Fern works well
in landscapes

Description: Medium-size ferns about 2 feet tall with light green fronds and creeping underground rhizomes. Each frond is composed of 20 or so pairs of pinnae, or smaller frondlets that are evenly spaced apart. The rhizomes are covered in small brown hairs. Overall, this is a very attractive fern that has the potential to be a great addition to the landscape industry.

HUI KU MAOLI OLA

Distribution: This fern, unlike most, is normally found in wet marshy areas like Kawainui or on the margins of estuaries and streams. It is an indigenous fern found on all the larger Hawaiian islands as well as throughout the Pacific and tropical parts of Asia.

Cultural uses: The fronds, more specifically the pinnae, are used to produce beautiful leis, either made up entirely of neke or having neke woven into a lei made up of numerous plants.

Landscape use and care: Neke looks great either kept in a pot and placed into a water feature or in a landscape as an accent plant around other features. Full sun and regular watering are ideal for this plant to look its best. You can also plant it in an area that for whatever reason stays wet, such as the opening of a downspout. Few pests seem to bother this plant, making it an even better candidate for your garden.

Also: Like many other native plants, neke has been here in Hawaii for centuries yet has hardly been used in Hawaii's landscapes even though it looks great and can be applied to so many different areas. This just goes to show that more work needs to be done to figure out which native plants can be used in our gardens today.