Tropical plants love Hawaii because it has a year round tropical climate, copious rainfall and fertile volcanic soil. Hawaii’s warm weather means that plants never face winter and they can grow year round. Almost daily rainfall ensures that plants never get thirsty, while its deep, rich volcanic soil gives plants the nutrients that they need to grow. Numerous native and non-native plants call Hawaii home; here are a few of them.
The Anthurium is originally from South America, but now this colorful flower also makes a home in Hawaii. It used to grow in the rainforests of South America, but when it was brought to Hawaii in the 1800’s people started growing them in their backyards under tangerine trees and under tree ferns. As its popularity grew, growers used selective breeding to dramatically increase the number of colors and sizes of Anthurium flowers. Then they started growing Anthuriums on commercial farms in large shade structures.
The Lilikoi is a Hawaiian variety of Passion Fruit. It grows on long vines to the size of baseballs and ripens to a yellow color. On some parts of Hawaii it grows to profusely that it is viewed as a weed. But it is a weed that produces a very tasty fruit. When you open one, you will find a sweet, tangy, orange pulp with an unmistakable flavor.
The Macadamia Nut is originally from Australia, but it grows really well in Hawaii. Each tree produces hundreds of small, round nuts that are encased in a very hard shell. The nuts contain a high level of oil and produce a lovely flavor when roasted with a little sea salt. The trees can grow quite large and bees often gather nectar from their flowers to make honey.
Finally, Koa is a hardwood tree that is native to Hawaii. It has small, crescent shaped leaves and produces a highly revered hardwood that is used in furniture making and wood working. It is a highly sought after wood that has a deep beautiful grain. It grows best in mid-elevation levels, a bit inland from the coasts.