Pōhuehue, or Ipomea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis, also known as beach morning glory, is a seaside vine that blooms in the morning (hence the name, morning glory!) The flower colors range from white to pink to purple. It’s always amazing to me to see them growing out from sand and over the coral, they’re a very hardy plant. That said, they need open space to grow properly, and often get taken over by naupaka on our shorelines.
Maiapilo, or Capparis sandwichiana, is an endemic Hawaiian plant. It grows as a low, sprawling shurb on the coasts and is in the caper family. The beautiful flowers bloom in the early evening and fade during the day, and have gentle sweet smell. The fruits, however, smell bad, and look like tiny bananas, which is…
Pohinahina, or Vitex rotundifolia, is a sprawling shrub that is indigenous to Hawaii and throughout the Pacific. As a member of the mint family, the leaves smell wonderful when crushed. I like it because it’s a hardy plant and grows in a variety of conditions. I planted one small plant from the nursery in a…
