Blooming On Kauai

Kauai lives up to its Garden Isle reputation thanks to the bounty of exotic flowers, trees, groundcover and shrubs that grow all over the island. Visitors especially love experiencing exotic flowers on Kauai — the blooming eye candy is unlike anything they would see in landscapes at home.

In fact, Kauai has more exotic flora than any other Hawaiian island, but most of our exotic plants are not native. Over generations, wind, birds and people have brought seeds to the island, and they thrive here because of our various climates, including rainforest settings. Today’s hardy exotics live strong on Kauai and give tourists something to look forward to when they visit.

Here are some exotic flowers you’ll find growing on Kauai’s resort and commercial properties.

“Mmmmmm! Those flowers smell so good!” When people stop to take notice of the sweet perfume of blooming flowers in your Kauai landscape, they pause for a moment and take in the scent. They breathe in, and out, and maybe even relax a bit. They remember the positive experience, and it happened on your property.

Flowers are so much more than eye candy on a commercial property. They can provide a beautiful, beneficial sensory experience—not to mention that fragrant flowers also attract birds and butterflies that are interesting to watch.

There are plenty of flowers that are attractive but not fragrant. If you want a landscape that makes “scents,” you’ll need to seek out specific varieties.

Tourists and commercial property owners often ask us, “What are the best botanic gardens in Kauai?”

Visitors to our garden isle want to soak in the lush and breathtaking views that Kauai offers; they want to tour tropical gardens with exotic plants that tell a story of our past.

Native does not mean no-maintenance. When selecting plants for a Kauai landscape, there’s a tendency for property owners to request native plants, assuming that because these varieties grow lush and strong along beaches and throughout our Garden Isle’s varying microclimates, they’ll thrive on a commercial landscape.

But here’s the catch: There’s really nothing native about a resort or retail property. In developing the land, we interrupt the natural environment and disrupt the original “landscape.” That’s the nature of building. So to force native plants into a man-made, “non-native” environment — well, it just doesn’t always work as you’d expect.

Location is everything when selecting plants that will thrive on Kauai, and the island’s microclimates truly dictate what is the right plant for the right place. Each commercial property must be treated individually: A landscape on the west side of Kauai, which tends to be hot and dry, will require different plants and maintenance than a site on the east side of the island, where salty ocean winds spray gardens.

The “right plant, right place” rule gets tricky when landscaping on Kauai because there are so many different climates and varied weather patterns compacted into a contained geography. It’s practically like condensing the continental United States into a small island.

For a healthy landscape, you’ll want to select plants that can withstand salty ocean spray and high-salinity soil. We know that excessive salt levels can cause dehydration that damages plants. The salt causes water to move out of plants’ roots or leaves, and plants may accumulate sodium or chloride ions that can reach toxic levels. That said, there are plants that tolerate soils with high salinity, salty winds and brackish irrigation.

Impatiens are known for their hardiness in high heat, and because these shade-loving annuals are available in a range of vibrant colors, they’re a go-to for commercial landscapes looking to turn up the volume in plant beds.

But impatiens are not foolproof, as we’re finding out yet again, as we’re spotting more cases of downy mildew cropping up throughout Hawaii.

The key to staying ahead of this disease:

• Know the symptoms so you can identify and treat it quickly

• Create an environment in the landscape that discourages downy mildew

• Consider alternatives to impatiens that deliver their color and vigor — without downy mildew risk

Here’s a closer look at downy mildew treatment for impatiens on Kauai. Arm yourself with knowledge to protect your Kauai commercial landscape!