Native Hawaiian Plants*

Native Hawaiian plants have had millions of years to adapt to the unique soil and water characteristics of the islands. Choosing plants that are appropriate for your location will reduce the need for water and fertilizer. For example, plants that are naturally found in Hilo will require extra watering and care to survive in a garden in Kailua-Kona.

The following list of native plants are easy to find at local nurseries, and require relatively little maintenance. Use the photos to help you choose those that suit your garden. The plants are grouped into ground covers,shrubs and trees and recommendations are made depending on different climate types (i.e., makai, wet mauka, dry mauka).

Clicking on any of the pictures will open a new window with more pictures of the same plant from either the University of Hawai‘i Botany Department's "Hawaiian Native Plants" or the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) "Plants of Hawai‘i" pages.

Ground Covers
Makai Areas:	‘ākia	pā‘ūohi‘aka	‘ilima	nanea
	nehe	pōhinahina	pōhuehue
Mauka Areas (dry):	‘ākia	‘akoko	ilie‘e	‘ilima
	pili (grass)	pōhinahina
Mauka Areas (wet):	‘ae‘ae	‘ala ‘ala wai nui	kupukupu (fern)	‘uki‘uki

Shrubs
Makai Areas:	‘āweoweo	maiapilo	naupaka kahakai	‘ōhelo kai
Mauka Areas (dry):	‘a‘ali‘i	koki‘o ‘ula	kulu‘ui	ma‘o
	ma‘o hau hele	naio
Mauka Areas (wet):	kokio ke‘oke‘o	māmaki	naupaka kuahiwi	ti

Trees
Makai Areas:	hala	kamani	kou	milo
Mauka Areas (dry):	hala	koai‘a	nā‘ū	‘ohe makai
	wiliwili
Mauka Areas (wet):	koa	kukui	lama	‘ōhi‘a lehua

*Native plant list provided by the Pacific Islands Land Institute.

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Don't let your soil get away! The best thing you can do is cover exposed/bare soil in your yard. Trees, shrubs, and mulches will all help give water a chance to seep down into your soil instead of 'running off' into our streams and ocean.
Trees play an important role in water quality because their extensive root systems hold the soil in place when it rains. Wherever you can, you should try to preserve existing trees in your landscaping plans. If the existing trees do not fit in with your landscaping plans, consider completing sections of your yard a bit at a time, rather than exposing huge areas of bare soil all at once.	Source

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Try to use landscaping techniques that retain rainwater on your property, rather than directing it onto a road or driveway. For example, low areas in the lawn (grass swales), or porous walkways can help give rainwater a chance to be absorbed into the ground.

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Overwatering not only carries polluting nutrients to the nearest waterbody, but it costs you more money too!

Most people water their lawns much more than is necessary. A good rule of thumb is to water infrequently (about once/week) and deeply (about one inch of water per time). You can check on how you're doing by putting a wide mouth jar out where you're sprinkling, and measure the water with a small plastic ruler.

It's best to water early in the morning to minimize evaporation while also preventing the growth of fungi. The afternoon is the worst time to water since a lot of the water evaporates and the water drops can act as lenses and focus the sunlight - damaging your plants.

Xeriscaping By using less water, less nutrients are washed into nearby waterbodies. One approach for reducing water use is "xeriscaping". Xeriscaping is a term used to describe landscaping where water conservation is a key concern. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has plant lists and other information on setting up your own xeriscaped garden.

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Pesticide Disposal

To dispose of empty pesticide containers, rinse them thoroughly (the rinse water can be reused as pesticide), then wrap them in newspaper before throwing them away with your household trash.

Do not simply dispose of pesticides with your trash. Call the number or check the website appropriate for your county to find out the next drop-off date for household hazardous waste. Limited quantities will be accepted from each householder. The phone numbers and websites are listed at the yop of this page, on the left (under Household Hazardous Waste).

Maui Folk: On Maui, household hazardous waste is acceptable in landfills, but wherever possible, we advise that you follow the procedures listed on Opala.org to minimize the impact of your trash. You can also call 270-7426 for a free copy of "Alternatives to Household Hazardous Products. "

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Alternatives to Pesticides

• Pick off insects by hand
• Use mechanical traps or sticky paper
• Plant marigolds to ward off insects
• Keep your home and yard clear of food sources and decaying plants that might attract pests
• Choose plants with high tolerance for pests and diseases (ask a nursery employee to help you)
• Use insecticidal soaps for controlling minor outbreaks of aphids, thrips, white flies, spider mites and immature leafhoppers
• Use biological pesticides which use chemicals derived from plants, fungi, bacteria, or other non-manmade sources. Ask about them from your local plant nursery.

Using Pesticides Safely

If you have tried all of the alternatives listed above, then perhaps you need to use a pesticide. Keep in mind that most pesticides and herbicides work by poisoning pests and weeds, so if you must use them, follow the directions carefully. Using more than is suggested will not kill more bugs, but it might kill more fish and coral reefs in the next rainfall! Pyrethrin and "Insect Growth Regulators" (IGRS) are examples of less toxic choices.

Approach your pest problem starting with the least toxic products you can. You can figure out how toxic a pesticide is by the signal words on the label:

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Overuse of fertilizers is a huge problem for residential waterways. Adding an extra handful or two in hopes of greener lawns may be tempting, but you should always follow the instructions exactly. Too much fertilizer can kill your plants, and when it is washed into the stream by the rain, it kills aquatic life too.

Nutrient Limitation in Plants

Plants stop growing when they become limited by a single nutrient. For example, a "potassium-limited" plant will not absorb any nitrogen or phosphorous until you give it some potassium. In the meantime, these extra nutrients will just sit in your soil until they are washed away with the rain.

Soils vary in composition, affecting the nutrient needs of your plants, but fertilizers provide all 3 of these nutrients in a standardized ratio. Providing all 3 nutrients when your lawn can only use one is a waste of money, and is bad for water quality. Consider getting your soil tested so that you can add only those nutrients that are needed! Call the Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center at University of Hawaii at Manoa at 956-6706 for more information.

Use commercially available compost or make your own using garden waste. Mixing compost with your soil means your plants will need less chemical fertilizer and puts your waste to good use. Commercial compost and soil amendments may be available from your solid waste or wastewater utility as well as your local garden store.

We have more information about what you can compost on our Household BMP page in the "Reduce your Waste" section. You can also go to mastercomposter.com for all the information you could ever need on starting and maintaing a compost pile.

Organic Fertilizers

Consider using organic fertilizers such as manure (horse, cow, chicken, sheep or pig) ot fish emulsion. They release nutrients more slowly, they increase the organic content of the soil, they increase the soil's water-holding capacity, they improve the physical structure of the soil, and they increase the fungal and microbial activity of the soil - freeing up more nutrients for your plants (source).

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