E Ulu, E Ola
Hawaiian Plant Fact Sheet
If you’ve chosen to take your new native plant home, keep in mind that different plant species may have different needs. Some plants need moisture often, while others should be watered sparingly. Some plants love sunlight all day, while others need shade.
For seedlings, make sure that your potting soil is moist, but not constantly wet—soil that retains too much moisture may result in plant rot! Warm weather is also good for many plant seedlings, but it’s best not to leave young seedlings in direct sun all day, as this may damage their delicate new leaves. After sprouting, keep the seedlings mostly in shade for the first few weeks, then, as the leaves grow out, allow the plants to have more sunlight.
Although some plants can live happily in one pot for a long time, once your plant is twice as tall as its pot, you should consider repotting it. Or once your plant is about 12 inches tall, or spreading out to 12 inches, consider finding a spot to plant it in your home garden!
The table below provides information about how long it may take for your seeds to sprout (or germinate), what kind of natural habitat they come from, and how much water and sun will support their growth. If you choose not to take your plant home, we will nurture and care for it until it is big enough to be planted in its native environment! Plants from E Ulu, E Ola will be donating to the Mālama Learning Center and 808 Cleanups to aid in habitat restoration on Oʻahu.
Learn more about Native Hawaiian plants at Bishop Museum’s Ethnobotany Online Database
Hawaiian Name | Scientific Name | Habitat | Germination | Watering | Sunlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ʻAʻaliʻi | Dodonaea viscosa | Coastal, Inland, Upland | 2-4 Weeks |  2-3 times per week |  Full sun to partial shade |
Alaheʻe | Psydrax odorata | Inland, Upland | 1-6 Months |  1-2 times per week | Full sun to partial shade |
ʻŪlei | Osteomeles anthyllidifolia | Coastal, Inland, Upland | 2-6 Months | 1-2 times per week | Full sun to partial shade |
Maʻo | Gossypium tomentosum | Coastal | 1-3 months | 1-2 times per week |  Full sun |
ʻŌhai | Sesbania tomentosa | Coastal, Inland | 1-4 Weeks | 1-2 times per week | Full sun |
ʻUhaloa | Waltheria indica | Coastal, Inland, Upland | 1-3 Months | 1-2 times per week | Full sun |
Mauʻu Akiaki | Fimbristylis cymosa | Coastal | 1-2 Months | 1–2 times a week | Full sun |
Pili | Heteropogon contortus | Coastal, Inland | 4-6 Months | 1–2 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
Kāwelu | Eragrostis variabilis | Coastal, Inland, Upland | 1-2 Weeks | 1–2 times a week | Full sun |
ʻIlieʻe | Plumbago zeylaniza | Coastal, Inland, Upland | 3-4 Weeks | 1–2 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
ʻIlima | Sida fallax | Coastal, Inland, Upland | 1- 8 Weeks | 1–2 times a week | Full sun |
ʻĀweoweo | Chenopodium oahuense | Coastal | 1-3 Months | 1–2 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
ʻAhuʻawa | Cyperus javanicus | Coastal | 2-4 Weeks | 2–3 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
Kukui | Aleurites moluccana | Coastal, inland, upland | 3–4 months | 2–3 times a week | Full sun |
Noni | Morinda citrifolia | Coastal, inland, upland | 2–6 months | 2–3 times a week | Full sun |
Milo | Thespesia populnea | Coastal, inland, upland | 1–2 months | 2–3 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
Kou | Cordia subcordata | Coastal, inland | 1–4 months | 2–3 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
Pōhinahina | Vitex rotundifolia | Coastal, inland | 3–6 months | 1–2 times a week | Full sun |
Naupaka Kahakai | Scaevola taccada | Coastal | 1–3 months | 1–2 times a week | Full sun |
Nanea | Vigna marina | Coastal | 2–3 weeks | 2–3 times a week | Full sun |
Mānele | Sapindus saponaria | Inland, upland | 2–3 months | 1–2 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
Kolomona | Senna gaudichaudii | Inland, upland | 4–8 weeks | 1–2 times a week | Full sun |
Loulu | Pritchardia spp. | Inland, upland | 2–3 months | 1–2 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
Lonomea | Sapindus oahuensis | Inland, upland | 2–3 months | 1–2 times a week | Full sun to partial shade |
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