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COVER STORY
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Putting Roots Down
What better time than spring to add a few more plants to your life? Here are the best options in grass, flowers and herbs.
Article by Sabra Morris, Photos by David Croxford
Issue Date:
March 2008
Herbs:Watch them thrive, inside and out. 
Parsley:
a tasteful accent |
This clean, crisp-tasting herb comes in two varieties: flat leaf and curly leaf. Parsley is often used for cooking or garnishing and usually grows to only about six to 12 inches high when planted in pots. Some types of curly-leaf parsley make great decorative landscaping accents and others even hold up as garden borders. Like basil, parsley tastes best when harvested before it flowers.
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Sweet basil:
plentiful and diverse
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“There are a few kinds of basil that are useful,” says Richard Long of Reliable Landscaping, who likes the Italian version best (it makes delicious pesto). Among other popular sweet basil varieties are cinnamon, lemon, Genovese, spicy globe and dark opal. Basil plants can reach up to five feet tall, but are best if kept short. For best taste, harvest basil before it begins to flower to avoid bitterness. Basil can be grown indoors or out.
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Rosemary:
distinctive and delicious
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This strong, unmistakable herb loves warm weather, thanks to its Mediterranean origin. It’s no surprise, then, that rosemary makes its way just as well in Hawaii. Great for seasoning meats like prime rib, rosemary is easy to grow. “It just needs a little bit of water and some sun,” says Shane Lee, of Lea Wai, who prefers to cultivate this herb outside.
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Sage:
decorative and practical
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Sage can grow wild both in grasslands and on hillsides. “It’s a hearty kind of plant. We actually use it for ground cover,” says Long. Sage spreads quickly, thrives almost anywhere outdoors and boasts an attractive, silvery-green hue. Great for yards. Sage grows well in pots, too.
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Green onion:
easy to maintain
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This is a zesty one to grow indoors. Green onion grows happily in pots as long as you don’t overcrowd the sprigs. Also watch sprouts carefully, advises Lee. “Bugs like to get to them,” he says. With such potent, delicious flavors, who wouldn’t? Take care not to overwater and give your onions plenty of sunlight. They love it!
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Potting Tip: Cultivating plants is already a very green thing to do. Make your endeavors even greener by picking up a few indoor/outdoor containers from Eco Pots (from $7.95). Available at 1st Look Exteriors, they’re made of grain byproducts, and will last about five years. When you’re finished with them, they’ll decompose easily in your compost pile. Flowers
bright, tropical
blooms
Orchid:
distinct and
majestic
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Two of the most common and easy-to-maintain varieties are Phaleonopsis
and Cattleya, which can be found locally. Orchids love growing indoors
but prefer a little humidity and breeze (open windows are perfect for
this) and they require no soil. In fact, their roots absorb water and
nutrients from the air, so parts of them should be kept exposed.
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Ginger:
long-lasting and fragrant
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Ginger’s rich, saturated blooms love high humidity and lots of indirect
sunlight when grown outside. “Cut flowers can last awhile,” says Long.
“There’s a white ginger that has a wonderful fragrance to it. It’s a
nice plant to bring into the kitchen
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Anthurium:
one-leaf beauties
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Anthuriums are quite possibly one of the most distinctive tropical
flowers in existence. They come in a beautiful array of colors, from
red, purple and white to bi-colored, pink and peach. These heart-shaped
wonders love to live outside, especially in the shade, and do well with
minimal water. Clipped anthuriums can last for weeks when housed in a
vase and properly cared for.
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Heliconia:
an outdoor attraction
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Plant these tall, strong, sculptured flowers in your yard, and you
might attract a bird or two. They come in many colorful varieties and
shapes, some designed by nature to accommodate birds’ beaks. Heliconia
are low maintenance, can stand up to our windy conditions and need
minimal care, according to Gary Shinn of Hokuahi Lawns.
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Bromeliad:
a regenerating wonder
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Members of the pineapple family, types of bromeliad can grow in land,
on rocks and even on other plants. Their tiny scales set them apart in
appearance and also aid in water absorption, and their flowers last a
long time. Bromeliad flowers also produce small green sprouts called
pups, which can be planted in the ground to produce new stalks.
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Grass: Beach or lawn, the best warm-weather options
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Zoysia: best for high traffic areas
Classic zoysia is one of the best options for Hawaii residents, says Shinn. Think of it as the rock star of the grass family. “It’s a great choice because of its high durability. It stands up to traffic well. Even in town, it’s very popular.” Zoysia has many varietals, including Z3, patented by Waimanalo’s own Tom Stanton of Quality Turfgrass. |
El Toro zoysia: best for yards
A great overall lawn grass, El Toro zoysia has more shade tolerance than bermuda grass and is finer in appearance than other commonly used lawn turf such as centipede grass. Its fine texture and lush appearance make it soft underfoot. Heat tolerance is also a must here in the Islands, and El Toro delivers. |
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Seashore Paspalum:
Best by the ocean
“Seashore Paspalum has been popular if you live on the beach,” says Shinn. “It has a very high salt tolerance, and can even take a direct hit from the ocean.” Its bright green color makes it as great-looking as it is tough, and it tolerates both drought and heat quite well. |
St. Augustine: best in shade
This variety has it made in the shade. One of the best shade-tolerant turfs available, St. Augustine also takes very little maintenance. It’s one of the most cold-tolerant grass groups that can be grown here in Hawaii, and is often used in rotation to keep our gardening soil healthy and intact. |
WHERE TO GET IT1st Look Exteriors, a division of Tropical Images Inc. 94-422 Ukee St. #3 676-8988 www.firstlookexteriors.comBali Boo, a division of King & Zelko Hawaiian Woodworks201 Kapaa Quarry Road 261-7239 www.kingandzelko.comBig Rock Manufacturing Inc.1050 Kikowaena Place 834-ROCK (7625) www.bigrockhawaii.comCity Mill8 Locations on Oahu 660 N. Nimitz Hwy. (Honolulu) 533-3811 www.citymill.comCrane & Sekimizu 651 Kahiau Loop 373-7700 Hardware Hawaii3 Locations on Oahu & 1 Location on Kauai 105 Oneawa St. (Kailua) 266-1009 www.hardwarehawaii.comHokuahi Lawns678-0608 www.hokuahilawns.comHPM Building Supply3 Locations on the Big Island 380 Kanoelehua Ave. (Hilo) 808-966-5688 www.hpmhawaii.comKiso Store94-995 Waipahu St. 671-7482 Laulima Designs95-1249 Meheula Pkwy., Unit 170 #329 927-3888 Lea Wai422-8829 Mulkern Landscaping396-6595 www.mulkernlandscaping.comPacific Home420 Ward Ave. 596-9338 www.pacific-home.comReliable Landscaping623-4635 www.ReliableLandscapingHawaii.comSharon’s Plants Ltd. 41-614 Waikupunaha St. 259-7137 SoHaWard Centre 1200 Ala Moana Blvd. 591-9777 www.sohaliving.comTropical Garden Accents41-659 B Kumuhau St. (Waimanalo) 259-9851 www.potterylandhawaii.com |
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