Allerton Featured Plant: Lobster claw heliconia

Heliconia caribaea has tall, broad leaves that point skyward and are accompanied by thick, strong flower stalks which bear big, waxy colored bracts (modified leaf-like structure). These surround small, inconspicuous flowers that are pollinated by hummingbirds, bats, or other birds, depending upon where they grow.

This particular species is often referred to as “lobster claw heliconia” for the shape of its bracts.

Heliconias are one of the world’s favorite exotic tropical flowers for landscaping and cut arrangements; most are native to the Caribbean and Central and South America. They grow as large rhizomes near the surface of the soil. They thrive in humid lowlands throughout the tropics but are found in greatest abundance in mid-elevation (up to 1,500 feet) rain and cloud forests.

Look for patches of bright red and dazzling yellow Heliconia caribaea growing beside the walking paths around the Cutting Garden.

Best seen: throughout the year

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=5839

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Mango

Known as the “king of fruit,” mango (Mangifera indica) is native to southern Asia and particularly well-represented in the Indian sub-continent. The name mango itself is derived from south Indian languages.

Mango trees grow well in hot, dry conditions and can reach 100 feet in height with large, dense canopies that provide not only enormous quantities of luscious fruit, but wonderful shade. These towering members of Anacardiaceae (sumac family) are long-lived trees, easily growing for hundreds (some claim thousands) of years. Mangos are prized for their sweet, juicy fruit which can be dried, frozen, canned, pickled, or most often, eaten straight from the tree (with plenty of napkins!). Popular cultivars include Haden, Alphonso, Pirie and Fairchild. Along with Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and other tropical American countries, both Florida and Hawai‘i produce mangos for North American markets.

The blossoms (shown here) are used to make honey.

Mangos grow near the Moreton Bay fig trees. Mature mango trees can also be seen near Pump Six and the small plantation-era cottage (McBryde Garden) that visitors on the Allerton Garden tour first see upon their arrival in the valley.

Best seen: mangos often bloom between January and March; by mid-to-late summer the trees are laden with yellow, gold, green, pink, or red fruits

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=7334

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Lotus

Few sights evoke the admiration of a newly opened lotus blossom. Nelumbo nucifera is often called the ‘sacred’ lotus because of its association with spirituality, especially as a Buddhist and Hindu symbol. Deities and Buddha images are depicted sitting on a lotus or bearing its flower throughout Asia. The notion of lotus as a symbol of purity stems from the plant’s ability to rise from the muddiest depths, reach perfection, and completely repel dirt.

Beneath the water, this aquatic herb has horizontal stems and large soft, smooth water-repellant leaves that stand above the water, making for a striking contrast with the large pink and white flowers which close at night. At the heart of the lotus is a prominent yellow seed pod which, over time, grows in size, turning brown and hard, ideal for floral arrangements.

Lotus seeds, flowers, young leaves, and the rhizome can all be eaten and are common kitchen fare in China, Korea, Japan, and India.

Beautiful lotus blooms in a pond can be viewed when taking the Ho‘ike Tour, which includes the west side of Allerton Garden. (They may also be seen just inside the entrance of the Southshore Visitors Center).

Best seen: late spring through mid-summer

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at title="Lotus">www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=11893

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Plumeria

Plumeria is not native or Polynesian-introduced, but it is one of the most well known and beloved introduced trees in Hawai‘i. There are dozens of named hybrid varieties, but most people know this Central American and Mexican native by its genus name or frangipani, whereas in the Islands it is called pua melia. Colors range from bright white to yellow, pink, red, and shades in between. Many cultivars are fragrant, with it being said that those with shades of white are the most aromatic of all.

Many of the pointed-leaf varieties (such as P. rubra) completely defoliate during the shorter days of winter while the rounded-leaf Singapore variety, (P. obtusa), remains green year round.

Pua melia is extremely popular in the Hawaiian Islands for lei making. The beautiful cultivar in this photo is Plumeria ‘Grove Farm’.

Several colorful plumeria trees grow throughout the garden.

Best seen: in spring and summer

Our Meet the Plants pages have information on a number of plumeria species. To see one, visit www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=9243

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Queen Emma lily

Scattered throughout Allerton Garden are dense clusters of thick-stemmed Queen Emma lily (Crinum pedunculatum) which stand out with their long, whorled blade-like leaves. Unlike the typically pure white flowers, this variant has a dark purple floral tube and purple-flushed blooms. The upright inflorescence blooms frequently.

Native to northern Australia, New Caledonia, and other Pacific Islands, the genus Crinum is a popular ornamental plant, cultivated as many hybrids and cultivars.

