Dr. Sinoto Honored with Rare Hibiscus Hybrid: New Plant on View in Bishop Museum Gardens
Among many other honors, Bishop Museum ’s
renowned Hawaiian and Pacific Studies anthropologist
Yosihiko Sinoto, Ph.D. was presented with
a rare hibiscus hybrid plant named in his
honor and recently registered with the American
Hibiscus Society. The new hybrid was especially
created by Jill Coryell, also known as “The
Hibiscus Lady” of Mokulē‘ia.
Coryell hybridizes hibiscus and has created over 7,000 new types in the past seven years. Her hybrids come in fabulous colors and hues, including bright coral and bubble-gum pink. The flowers of the new “Sir Yosihiko Sinoto” are a beautiful blue-red.
Dr. Sinoto was surprised by the hibiscus planting ceremony at the monthly museum staff meeting. On hand to present the plant were Jill Coryell, Mary Lou Foley and Roy Cordeiro of Outrigger Hotels, who helped to sponsor the hybridization project, Michael T. Chinaka, Interim President of the Bishop Museum , Wayne Sterling, Chairman of the Bishop Museum Association Council, and a large group of Museum staff and supporters. Museum garden caretaker Tommy Boyd helped ready the garden for the new addition.
Coryell’s newly created hybrid for Dr. Sinoto was ceremoniously planted near the flagpoles marking the entrance to Bishop Museum . The hibiscus will be available for daily viewing by visitors at the entrance to the Museum. For more information about Jill Coryell, email her athibiscuslady @ hawaii.rr.com. For more information about Bishop Museum , call 808.847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org.
HIBISCUS TIPS : Some tips for hibiscus growing: Hibiscus love regular watering, good drainage, and regular pruning. While the plants don’t need fertilizer to grown, they will do much better is your feed them a water-soluble nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ( 2-1-3 ) fertilizer once a month. Plants will also do better if you sprinkle some Epsom salts around the base of your hibiscus without touching the trunk. Then, water them in. Hibiscus also like fish emulsion. To keep pests at bay, spray the undersides of the leaves each week with a hard spray of water to shake off bugs and their eggs.