What is Haleakala National Park Special Treasure?

The Haleakala National Park Special Treasure is 'āhihi-keau, also named silverswords. Their scientific name is Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum. Native Haleakalā silverswords grow in cinder deserts above Pu'u Nianiau at nearly 3,000 meters (9,800 feet), making them endangered and some of the rarest plants on Earth. The 'āhihi-keau blooms once to several times during its lifespan and dies afterward. Haleakalā has more than any other location in the world, about 52 species, mostly endangered.