Leis are traditional Hawaiian garlands of fresh flowers, given to guests arriving on the islands and at special events. Fresh leis are often made with orchids, jasmine, plumeria flowers and ferns. In this article you'll learn how to make a lei out of artificial flowers. Silk flowers provide the most realistic look for a lei. Buy silk flowers that look the most like traditional Hawaiian flowers, such as plumeria, hibiscus, gardenia, orchids, jasmine, bougainvillea, and orange flowers.