Do you want to create a beautiful tropical flower crown but aren’t sure how to get started? Are you wondering which exotic flowers are best for this stunning accessory?
You’re in the right place.
Although they are less well-known than roses, lilies, or peonies, exotic flowers are often very appreciated by my clients. I often find myself showcasing them, especially in winter when their vibrant colors give us a preview of summer!
Today, I’m going to show you how to create a genuine Tahitian flower crown! In this article, I will share some simple and budget-friendly tips to ensure you succeed every time.
Tahitian flower crowns, also known as leis in Polynesia, are beautiful traditional adornments worn by the residents of the Pacific Islands for festive occasions or given to travelers as a welcome gift. To make one, you’ll need a cord, raffia, and exotic flowers and leaves that you can get from your local florist. Simply braid the plants onto the cord using the raffia until you achieve a crown that fits your head. Before wearing it, just tie a knot with the ends of the cord and cover the knot with foliage, continuing with the same braiding technique.
Want to learn more? Keep reading to discover:
- What Tahitian crowns are
- What flowers and foliage are needed to make them
- How to obtain them
- A tutorial video that explains how to make them step-by-step
- Expert tips to make it easy
Where Does the Tradition of Exotic Flower Crowns Come From?
Popularized by movies like Lilo and Stitch, the flower crowns from the islands of the Pacific Ocean are originally a traditional headdress of these island peoples.
Although these are offered to travelers as a welcome gift, they were not originally intended for this purpose.
Known in the Hawaiian Islands as HEI UPO’O or LEI in French Polynesia, these are worn by locals for special occasions, or sometimes even just in daily life to celebrate the beauty of living in the Pacific Islands.
While some of these wreaths can be made using simple tropical foliage, others can be quite elaborate.
In this case, they are made with a variety of local flowers and foliage, and additional embellishments like beads or feathers can be added.
These intricately designed crowns are often reserved for traditional dance performances: they are specially crafted for the occasion and are a key element of the dancers’ costumes.
During a trip, you can buy them locally, such as at the Papeete market. You can also learn how to make them directly from some locals who are eager to share their traditions.
What Plants Can We Use?
Today, I invite you to create your own crown from home using the traditional technique of the Pacific Islands.
To begin with, here is a selection of plants and decorations that you can use.
Brightly Colored Flowers 🌺
- Tiare Flower
This is the flower that women wear above their ear as a hairstyle. It’s one of the most commonly used flowers for making Leis. - Hibiscus
- Plumeria or Frangipani Flower
- Orchids
There are many varieties, such as Cymbidium and Oncidium, each with different sizes and colors.
- Stephanotis or Madagascar Jasmine, also known as “Pua Male”
These delicate little flowers can be used as embellishments.
- Tuberose
- Arabian Jasmine or “Pikake”
- Anthurium
- Gloriosa
- Kangaroo Paw
- Ginger
- Porcelain Rose
Tiare Flower / Hibiscus / Stephanotis
Foliage to Add Volume 🌿
- Cordyline fruticosa or “Ti Leaf”
This is the most commonly used foliage for making flower crowns, as it holds up well over time and is easy to braid.
- Dracaena
It can substitute for ti leaf if you can’t find any, but it won’t be as easy to work with.
- Anthurium
- Philodendron ‘Xanadu’
- Cattail
These long, thin leaves, similar to grass, will be easy to braid.
- Flax Lily
Some Decorative Touches for the Finishing Touches 💎
- Mother-of-pearl or black beads
- Ribbons
- Raffia
- Colored feathers
How to Acquire Exotic Plants?
Now that you know the flowers and greenery needed to create your arrangement, it’s time to share some tips on how to order them based on your location.
If You Are in the Pacific or in the Indian Ocean Islands
In this case, it will be quite easy for you to find your plants. First of all, you can discover them directly in nature, while taking care to protect the preserved areas.
You can also find your flowers at a local florist or at the market.
If you live in the mainland or elsewhere in the world
In this case, the flowers you are going to obtain will necessarily be imported.
You can usually find them at your local florist, but I recommend that you place an order in advance. Since these flowers are not frequently requested by customers, they may not always be available in-store. Your florist should typically be able to provide them to you within 4 to 7 days, without any issue.
If you’d like, you can also purchase certain indoor tropical plants directly, such as Stephanotis, orchids, or hibiscus. They thrive well and can bloom again each year if you take care of them at home.
⚠️ Exotic flowers and foliage are very sensitive to cold ❄️: never place them in an environment below fifty to fifty-four degrees Fahrenheit. Orchids lose their blossoms as soon as they are exposed to temperatures below fifty-nine degrees.
