Customer Reviews

Growing Native Hawaiian Plants: A How-to Guide for the Gardener

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I have read a previous review from an experienced landscape designer stating that this book was better for a novice, which is exactly what I am. I don't know much about landscaping and design but I am an avid weekend gardener, and I found this book helpful.

The book is broken up into the following sections: basic propagation advice, ground covers, shrubs, vines, trees and ferns.

In each section, there are detailed information about specific plants. For instance, under the Trees section, there is information about the Ohi'a Lehua plant. This book really helped me learn how to care for a lehua tree. I went on-line and tried to find more details on exactly how to care for the lehua but didn't find anything satisfactory. The book is very detailed and had wonderful pictures. It tells you what family the lehua is from, the scientific name, where it comes from, how to propagate with various methods (whether by seed or air-layering), how to water, fertilize, transplant, potting, landscape use, pests and other uses, such as using the blossom in leis, flower arrangements, and Hawaiian legends and proverbs involving the lehua.

I don't see any other Hawaiian Plant book that is more comprehensive than this one on the market, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I enjoy this book because I am going to try to grow from seed many healing plants native to hawaii so I won't have to travel so far to get them when I need them.

A little background about myself to preface my comments. I am a landscape architect with over twenty years experience, with degrees in horticulture and landscape archtitecture. On cursory review, it is a very basic book of "how to" with some plant history, potential uses and growing recommendations. The book discusses forty plants; 9 ground cover plants, 12 shrubs, 3 vines, 12 trees, and 7 ferns.The basic stuff are common, general information. For the landscape professional, it is weak. For the novice, it would be helpful starting point, particularly if you are designing with local plants. The book does not go into much detail about anything. Hindsight, I would pay the extra money and buy the book with more information, plants, history and plant "meaning".