So, is it true there were no plants with thorns in

[EightFingers]

Hawaii before man came on the scene? I overheard this at a place that sells plants a couple days ago in Hilo.

[Carey]

Not true, this idea come from the fact that there are plants like the nettle-less nettles & mint-less mints in Hawaiian endemics,
that have lost their natural defenses... but there are native and endemic plants here that have maintained thorns & prickles in various ways... here are just a few

Endemic Pua Kala, Hawaiian Prickly Poppy (Argemone glauca) has prickly leaves, stems & seed pods
Endemic Wiliwili (Erythrina sandwicensis), thornly-ness varies from tree to tree - while some trees may be thornless, most have some thorns & a few are like a briar patch
Native Hala (Pandanus tectorius) can have vicious curved thrones along the leaf blades
even the endemic Akala, Hawaiian blackberry (Rubus hawaiensis) has prickles and vestigial thorns, esp. noticeable on younger plants

[randomq]

Not sure how long it's been here, but razor grass is terrible. If you're not paying attention while walking or weeding you'll end up with a dozen nasty cuts in no time.

[Obie]

Loulu palms are native to Hawaii and have huge thorns along the shaft of the frond.

[bananahead]

all 24+ species of endemic Loulu Palms have NO thorns.. youre thinking of the non native fan palms, ie Chinese Fan and Mexican Fan.... they have thorns...

endemic/indigenous plants w/ thorns or small hair-like prickers...
~some species of Cyanea
~Erythrina sandwicensis/wiliwili
~Caesalpinia major/kakalaioa
~Caesalpinia bonduc/kakalaioa
~Hibiscus furcellatus/akiohala
~Hibiscus brakenridgei mokuleinus/mao hau hele
~Pandanus tectorius/hala
~Argemone glauca/pua kala
~Smilax melastomifolia/uhi
~Solanum incompletum/popolo
~Hesperocnide sandwicensis/'hawaiian nettle'
~Tribulus cistoides/nohu




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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[Obie]

I was told mine are native.

So I can cut them down ???