Drought Resistant Tropicals

[Mitzi M]

Let me recommend Pritchardia affinis, lo'ulu, a member of Hawai'i's only genus of native palms. P. affinis is an endangered species with a small number still surviving in the wild. Their native range is leeward coastal lowlands and south eastern mesic lowlands on the Island of Hawai'i (lower Puna). The majority of wild survivers grow in coastal areas of Kona/Kohala that are likely to be developed in the future. P. affinis is a lovely fan-type palm that grows to 30'-70', and is quite drought tolerant. See link below:

http://www.centerforplantconservation.or...PCNum=9744

This palm grows more slowly than many others (like coconut). Consider it a long term investment in the landscape and a little help for a species on the brink. You can interplant it with faster growing palms to get the look you want sooner, and in a few years the lo'ulu will catch up. You can find this and other Pritchardia palms for sale at Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and probably a few other local nurserys as well. If you're not going to be around, I recommend that you put a ring of hog or chicken wire around your new plantings to fend off pests and errant weed wackers until they get established.

Aloha,
Mitzi

Uluhe Design
Native Landscape Design
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