kanaloa" ("Kanaloa kahoolawensis"), "aalii" ("Dodonaea viscosa"), "loulu" ("Pritchardia" spp.), and "koaia" ("Acacia koaia"). Unlike other species of "Rhodacanthis", "koa" ("Acacia koa") was not present in significant numbers in its habitat. The primitive koa finch was a granivore, with a bill adapted to eat the hard seeds and pods of legumes, especially "ka palupalu o kanaloa" ("Kanaloa kahoolawensis") and "koaia" ("Acacia koaia"). It may have also taken caterpillars and "aalii" ("Dodonaea