Hala Tree Fruit

Common names of Hala fruit include Thaazhai (Tamil), Tahitian screwpine, thatch screwpine, hala (Hawaiian), fala (Samoan), bacua (Spanish), vacquois (French). The fruit is unusual looking. The fruit has a fibrous outer husk and within it, it has 38-200 wedge-like phalange. Each phalange contains two seeds on an average within it. The fiber in the fruit acts as a natural dental floss. The Hala fruit is eaten raw or cooked. Necklaces are made out of individual wedges. The leaves of the plant are used for grass skirts, thatch roofs, mats,and baskets.