Native plants for Hawaii.

A hibiscus for wet ground

ʻAkiohala

Hibiscus furcellatus

Large pink native flowers bring color to moist ground and the edges of water features.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

A wind-tolerant native hedge

ʻAʻaliʻi

Dodonaea viscosa

A locally sourced Hawaiian shrub restores native evergreen structure to a sunny garden.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

A sunny flowering border

ʻIlima

Sida fallax

Yellow flowers offer food for native yellow-faced bees.

Instead of treasure flower

A silver-leaved flowering shrub

Maʻo

Gossypium tomentosum

Silver foliage and yellow flowers thrive with little water once this Hawaiian cotton is established.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

A red-flowered shrub or small tree

Kokiʻo ʻula

Hibiscus kokio

Native red hibiscus keeps the bold tropical flowers while restoring a Hawaiian species.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

A coastal hedge

Naupaka kahakai

Scaevola taccada

This native coastal shrub makes a salt-tolerant hedge with little watering after establishment.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

A dry-garden hedge

Naio

Myoporum sandwicense

Established naio provides native evergreen structure with little supplemental water.

Instead of oleander

A spreading coastal shrub

Pōhinahina

Vitex rotundifolia

Native coastal foliage covers exposed ground with little watering once established.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

A native evergreen screen

Kona hōʻawa

Pittosporum hosmeri

Fragrant flowers and textured foliage make this Hawaiʻi Island tree a native screening option.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

A spreading native shrub

ʻŪlei

Osteomeles anthyllidifolia

Once established, this native shrub flowers with little supplemental water.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

A sedge for a water garden

ʻAhuʻawa

Cyperus javanicus

Native waterfowl use this flood-tolerant sedge for food, shelter, and nesting material.

Instead of umbrella sedge

Small grasslike clumps

Mauʻu ʻakiʻaki

Fimbristylis cymosa

A native sedge supplies grasslike texture in sunny, dry places where a lawn edge needs little water.

Instead of mondo grass

An airy ornamental grass

Kāwelu

Eragrostis variabilis

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

Instead of maiden grass

A spreading coastal grass

ʻAkiʻaki

Sporobolus virginicus

Spreading native grass helps protect exposed coastal soil.

Instead of maiden grass

A grass for dry borders

Pili grass

Heteropogon contortus

Native bunches add texture and ground cover to dry, sunny Hawaiian gardens.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia · CC BY 2.0

A fragrant evergreen screen

Alaheʻe

Psydrax odorata

Fragrant white flowers and drought-tolerant native foliage make a durable screen.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

A flowering native focal point

ʻŌhiʻa lehua

Metrosideros polymorpha

Native ʻōhiʻa flowers supply nectar to Hawaiian birds where those birds occur.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

White flowers for dry ground

Pua kala

Argemone glauca

This Hawaiian poppy flowers in exposed, dry sites with little supplemental water.

Instead of treasure flower

Soft silver native foliage

Hinahina kuahiwi

Artemisia australis

Silver Hawaiian foliage adds contrast to a dry border with little irrigation.

Instead of dusty miller

A low-water native hedge

ʻĀweoweo

Chenopodium oahuense

Native foliage provides a hedge or groundcover adapted to dry coastal conditions.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

A compact native shrub

ʻĀkia

Wikstroemia uva-ursi

Colorful fruit and native foliage bring interest to a dry garden with little irrigation.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

A succulent for sunny pots

ʻIhi

Portulaca lutea

This native succulent tolerates dry, windy sites and needs little water once established.

Instead of treasure flower

A succulent coastal groundcover

ʻĀkulikuli

Sesuvium portulacastrum

Salt-tolerant native groundcover protects soil in coastal gardens.

Instead of treasure flower

Photo: by Eric Guinther ( Marshman at en.wikipedia ) · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering coastal vine

Pōhuehue

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis

Native trailing stems help stabilize sandy ground in salt spray and wind.

Instead of common periwinkle

A low flowering groundcover

Pāʻūohiʻiaka

Jacquemontia sandwicensis

This native vine covers hot, salty ground with little irrigation.

Instead of common periwinkle

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

2–6 hours of direct sun

Part sun & shade

A white-flowered hedge

Kokiʻo keʻokeʻo

Hibiscus arnottianus

Fragrant white flowers bring a distinctly Hawaiian hibiscus to a flowering hedge.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

A flowering upland shrub

Naupaka kuahiwi

Scaevola chamissoniana

A native upland shrub adds white flowers and purple fruit to a moist garden.

Instead of japanese spirea

A moist-garden evergreen screen

Koʻolau hōʻawa

Pittosporum glabrum

Clusters of pale flowers and native foliage add structure to a moist garden.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

A fragrant woodland climber

Maile

Alyxia stellata

Its fruit feeds native forest birds such as ʻōmaʻo where those birds occur.

Instead of english ivy

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

Small foliage for a sheltered pot

ʻAlaʻala wai nui

Peperomia sandwicensis

Compact Hawaiian foliage brings a native species into small, sheltered containers.

Instead of fragrant hosta

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

A native tree fern

Hāpuʻu pulu

Cibotium glaucum

A native tree fern adds an understory canopy and helps control erosion.

Instead of australian tree fern

Photo: Hermann Luyken · CC0

A textured evergreen screen

Hōʻawa

Pittosporum confertiflorum

Textured native foliage provides an evergreen focal point or screen.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

Strappy foliage for a border

ʻUkiʻuki

Dianella sandwicensis

Native strappy leaves and blue-purple fruit replace a conventional lilyturf border.

Instead of lilyturf

Fine-textured native groundcover

Meyen's sedge

Carex meyenii

Dense native sedge foliage creates a soft groundcover beneath taller plants.

Instead of lilyturf

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

A native shrub with colorful fruit

Oʻahu ʻākia

Wikstroemia oahuensis

Native flowers, foliage, and fruit give a low-water shrub seasonal interest.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

A sprawling flowering groundcover

ʻIlieʻe

Plumbago zeylanica

Spreading native stems help hold soil while white flowers brighten a sunny edge.

Instead of blue plumbago

Less than 2 hours of direct sun

Shade

A flowering woodland shrub

Mountain naupaka

Scaevola gaudichaudiana

Native foliage, flowers, and fruit fill the sheltered space beneath taller trees.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

A native tree fern for shade

Hāpuʻu ʻiʻi

Cibotium menziesii

Large native fronds add understory structure and help protect shaded soil.

Instead of australian tree fern

Bold native fern leaves

ʻĒkaha

Asplenium nidus

Broad native fronds provide bold foliage beneath trees or in a sheltered container.

Instead of japanese holly fern

Soft native fern texture

Kupukupu

Nephrolepis cordifolia

Native fern foliage adds groundcover and helps protect shaded soil.

Instead of japanese holly fern

An arching native sedge

Oʻahu sedge

Carex wahuensis subsp. wahuensis

This tough native sedge adds groundcover and erosion control without relying on introduced umbrella sedges.

Instead of umbrella sedge