'Ohe makai (Polyscias sandwicensis)
The 'ohe makai, though small in our garden at the moment, grows to be a large tree! They are a species of a deciduous tree, meaning that they lose all their leaves in the summer months to survive through the drier months and grow them back in the rainy winter months.
Native Hawaiians often used the wood of 'ohe makai to make stilts which children used to walk with. These plants also served as medicine for infants at the time.
ʻĀwikiwiki (Canavalia galeata)
'Awikiki are endemic vines that can be found growing along the wooden fences in this section of the garden. Although 'awikiwiki are vines, they tend not to overgrow and overtake other plants near them.
Historically, 'awikiwiki flowers were used for leis and the long, sturdy vines were main materials for a fish net. Like many Hawaiian plants, 'awikiwiki also have a medicinal purpose, healing skin irritations.
Anyone looking for native Hawaiian plant landscaping can consider 'awikiwiki as a strong candidate! They are perennial plants meaning that they regrow every year at a certain season and are quite hardy plants as well.