There are more than 100 Crinum species worldwide, yet the variant enjoyed in Hawai‘i is known as the Queen Emma lily because of the Queen’s reputation for loving the color purple. She is believed to have planted trees and shrubs that still grow in Allerton Garden so this handsome plant is a fitting reminder of the time she spent nearby. The plant’s abundant seeds are self-propagating, ensuring this beauty will be enjoyed for many generations to come.

Look for Queen Emma lily growing along the outdoor garden corridor between Three Pools and the main path along the stream.

Best seen: year-round

Want to see more information on another species called the Queen Emma lily? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=11808

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Torch ginger

Although there are no forms of ginger native to Hawai‘i, plants in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) grow well there and are often associated with these islands. One of the most impressive, and certainly among the tallest, gingers is torch ginger (Etlingera elatior).

This enormous ornamental flower stalk grows in clumps, sometimes with leaf stalks exceeding 15 feet high. The sturdy inflorescence rises directly from the ground, independent of the leaves, and is ideal for large floral arrangements like those found in hotel lobbies.

Torch ginger is native to Malaysia where it is called bunga kantan and is used as a food (in curries and condiments) and for medicine. Etlingera gingers are found across Southeast Asia and come in a wide variety of forms, many markedly different from torch ginger, sometimes with flowers that barely rise two inches above the soil.

Torch ginger, both red and pink, grows in the Cutting Garden. The red flowers are more prominent, but if you look carefully into the dense growth, you may also spot the pinks. McBryde Garden also has the much rarer white torch ginger growing above the Spice of Life trail.

Best seen: throughout the year

Want to see more information on this species? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=4977

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Ever-blooming ixora

Favored by gardeners for its continuous floral display, ever-blooming ixora is one of the most widely used horticultural plants in landscaping in Hawai‘i. It grows as an evergreen shrub or small tree but can be trained into a hedge.

This species is Ixora casei, but there are many forms of ixora, including this month’s McBryde Garden featured plant “sweet ixora”. This woody shrub is native to Asia and various Pacific Islands including Micronesia.

Ixora, a member of the coffee family (Rubiaceae), has simple spreading or drooping leaves and small, attractive, sturdy flowers which grow in dense ball-shaped clusters. Many horticultural hybrids have been developed with bright red, yellow, orange, salmon pink, or white flowers. The name Ixora comes from the Hindu diety Ishvara (also known as Shiva). In India ixora is used as a temple offerings and in ceremonies.

Look for tall ixora plants growing near the Bamboo Grove by the Okinawan burial urn.

Best seen: year-round (it is ever-blooming!)

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=6586

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Autograph tree

The autograph tree, Clusia rosea, is a common invasive species in Hawai‘i. Like the Polynesian-introduced kamani tree (Calophyllum inophyllum), the autograph tree is a member of Clusiaceae (mangosteen family). However, the autograph tree is so widespread and aggressive that those familiar with its growth patterns and impact on native flora will furrow their brow and grimace at the mere mention of its name.

Native to the Caribbean Islands, the autograph tree has the unenviable distinction of being listed in the Global Compendium of Weeds.

This tree is said to have a number of ethnobotanical uses including medicinal but is perhaps best known for its stiff, thick dark green waxy leaves which, when rubbed or scratched with a sharp object, retain the impression, allowing one to mark the leaves for use as “playing cards” or, as can be seen around the Hawaiian Islands, to leave one’s own “autograph” on the leaves.

There is a large autograph tree near the Thanksgiving Room forming part of a curved “wall” of green behind the white pavilion. The tree is easily overlooked as it is surrounded by other large trees.

Best seen: chopped into bits (some might say!). The trees are actually attractive year round until you consider the negative impact on plant diversity as these trees crowd out other less aggressive species in the forests. The plant is easier to control in a carefully maintained environment such as a garden.

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Red sealing wax palm

This is one of the most coveted of all ornamental palms because of its arresting bright red crownshaft and leaf stalks (petioles) which make the tree stand out in any setting.

Native to the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, Borneo, and Sumatra, red sealing wax palms are also called lipstick palms, but their botanical name is Cyrtostachys renda. They are notoriously slow growers and are intolerant of even mildly cold temperatures (below 60F), but thrive in true tropical conditions, growing well in lowland swamps, tidal coastal areas, and along streams.

In their early years, young plants lack any hint of red and look quite unremarkable. However, if grown in appropriate conditions and given adequate amounts of fresh water, they will gradually reveal spectacular colors. Be prepared to pay dearly if you wish to add this to your own garden; these popular palms fetch top dollar at nurseries.

As you make your way downstream, there are two very large clumps of outstanding red sealing wax palms to the left of the path just before the Mermaid Fountain.

