HOMESTYLE
Many, but not all, plants can thrive in Islands' windy areas
By Heidi Bornhorst
Dear Heidi: Help! we have a windy garden. The ti leaves are shredded and the Hong Kong orchid trees have lost all their leaves. The real estate agent must have shown us the home on a kona day or something. We are on a ridge with gorgeous views, but hang onto your hat! What plants like this kind of wind?
Advertiser library photo • Mar. 12, 1999
A. Wind can be cruel in a garden, and people shopping for homes should be aware of this. Look at and feel the site, not just for that fab new kitchen, or for the view, but check out the yard (and that of the neighbors) before you buy. Visit at different times of day and really get a feel for the site.
Leland Miyano arranges bromeliads at the Contemporary Museum. These, like certain ferns, are tropical plants that can thrive on Hawai'i's windy ridges and in its breezy valleys.
Some wind can be beneficial to plants: It does make them strong (if they don't shred and blow away). Some wind is good as it carries carbon dioxide to the plants and blows away insect pests. You do want a garden with good air circulation.
For a truly windy site, such as those ridges with breathtaking views, certain plants will grow better than others.
The obvious ones are those with thick, leathery leaves: plumeria, crotons, aloe, sanseveria, bromeliads, cacti and succulents — these can take the wind.
Hala, that gorgeous tree that the ancient Hawaiians so wisely packed aboard their great sailing canoes (and we recently found out it is native, too) is great for a windy site.
If you'd like to think about future Christmas trees, Norfolk pines do well in the wind, as evidenced by all the old forestry plantings on windy ridges. Evergreens seem to thrive in the wind.
Many native Hawaiian plants are well adapted to windy ridges. 'A'ali'i is legendary for its tough, wind- and drought-resistant character. This is an ideal choice.
'Ohi'a lehua also will do well if watered daily for the first few years.
We recently moved from Wahiawa, one of the most plant-friendly climates, to one of our windy V-shaped valleys.
My 'ohi'a were whipping terribly in the wind. They lost leaves, and the plants were bowing over. All I could do was water them and regret moving (one of the most traumatic of life events, especially for plants).
But then I noticed that new, smaller, attractively colored tough leaves were emerging. The 'ohi'a were thriving in their new windy home, perhaps better than we humans!
Native coastal plants do well in the wind, as they have evolved to cope with it. 'Ilima papa, (the low, ground-hugging, wind-loving coastal form), hinahina, nehe, beach vitex or kolokolo kahakai nehe, 'ohai and other native coastal plants should do well. Low-growing, silvery-leaf plants like our beachside natives often are salt-tolerant, and their low forms also help them thrive in the wind.
Heidi Bornhorst is director of Honolulu's botanical gardens. Reach her at islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com.
