|
Planting Zones:
Native Hawaiian plants naturally
occupy a wide range of climates. Each individual plant has adapted to
best survive within a community of plants in a specific environment. For
the purpose of guiding the appropriate placement of native Hawaiian
plants, four planting zones are offered as a guide:
Coastal:
This zone allows plants to survive
and thrive directly adjacent to the coastline and tolerate
heat, salt, full sun, low water, and wind.
Dry:
This zone allows plants to thrive in
full sun with low water requirements; generally found at low elevations
or on the leeward side of the island.
Mesic:
This zone allows plants to grow with
moderate water and partial shade, yet tolerate drier conditions and full
sun; usually found at lower elevations on the windward side or mid
elevations on the leeward side of the island.
Wet:
This zone allows plants to thrive
with lots of water and often shaded conditions; usually found at higher
elevations on the windward side of the island.
Back to Plant
Guide
A Few Terms:
A native plant is a plant which has
grown in Hawaii since before human arrival and can be further specified
as either
Indigenous or
Endemic. An Hawaiian endemic plant
is native to Hawaii and found nowhere else; a plant may even be endemic
to a single island or mountain range. An Hawaiian indigenous plant
is native to Hawaii, but may also occur naturally elsewhere.
Polynesian Introduced plants accompanied Hawaiians as they settled
the Hawaiian islands and often have use as a food crop, medicine, dye,
or timber.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
determines and lists species as
Endangered
in accordance with the Endangered Species Act. This federal legislation
was passed to "provide a legal mechanism for the endangered and
threatened species and the ecosystems they depend on". The state
of Hawaii also has legislation in place to protect endangered plants.
Until recently, this included the sale (and assumed propagation) of
endangered plants. This has now changed and with proper registration and
permitting, endangered plants may be sold if the parent material was
obtained from a cultivated stock.
Back to Plant
Guide
All images on this website are copyrighted
©2003 ©2004
|
