IN THE GARDEN : KOA
STAR-BULLETIN / 2001
Sickle-shaped stems of the Koa tree. Koa plants in five gallon pots will be on sale at the Finance Factors Home and Garden show this weekend at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall (see page D6). The plants, about 6 to 7-feet tall, start at $30 each.
Koa wood is highly valued and is used to make numerous items from canoes to hair picks. Because of its increasing scarcity, perhaps we should use alternative (non-native) trees. Latin name: Acacia koa
By Rick Barboza
Instead of chopping down a koa, why not make something out of an invasive alien tree like java plum, cook pine or strawberry guava, all of which have beautiful wood also. By doing this you help eradicate invasive aliens and do your part in preserving Hawaii's native forest treasures.
Description: Large trees that on Kauai, Maui and Hawaii can reach more than 100 feet tall, it is easily distinguished by its light-colored, sickle-shaped, modified stems (which look like its leaves). These special stems, called "phyllodes," are packed with chlorophyll and take the place of its leaves in more mature plants.
Distribution: This endemic plant is often dominant in dry-wet forests on all the main Hawaiian islands except Niihau and Kahoolawe. On Oahu, koa is now restricted to mesic forests above 1,000 to 1,500 feet. In the past it was probably found in much lower elevations.
Landscape use: Koa makes a beautiful shade tree. A common misconception is that koa can only grow in high elevations. We planted one in Waimanalo, about 10 feet above sea level, and its doing great!
Another misconception is that it will become too large. Yes, koa can be a very large tree, but those trees are hundreds of years old. Koa is also very easy to take care of and requires little watering once established. The only pests you should worry about are stem borers. If you see a stem or branch beginning to dry out, immediately cut it off to prevent the bug from boring deeper into the plant.
Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a Native Hawaiian
plant nursery, with Matt Schirman. "In the Garden" is a Friday
feature about flora, written by field experts.
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