How to Grow Your Own Lei Garden
Dreaming of a lei garden of your own? This is your sign to dig in with tips from a horticulturist and a guidebook.
Dreaming of a lei garden of your own? This is your sign to dig in. We tapped horticulturist Pamela Hinsdale, who teaches classes on the topic at Foster Botanical Garden, for some tips to get you growing.
Consider the climate:
When choosing plants, look around to see what’s already thriving in your neighborhood. For instance, puakenikeni does well in wet climates, while plumeria prefers dry.
Illustration: Christine Labrador
Apartment growers:
Start with plants that are known to grow well in pots, such as bozu, cockscomb and smaller chrysanthemums. Kupali‘i, a native plant from the mint family, is great for greenery.
Yard growers:
Green ti leaf is fundamental. Take advantage of your space and grow large filler plants—pōhinahina, crown flower and song of India all start easily from cuttings. Bougainvillea is thorny and gets wild, so keep it in a pot. Climbing vines, such as Stephanotis, and fast-growing shrubs, such as mini beefsteak and a variety of Galphimia, which puts forth pretty yellow flowers, are also good additions.
Long-term plantings:
If you’re lucky enough to have a lot of space and don’t mind the wait, consider puakenikeni, plumeria, ‘ōhi‘a and ‘ohai ali‘i trees.
Pick Lit
A guidebook for growing the lei garden of your dreams.
Photo: Christine Labrador
No gatekeeping here. In our quest for lei gardening resources, Growing Plants for Hawaiian Lei: 85 Plants for Gardens, Conservation, and Business came highly recommended, and it did not disappoint. Now in its second iteration, the extensively researched handbook from UH Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, offers invaluable guidance for growing and harvesting 85 types of plants used for lei. Along with details on propagation, plant care and flowering habits, the book also shares harvesting tips and notes on how to clean, store and prepare materials for lei.
$30, uhpress.hawaii.edu
Brie Thalmann is the managing style editor of HONOLULU Magazine.
