All native plants

A LITTLE MORE LIFE

Kāwelu

Eragrostis variabilis

This Hawaiian grass adds native texture and helps cover exposed soil.

Kāwelu (Eragrostis variabilis)
Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 us

MAKE IT FEEL AT HOME

A spot to thrive.

Water while it establishes, then let the soil dry between waterings; give it full sun.

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry soil
Mature size
1–2½ ft tall · 2–3 ft wide
Season of interest
Year-round grass texture
Local climate
Choose by island, elevation, and rainfall.
Garden role
An airy ornamental grass

ONE GOOD SWAP

Instead of maiden grass.

Miscanthus sinensis

Try kāwelu for an airy ornamental grass.

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NATIVE TO YOUR PLACE

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Photo credits & licenses

Kāwelu: Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 us
Maiden grass: Jim Janke · CC BY 4.0

Resized, converted to WebP, and cropped in the layout. Each photo retains its listed license. All photo credits