Best seen: throughout the year

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=3870

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Siam rose

Rising up from the ground on leafless stalks, the large, sturdy blooms resemble big, waxy red roses despite the fact that they are actually in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). The species is native to the northern part of peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand (the latter was formerly named Siam). The botanical name for the species, Etlingera corneri, recognizes botanist E. J. H. Corner who was its first recorded collector.

Siam rose grows in lowland, evergreen forests and swampy areas. The plant bears separate leaves which can grow up to 12 feet.

There are around 60 species in the genus Etlingera, which can be found from the Himalayas through East Asia, northern Australia, and into the Pacific. Some species are used for food and medicine and, owing to their size, shape, and color, are favorites among landscapers and florists.

Siam rose grows in clumps along the pathway leading through the Cutting Garden beside other gingers and heliconia.

Best seen: throughout the year

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=4974

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: ‘Ēkaha

Growing in gigantic rosette-shaped “nests,” ‘ēkaha or bird’s nest ferns (Asplenium nidus) are noteworthy for their beautiful, long sword-shaped fronds that point skyward and capture falling moisture and leaf litter, which help nourish the plant. Undivided fronds can be 3 or more feet long and nearly 12 inches wide. They are a deep, rich green color with dark brown or black midribs. The spore cases are arranged in a diagonal stripe formation that runs along the midribs.

These exceptional ferns are indigenous to Hawai‘i, other parts of Polynesia, and across Asia and as far west as the lowland tropical forests of Africa.

‘Ēkaha, like all native fern species in Hawai‘i, arrived by the forces of nature (wind, wings). Ferns make up one of the largest groups of native Hawaiian plants (by some estimates, up to 20%). Because this, and other ferns, retain their beauty year-round, they are popular for landscaping.

Look for enormous ferns growing along the Diana Waterfall between the Thanksgiving Room and the Cutting Garden.

Best seen: throughout the year

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=1304

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Shrubby simpoh

Dillenia suffruticosa is a large shrub or small tree easily recognized by its conspicuous, bright yellow flowers and distinctive sturdy, ribbed leaves which are used for wrapping food in Southeast Asia. Another striking feature are the plant’s red, wax-like sepals that remain after the petals fall.

This attractive tree is popular in the tropics and has become naturalized in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Java, and Jamaica. In Brunei Darussalam, simpor bini (as it is called there) is the official national flower and one of eight species of the genus Dillenia.

Shrubby simpoh is considered a pioneer species because it will colonize habitats other plants cannot. For example, Dillenia seeds can germinate on sand and will send down deep roots to reach water. The presence of simpoh is also an indication of an underground water source. Once established as a dense shrub, the plant provides shade needed by the seedlings of other species.

Look for shrubby simpoh in and near the cutting garden section of Allerton Garden growing amongst clumps of tall ginger, heliconia, and calathea. The tree is almost constantly in flower.

Best seen: year-round

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Golden shower tree

Cassia fistula, commonly known as the golden shower tree, is a medium to large member of the bean family (Fabaceae) which exhibits its profusion of light, airy bright yellow blossoms during the summer months. The tree is valued for its ornamental and medicinal qualities around the tropical world. These colorful trees are from South and Southeast Asia, but are also known to grow up to 3,000 feet in the Himalayas.

In Thailand, the tree’s clusters of yellow blossoms, all blooming simultaneously, symbolize the unity and harmony of the Thai people and is the country’s national flower called ratchaphruek or khun. It can be commonly seen growing along roadsides there.

Besides its showy blossoms, the tree produces long brown seed pods which are filled with sticky pulp and up to a hundred seeds in a single pod. Unlike the closely related rainbow shower tree, the golden shower tree sheds its leaves when it flowers.

Look for a medium-sized golden shower tree in the northwestern corner of the Allerton fruit orchard. There are a number of other shower trees throughout Allerton Garden and the Visitors Center Garden.

Best seen: summer through early autumn (July-September)

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=2430

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Skunk tree

Even if it wasn’t called “skunk tree,” Sterculia foetida’s botanical name gives away its most recognizable characteristic. Stercus is Latin for dung and foetida means foul-smelling, a painfully honest reference to this tree’s unmistakable smell which is reminiscent of mothballs or musty decay. But what smells bad to humans is irresistible to pollinating insects.

Also known as “bastard poon tree” or “Java olive,” this exceptionally tall tree (they can easily surpass 100 feet), is native to the Old World tropics and found throughout the Indian sub-continent, east Africa, and Australia.

High overhead, the skunk tree has palmate compound leaves and produces large fist-sized green pods which gradually turn bright orange-red. As the pods age, they change to a woody brown and split open to form heart-shaped pods which reveal smooth grey olive-like seeds. These oil-rich seeds are sometimes roasted and eaten, but when consumed raw are said to induce nausea and vertigo.

