Planting in Puna

[bananahead]

I also hate Bougainvillea, but it will grow in all of Puna like it does in all of Hawaii... dry wet sunny or not... there is a huge one climbing an electric pole on hwy near the Hilo Coffee Mill (13mm) in upper Puna, they will grow in rainy areas and do

if you have no soil, use berms or mounds, plant above the ground

maybe try an endemic plant instead, they know lava, and also hate Bougainvillea

******************************************************************
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

[GuyinHPP]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bananahead

maybe try an endemic plant instead, they know lava, and also hate Bougainvillea

---

I would love to, I am just not familiar enough with the endemic plant species to know what to look for. I want something that will grow relatively fast, have some color and provide some privacy. Any suggestions?

[Carey]

We ace gotten a couple of o'o bars here (had one mainland too...for rock removal)...HD has had them...usually the guys SHOULD know them by o'o bar, but the label on the bar is something like "chisel point wrecking bar"

One of the vendors at the BIAN sale had a really cool idea for native color & décor. They are now selling dwarfing Ohia that bush out & they had all 3 colors ( one of our neighbors has the 3 color bush ohias from way back...they have kept them trimmed to form a dwarf like bush...but a real dwarf bush is something that is cool!

Also the native Hibiscus are wonderful & fairly bug free (non-natives are scale magnets)

[rainyjim]

How about a couple rows of Ti plants.

You could accent with kukui trees and the purple okinawan sweet potatoes.

[Greenlady]

O'o bars at Garden Exchange and Farm Coop!

[Carey]

We have quite a few different plants that you could get trimmings & cuttings from, including a variety of ti colors, Clarodendrun speciosum & Clerodendrum thomsoniae(red & white bleeding heart) croton, hibiscus (native & non native) ixoria,Seet & yellow lilikoi, Plumeria, moringa, bouganvilla, snow on the mount, red & pink ginger, dracaenea & a couple of palm that we get seedlings

[HPPGuy]

Thanks everyone, going to Hilo this week to find an o'o bar. Seems like it would be something good to have.

And Carey, I would very much like to take you up on your kind offer of some cuttings. I will send you a private message. Thanks!

[Carey]

HPPGuy - If you did send a message, it looks like I didn't quite get it (either it went somewhere else or I missed it...been that kinda week...)

Anyhoo, I probably will be removing the Bougainvillea & an Ixoria to make room for something more tasty... PlanIt Hawaii sale is this weekend...and we have a small yard.... So

If you would like either/both of those (the Boug-ie is a deep pink one...it is trimmed down & I should be digging it up with a good root ball & I will rootone it if it is good)Reply below or email ...
Carey

[Mimosa]

O O bar - Talk to Jeff at Garden Exchange.Keep your money local.
Great all purpose tool to have.
We make our own with Pick Ax head and case hardened solid steel bar.

Not all O O bars are the same,check out each one for balance and how well it fits with your own body,check for defects if from HD. Buy North American steel and not Chinese blended soft iron when ever can.

A good sledge hammer also also needed as with a good balanced machete,also check balance with your own body fit.

Always wear gloves and long trousers.Be safe have fun.

[kaialoha]

Not to mention eye protection when pounding on fragmenting rock/lava ~ ~ ~

Punanny