The Polynesians probably brought this plant with them when they came to settle here. They used this plant for many things, including medicine.

This plant has a slimy sap or juice in both the bark of branches and in the flower bud. It was this slimy material that made the medicine. It was used as a mild laxative. Doses for children were:

50 days to 3 months, 8 buds
4 to 8 months, 12 buds
9 months to year, 16 buds

After 1 year of age, children and adults used the base of the hau flower; this base is a little white dome-shaped "bump" inside the bottom of the petals. Sometimes hibiscus flowers were used instead of hau (they are relatives so it doesn't really matter which of these two flowers were used).

Before children had teeth, the mothers chewed the buds and gave the chewed material to the children to swallow,

Buds of the hau flower were also chewed and swallowed for dry-throat. The bark of the stem was used for congested chests, and for a mother delivering a baby.