➡️ If you need to transport exotic flowers in winter, keep them protected from the cold in a paper or plastic packaging that safeguards them.
Create Your Tahitian Flower Crown: Step-by-Step Tutorial
In this tutorial, we will take inspiration from a video that presents a simple and cost-effective technique for creating an exotic flower crown. There are, of course, many different methods, varying in tradition, but they all share the same fundamental principles.
Step 1: Gather the Necessary Materials
To create your crown, you will need:
- Some ribbon or braided cotton strips
- A tie: raffia or curling ribbon
- Scissors
- Some plant materials, flowers, and greens
➡️ In this video, the person is using artificial plants, but the technique is the same with real plants. Make sure to have a large quantity on hand! This type of detailed work requires a lot of stems…
- Optional: Small decorative charms (beads), feathers, colored raffia…
Step 2: Prepare Your Plants
Cut your flowers and greens while leaving some length on each stem. Keep at least 1 inch; otherwise, it might be difficult to arrange your plants.
👉 You can group them by variety to make assembly easier.
Step 3: Prepare Your Support
Cut your support strap to the appropriate length by following these guidelines:
- make a mark 8 inches from one end
- wrap the strap around your head, leaving 8 inches sticking out from the start
- when the two ends meet, make a second mark, adding 8 inches before cutting
The two sections at the ends will be used to tie the knot once the crown is completed.
👉 If you have chosen to use a strap, you can then fold it in half widthwise. This step isn’t necessary if you are using braided cotton.
Step 4: Start Braiding
Place a few stems of foliage at one of the marks, arranged as a small bouquet. The stems should be parallel to the strap or slightly angled, depending on your preference. They should also all be directed away from the nearest end, as you can see clearly in the video.
Next, tie your raffia or ribbon around your small bouquet of foliage, making sure to pull it tight.
Next, add more greenery on top of the first attachment, which you will secure by wrapping your tie tightly and tying a knot if necessary.
Step 5: Continue Braiding by Adding Flowers and Decorative Accessories
Then you can continue by alternating between leaves and flowers, making sure to always place foliage at the base to hide your support and create a beautiful harmony throughout the arrangement.
You can also play with depth and texture by weaving together the foliage you add or by strategically placing colored raffia throughout your arrangement.
If you want to add beads, you can incorporate them into a braid using fine plants or attach them later with glue if they are small enough. Continue this way until you reach about 3 centimeters from your second mark.
👉 There’s no need to put too many flowers near the ends of your wreath. You can use just greenery for the 4 inches before and after the final tie. This will prevent your wreath from looking too crowded and allow you to create a beautiful arrangement of flowers at the front, enhancing your face. Lastly, remember to mix large and small flowers to create a harmonious look.
✔️ Be sure to braid your plants on the outside of the strap so that they don’t irritate you while wearing the crown.
Step 6: The Finishing Touches
Once the braiding is complete, you can finish the whole thing by making a tight knot with your string (raffia or ribbon) at the second mark.
Next, place the crown around your head and tie it using the 20-centimeter strips you left. The crown should fit snugly without being too tight. You can then cut off any excess strap.
To hide the final attachment, arrange small bunches of greenery at the strap knot while keeping the desired orientation of the chosen plants for the arrangement. Secure them with raffia, just as you did during the weaving process.
The crown is finished when the strap and the attachment link are no longer visible.
How to Care for Your Crown?
Ideally, your Tahitian flower crown should be made on the day it will be worn.
If that’s not possible, you can make it the night before and keep it in a cool, dark, and dry place until the next day. For instance, you could store it in a shoebox in your garage.
⚠️ Unlike most plants used in floral arrangements, exotic flowers and foliage cannot be placed in the refrigerator. The cold damages them irreversibly.
If you can’t create your set in such a short time before the day it needs to be worn, or if you simply prefer an easier solution, I recommend getting an artificial exotic flower crown. It also has the advantage of not wilting, so you can wear it for other occasions as well.
An artificial tropical flower crown can also serve as a template for creating a natural flower lei, especially when it comes to the headpiece design, the number of flowers needed, and the desired volume.
Interested in this type of product? Choose from over a hundred stunning artificial flower crowns in our online store!
To better serve you, our shop offers a secure payment system and a dedicated customer service team based in the U.S. that will answer all your questions!
You are now an expert on Tahitian flower crowns … Ready for your exotic trip to the islands of the Pacific? 🌴