Nursury Suggestions

[puna_bound]

quote:

---

My first planting I do is usually to work on the perimeter and any privacy screening issues, but that's me.

---

Kathy, this is what we have been thinking! All of the lots we are looking at are in the 1-3 acre range. What kinds of perimeter plans/trees do you use? I suppose we're talking about shrubs and bushes in the 6+ foot height range.

I was thinking of starting with things like coffee and bananas. Maybe cacao since chocolate is an essential food. Any other ideas? Our preference is to plant things that produce food, as this will become our retirement home eventually and we'd like to eat off the land as much as possible.

Jimmy

Edited by - puna_bound on 06/04/2007 05:43:27

[missydog1]

puna_bound, it totally depends on the piece of property, where you need screening, how the light is, and a big one is whether there's any view to preserve. Biggest of all is what microclimate are you in?

The trick in Hawai'i is to find those plants that don't grow over 6 feet tall, because a lot of stuff will start out as a nice screen and then get too tall.

I like that chocolate is an essential food!

I don't typically plant food-bearing plants along the road because they pick up exhaust chemicals and get covered with dust. The chemicals are probably light on a rural Orchidland road, but I would think dust could be an issue. You need something tough.

for thick screens, I like areca palms. You can get small ones for 5-10. They take a few seasons to get to a good size. Eventually they get quite tall but are very stately.

I'm also a big fan of clumping bamboo varieties, but it would cost too much for a 3 acre property screen.

I look forward to hearing what people suggest for you.

If you have a natural screen in place, like ohia, I would certainly consider keeping it.

I know you want to do foodbearing plants, but you may find it's easier to keep those in an orchard and garden area.

[puna_bound]

Since we want 1 acre minimum, we will probably look at HPP and Orchid Land most closely. The posts on this board and other info I've receive has me thinking that Hawaiaan Acres is probably less desirable (especially on the convenience/access issue). Don't want a higher elevation than that!

Of course, our preference is with a wooded area, and we would keep the trees in place (provided they are not one of the pest trees).

Cacoa is indeed a brilliant idea! Sounds like you are also a chocolate lover. Have you any experience in growing/processing it?

[Mitzi M]

When you find and buy your property I bet it will become clearer what kind of screening you really want there. Depending on the area and climate, there are a lot of good native plants that can be used as screens. Some can even be pruned into a formal hedge, if that's the look you want. Alahe'e - Psydrax odorata makes a great screen shrub and it has pretty white flowers that are very fragrant. Naio - Myoporum sandwicensis can be shaped into a nice, dense screen with a little initial pruning as well. There are also several native hibiscus that bloom almost constantly when they're happy and would also make great screens in a sunnier spot. All of these plants would probably do well in most of HPP or Orchidland. Good sources for natives are Jan Anderson's Kapoho Kai Nursery, Nina Gutmanis's Grow Native, and Kenneth Lee Nursery (959-8892). All of them are by appointment.

Uluhe Design
Restoration Based Landscape Design for Hawai'i
uluhedesign@yahoo.com

[Les C]

quote:

---

Good sources for natives are ..., Nina Gutmanis's Grow Native, and Kenneth Lee Nursery (959-8892). All of them are by appointment.

---

Mitzi, are either of these up in or near Volcano? If not, do you know of anyone in Volcano selling native plants?

Edited by - Les C on 06/04/2007 12:56:01

[puna_bound]

Thanks, Mitzi!

[Mitzi M]

Les, Nina's nursery, Grow Native, is in Mountain View. Jan Anderson's is down in Kapoho, and Kenneth Lee is off Railroad Ave. in Hilo(Panaewa). There is another propagator, Zoe Thorne, in Volcano who just started her own nursery. I believe she plans to have open house plant sales several times a year. I'll be looking forward to the first one for sure, and will let everyone know as soon as I find out when and where it will be!

Aloha,
Mitzi

[emorata]

Mitzi,

what is the best way to identify most of the plants found in most of open lots in orchidland/hpp. i see the typical orchids, ohia, sansevaria, various ferns...purple princess flower....i would like to identify some of the other shrubs and trees that are common in puna which may or may not be invasive.

[Mitzi M]

Noel, There's an awesome book I found- Wayside Plants of the Islands: A Guide to Lowland Flora of the Pacific Islands, by Arthur Whistler. It covers naturalized plants (which is to say, introduced plants that have become weeds). The library has it, but I had to buy my own since its such a great reference. Another good one is Weeds of Hawai'i's Pastures and Natural Areas, by Motooka et.al., published by CTAR - (I think you have to order that one from them online.) Also, here's a good website to check out - another one by USDA/HEAR.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/invasiveOne?pubID=HEAR

These will help you ID the non-natives. As for the natives, I have wished for a long time that there was something more like a comprehensive field guide - but since each area/forest community is so distinct I guess it would be a hard thing to pull off. Mark Merlin's Hawaiian Forest Plants is a good reference. Angela Kepler's Tree's of Hawai'i is a quick guide to common non-natives and natives alike. And A Pocket Guide to Hawai'i's Trees and Shrubs, by Douglas Pratt covers natives and naturalized plants too. I think these might get you off to a good start. Maybe other folks know of some good plant references too...Happy plant ID-ing!

Aloha,
Mitzi


Uluhe Design
Restoration Based Landscape Design for Hawai'i
uluhedesign@yahoo.com

[emorata]

hi mitzi,

thanks for the headsup on the book, i'll have to look it up when i'm back on island....hopefully someone else can sponser another plant exchange.