LIHUE — Amanda Skelton of Plant Pono wants people to know there are two events celebrating Arbor Day on Kauai. “My concern is that there has often been confusion between the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry
LIHUE — Amanda Skelton of Plant Pono wants people to know there are two events celebrating Arbor Day on Kauai.
“My concern is that there has often been confusion between the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife plant sale, and the giveaway hosted by the Kauai Landscape Industry Council,” Skelton said in an email. “Our KLIC event is free and completely based on community support.”
Traditionally, Arbor Day is celebrated in Hawaii on the first Friday in November, and this year, that coincides with the annual DOFAW plant sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., said Lynlie Waiamau of DOFAW. The sale takes place at the DOFAW nursery facility behind the Department of Water.
Native plants, including the Hibiscus kokio, are available.
The flowers of Hibiscus kokio, kokio ssp., and clayii are red.
It is difficult to tell the Hibiscus clayii, a native to eastern Kauai, from Hibiscus kokio, and according to the Hawaii Horticulture, all Hibiscus clayii sold should be accompanied by an orange tag issued by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
“This is one of the featured plants for this year’s Arbor Day sale,” said Lynlie Waiamau, a horticulturist with DOFAW. “It’s just one of several native plants which will be available to the public during the sale.”
Skelton said Saturday, the KLIC will host a plant giveaway for the community in the parking lot behind the Big Kmart store at Kukui Grove from 9 a.m. to noon.
During this family event, anyone can take home up to three free trees.
“We will have 1,200 plants to give out,” Skelton said. “We will feature natives, non-invasive ornamentals, and edibles.”
This year’s keiki area has been expanded to include Malama Kauai in addition to the KLIC planting area where people are able to pot up herbs and vegetables to take home. Malama Kauai, an organization which is a leader in environmental education and works with several school gardens on Kauai, will be aiding this area.
There will be educational tables staffed by local conservation organizations ready to share information about their work and areas of specialty, including efforts to protect Kauai’s unique native plants and bird species.
