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In The Garden
Guest Writers
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Hawaii plant is eye-catcher
Hedyotis littoralis
Coastal Hedyotis
Description: Spectacular plants, unusual and succulent in appearance. Leaves are rigid, glossy and elliptical. They often fold back on the margins from the base of the leaf to the pointed tip. Leaves emerge in pairs, on alternating sides of the stem. Most of the branching (if any) occurs toward the base of the plant, with individual stalks rising up. Flowers are small, white and star-shaped, with only four lobes (petals). Several flowers are arranged in a round cluster that forms at the tip of the stalk.
Distribution: This plant is endemic to Hawaii, meaning that it is found here, and nowhere else. It grows on rocky coasts, usually coastal sea cliffs within the salt spray, on the islands of Kauai, Molokai, Maui, Hawaii. It was formerly found on Oahu.
Landscape Use and Care: I have been told that native Hawaiian plants are not "showy" or are "lackluster" compared to other exotics (which not the thing to say to a guy like me). Well, this plant proves all of those people wrong (you know who you are). Their extraordinary appearance makes them a definite eye catcher and they look especially great around rocks, or even in pots on the lanai.
Few pests are known to bother this plant and watering every other day is fine, making it ideal for those of us with not-so-green thumbs.
"In the Garden" runs Fridays. Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native Hawaiian plant nursery. Send e-mail to
rickckbarboza@aol.com.
Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native Hawaiian plant nursery, with Matt Schirman. Contact him at 259-6580 or e-mail
rickbarboza@aol.com.
