Category: General

When considering plants for your home garden… go native! Native Hawaiian plants are beautiful, beneficial to our ecosystem, tend to be “unthirsty”, and many are becoming extinct.
Where can you get native Hawaiian plants? As many of them are endangered, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT collect them in the wild. You can get them from friends, neighbors, private hobbyists, or your local nursery or garden shop.
There are two categories of “native” plants: Endemic means that these plants came on their own via the ocean currents or carried by the wind. Then over thousands or millions of years they evolved into a plant that is totally unique to Hawaii. Indigenous means, again that they came on their own, but remained unchanged and can be found in other parts of the world.
Plants that are NOT native are those that were brought here by humans. When the early Polynesians came to Hawaii they brought with them plants that they needed to survive. To name a few, “ulu” (breadfruit), “kalo” (taro), and “kukui” (candlenut). Many of these plants have been incorporated into the Hawaii ecosystem. Unfortunately many compete with the native plants and are now considered “invasive”. According to the Hawaii State Alien Species Coordinator (DLNR), the “awapuhi” (white and yellow ginger, commonly used in leis) is on the list of Hawaii’s Most Invasive Horticultural Plants. We at Halawa Xeriscape Garden kindly ask that you do not grow these plants.
At Halawa Xeriscape Garden we highly encourage growing native Hawaiian plants as they are well adapted to growing in our climate and tend not to need a lot of watering. Your garden will show your love of Hawaii if it has the “ma’o hau hele”. A beautiful yellow hibiscus which in 1988 was designated as Hawaii’s state flower. If you want something easy to grow try the “pohinahina”. A sprawling ground cover which is drought, wind, salt, and heat tolerant. It has silvery green leaves which has a pleasant sage-like aroma and clusters of lavender flowers. The early Hawaiians ate the leaves of the “pohinahina” to cure stomach ache and insomnia. Also consider growing the “ohi’a lehua”. Although the most abundant native tree, in recent years hundreds of thousands have died due to a fungal disease referred to as Rapid Ohia Death (ROD). Normally growing in Hawaii’s rain forests, the trees are not necessarily “unthirsty”, but they help to maintain a healthy ecosystem, provides a habitat for native Hawaiian birds and effectively replenishes our aquifers. There is an organization called Ohi’a Legacy Initiative which, in their effort to establish ohi’a trees in residential areas, will from time to time giveaway ohi’a plants.

Pohinahina

If you need advice on how to grow native Hawaiian plants check out the book, “Growing Native Hawaiian Plants” by Heidi Leianuenue Bornhorst.

Cactus is a succulent belonging to the Cactaceae Plant Family.  They come in many different forms but basically consist of a water-storing body and covered with areoles from which sharp spines protrude.  These spines or thorns are actually leaves that had evolved to be sharp and pointy.  With about 1750 known species, cacti comes in all different shapes and sizes.  Some resemble trees (Saguaro), some climb on long branches (Dragon Fruit), some have stems that look like ping-pong paddles (Prickly Pear), and many are shaped like barrels.  One of the most beautiful of the barrel cacti are of the genus Echinopsis.  Echino meaning hedgehog or sea urchin and opsis meaning appearance.  Echinopsis is a large genus of cacti native to South America.  They are known for their spectacular flowers borne on long tubes and often bigger than the plants themselves.

The Hālawa Xeriscape Garden continues to remain closed to the public due to COVID-19 until further notice.

Thank you for your patience and understanding!

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Along with the poinsettia, the Christmas cactus is another plant that flowers for the holidays.  Although the Christmas cactus does not look like your typical cactus, it indeed belongs to the Cactus family.  It is an epiphyte (like the orchid, bromeliad and tillandsia) and in its natural habitat it typically grows on tree branches and rocks.  It is native to the mountain rainforests of Brazil which explains why it needs special care in order for it to thrive.  And under the right conditions, your Christmas cactus will live for decades.

Plant your Christmas cactus in soil that provides superior drainage and only water when the surface soil feels dry.  The Christmas cactus does not like a drafty location and prefers cool temperatures (ideal temp is 68 degrees F).  Being a tropical cacti, it thrives in the shade and high humidity.  It works well as a house plant and misting will keep it happy.  Flowering is triggered by shorter days and cooler temperatures.  To force buds to form, put the plant in complete darkness for 14 hours each night.  Once the buds form, move to a brighter location for the flowers to bloom.  Be aware that too much light will burn the plant.

Most of the Christmas cactus you see today are cultivars of the genus Schlumberger and the flowers comes in red, pink, orange, purple, white or yellow.  According to the College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, UH Manoa, the Christmas cactus does well in Hilo.

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Due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases,
the BWS Administration has decided to CANCEL the
32^nd Annual Unthirsty Plant Sale
at Hālawa Xeriscape Garden
on Saturday, August 7, 2021.
We apologize for the inconvenience.