A very tall, fairly well-hidden skunk tree grows amongst the stand of green-striped bamboo in the Allerton Garden. The tree is found most easily by looking down on the pathway for the distinctive heart-shaped pods and smelling for the unmistakable musty odor of the tree’s rust-colored flowers. The small attractive blossoms have outward curling petals like a five-pointed star.

Best seen: throughout the year

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=10732

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Epiphyllum cactus

Perched on a tree branch or growing over stone walls, the Disocactus x hybridus is an outstanding presence in Allerton Garden during the summer months. These cacti are also called epiphyllum or, by some, Christmas cactus or even orchid cactus (there is no relation to orchids). Evocative names like “orange glow,” “holly gate,” and “Mexicanus” reflect a multitude of hybrid cultivars offering a painter’s pallet of warm glowing pink, red, yellow, orange, scarlet, and salmon blossoms as big and showy as one could wish.

Whatever you call these Central American cacti, they are a welcome addition to any garden stroll, surprising and delighting garden visitors with their sporadic explosions of color. Lucky visitors will find the flowers most outstanding early in the day, bathed in morning sunlight.

Epiphyllum cacti are scattered throughout the Allerton Garden, found most commonly in monkeypod and kiawe (mesquite) trees, but also growing on the old lava rock wall that runs alongside the bamboo stand near the Lāwa‘i Stream.

Best seen: June-August

Want to see information on another cultivar of Disocactus x hybridus in our gardens? Visit our Meet the Plants page at
www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=4716

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Night blooming cereus

Night blooming cereus (Hylocereus undatus), a long, writhing cactus native to Mexico and Central America, grows well along the dry steep walls and slopes above Lāwa‘i Valley and in the Allerton Garden. As the name implies, large white flowers open at night and remain prominent until mid-morning when they fade and droop during the day.

Blooming is sporadic during the summer, but if you are lucky you will see a profusion of flowers welcoming you to the Allerton Garden on the approach from the Southshore Visitors Center. Known as pānini o ka puna hou in Hawaiian and botanically named for the cactus’s undulating, wavy rib margins, night blooming cereus grows well as a terrestrial or epiphytic plant.

In Hawai‘i, by the end of summer the cactus produces a curiously shaped pink globular “dragon fruit” which is cultivated around the world and popular for its sweet flesh.

Night blooming cereus can be found growing on walls and hillsides above and within Allerton Garden. Look for it early in the morning when the flowers are at its best.

Best seen: June through August

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=11884

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Monkey pod

One of the most popular canopy trees in Hawai‘i’s gardens and parks is the monkey pod (Samanea saman), a member of the legume family (Fabaceae). Because monkey pod trees grow quickly and can reach up to 80 feet with broad umbrella-like canopies, they are favored for their generous shade.

Monkey pod trees have a rough gray-brown bark, but attractive golden brown wood which is fashioned into sturdy bowls, platters, furniture, and countertops. The tree’s rapid growth, size, and abundance make it a relatively inexpensive tropical hardwood.

This native of the neotropics , like other Fabaceae trees, produces large seed pods which litter the ground in late winter and are fed to cattle. The sticky brown pods are often curved and resemble a monkey’s ear, an image reflected in one of the tree’s alternate names (Pithecellobium) which means “ape lobe.”

After defoliating in late winter, monkey pod trees are bare for several weeks in spring before producing new leaves and hundreds of clustered pink powder puff-like flowers. To find monkey pods in the Allerton Garden, just look up from almost anywhere!

Best seen: late spring/early summer

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=10174

Allerton Garden Featured Plant: Angel’s trumpet

Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia x candida) is an attractive medium-size tree (up to 20 feet tall) which bears fantastic trumpet-shaped flowers that range from orange to yellow, pink, and white. The prominent eye-catching blossoms can measure over 12 inches long and hang like colored floral pendulums. These may be pollinated by hummingbirds, but the flower’s light color also makes them easy for bats to find at night.

Like other members of the Solanaceae family, angel’s trumpet contains toxic alkaloids which can cause blurred vision, dizziness, hallucinations and, in larger doses, death. Angel’s trumpet has been used medicinally by indigenous tribal shaman in the Andes regions where the plant is native.

Called nānāhonua (literally “earth-gazing”) in Hawaiian, angel’s trumpet blooms year-round in Hawai‘i with flowers lasting for several days before fading; within a few weeks they bloom again. Blossoms are most fragrant toward dusk and during the evening when their sweet scent belies their deadly poison. Enjoy these flowers (carefully!) in the Allerton Garden near the cutting garden and other areas.

Best seen: throughout the year

Want to see more information on this plant? Visit our Meet the Plants page at www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=11850