Category: garden

`Ohi`a `ai (mountain apple) pickles

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`Ohi`a `ai (mountain apple) and a fun pickle recipe

By Heidi Bornhorst

After the flooding rains and wild winds of 2026, I was curious to see how plants and trees, flowers and fruit would respond.

We have a neighbor who has a fabulous Tahitian mountain apple tree in her garden.  Over the years I have helped prune, oversee a big crown reduction pruning and helped her (and former owner Cindie) rake up many many fallen fruits (makes great compost) or an overloaded dripping green trash bin!

This year I watched buds and flower form, and fruit ripen.  Now I have been going up to pick and help her again in her garden (drainage issues from the flood)

I Love picking these jewel like fruit.  It’s a good upper arm workout, with the picker.  You see a gorgeous red plump one, wiggle the picker up to it, carefully, so as not to dislodge the unripe neighbors.  The best ones have a bird peck in them; I just rinse well and cut out the bird bites. 

With an abundance of Tahitian mountain apples, this short season ephemeral fresh fruit that you can’t freeze like mangoes, what to do?

Hawaii people are funny about `Ohi`a `ai or mountain apples.  Some Love them, especially this giant pretty variety, and some politely say no thank you.

These days we are joyous to accept mango and lychee, avocado and `ulu even to the point of buying them! (And as soon as you do spend money on them, guarans, somebody is going to gift you with a whole bag of same fruit or produce from their garden or farm!)

But mountain apples, not so much.  

Some do not like them; some must have raked up too many fallen ones as a kid or something!

I tell them they are rich in vitamin C, and supply dietary fiber, as well as vitamin A and C and Calcium… freshly picked, rinsed and chilled, so crisp and refreshing, etc., but only a few takers among my neighbors and friends.

Mountain apples are a natural source of hydration – perfect for hot summer days!  Or enjoyed down at the beach. 

My niece Jalene was visiting and found an article about them, which included 2 recipes, one for pickles and one for apple sauce with ginger.

Both sound ono and not too complex.  My friend and Farmer on Hawaii island, Deborah Ward makes `ohi`a `ai PIE.

Jalene and I harvested several bags, came home, cleaned, and ate some.  

Then we decided to make pickles:

1. Wash well in cool water.

2. Slice thinly

3. Marinated in clean jars:

Ingredients

• White vinegar

• Braggs apple cider vinegar

• Finely chopped garlic

• 2 chili peppers, Ni`oi, chopped.

• Pa`akai Hawaiian salt

• Brown sugar

Mix well, cap jars and refrigerate.

The chili peppers have been in a bag in my freezer, a gift from Surfing Budley, Colleen Kudo.  The salt from Kalaupapa where my friends Mari Zane; and Ben and Ellie Lum volunteer.

The brown sugar I bought at Longs a while ago, when the last sugar plantation closed on Maui, thought I had better stock up on real Hawaiian sugar while it lasted.  I don’t cook with sugar much, usually.

This came out pretty ono and very lovely to look at in the jar. They will be gifts and side dishes for our Fourth of July pa`ina with our Gourmet hiking buddies.

Mountain apples or `ohi`a `ai (the `ohi`a that you `ai or eat) are related to `ohi`a lehua, both are in the Myrtaceae plant family. They are a Polynesian introduction or canoe plant. Some call it ‘Malay apple’ as it is native to the Malay peninsula, and nearby areas, but long spread around by fruit eating and planting people. 

Brought not only for the fruit but also for medicine and for beauty. As my mom says the prettiest stage to her, is in flower and the magenta blossoms on the tree and reflected up from the ground below, from masses of fallen stamens.

Syzygium malaccense is the Latin name that scientists use.  The typical Hawaiian variety is kind of fat and round. There are also white fruited varieties.  The ‘Tahitian’ is long and becomes deep red when ripe.  

This is not a common variety these days, so I’ve been carefully saving seeds from the biggest, nicest ones to share and plant.

We all need to plant more trees and cool our islands and ourselves.  Why not plant a nice Tahitian Mountain apple tree?!

Zephranthes a gift of rain and May Moir

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By Heidi Bornhorst

Question: Heidi, what can we grow in rocky Nanakuli as a replacement for lawn grass?  We don’t have the time or money to fertilize, mow, and water and we don’t like the thought of polluting our aquifer or ocean with chemical fertilizers.

Kupuna M.A., Nanakuli

Answer: Zephranthes lilies might be just the thing.  They look like grass and also have gorgeous flowers, an added benefit.  The pretty lily flowers tell us and the taxonomists that they are a lily, just like mondo “grass”, and Liriope.

After a good rain you sometimes see yellow lilies popping up.  I feel like this is a floral visit from May Moir.  One good place to see them is along Palolo Avenue.  They may have been the original akamai wai groundcover, planted along with gorgeous and low fuss no muss Magnolia trees, which are our City street trees.

May Moir, the late great Art Academy volunteer flower arranger, and natural Hawaiian gardener, was a big proponent of this simple plant.  They are lilies and they come in yellow, pink and white.  Check out the book “Floral traditions” if you want to learn more about May Moir and other volunteers who made floral designs of epic proportions for our local art center.  This book makes a great Holiday gift for the gardeners, flower and art lovers on your list.

They are perfect in a Japanese or Chinese rock garden.  Most of the time they look like a nice healthy mondo (also a lily) but sometimes they flower and then they are so pretty and striking.

After flowering is pau, don’t cut off the flower heads.  They will form seed pods with lots of flat black seeds stacked inside   They are easy to plant and grow.  They also don’t need much water so we like them in our less thirsty or xeriscape gardens.

Perfect in a rock garden, edge of driveway, in a pot.

The yellow Zephyr lilies are really choice and it’s such a cheerful color.   They respond to rain and a carpet of gold sprouts up.  This is one of those old-fashioned plants that lend itself well to low input gardening.

Naupaka

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By Heidi Leianuenue Bornhorst

Naupaka is such a simple and elegant native Hawaiian plant to grow in beach gardens, xeriscapes, and to nurture in the wild.

It makes a great hedge, or specimen plant.  It protects our coast and holds onto the sand.  You can also grow it in large pots.  

Naupaka is a less thirsty plant, perfect for your xeriscape garden. It is also salt and wind tolerant.

Grow it from seeds or cuttings or buy some potted ones and support your favorite local nursery.

Strategic landscape designed naupaka hedges can protect beach homes from the strong ehukai, salty winds. 

It is beautiful with its soft green leaves and half flowers which are white with a hint of purple. White fruit follow the flowers.

Beach Naupaka, Naupaka kahakai is known as Scaevola taccada to scientists.

It is an indigenous Hawaiian plant, which means it got here on its own, but it grows in other tropical areas too.

We also have native endemic species of Scaevola, Naupaka kuahiwi that inhabit our uplands. They too have a half flower, which features in Hawaiian love legends. 

It is the easiest plant to care for if we keep it simple:

• Minimal water once established.

• No fertilizer.

• Keep turf grass away from the root zone.

• Minimal trimming, and only by hand.

As with many of our native Hawaiian plants, modern ‘mow blow and go’ landscape techniques do not agree with naupaka.

The worst is gas powered hedge trimmers, this will mutilate naupaka. Do minimal trimming and shaping with hand clippers or loppers.

Do not TOP naupaka.  Prune carefully, and minimally and only when you are in a good mood. 

​Topping is where you mindlessly cut trees or plants.

The new growth is soft, and the older branches are very woody and tough.  

Power equipment trimming shakes up the roots and then makes the branches grow too dense, making habitat for insect and disease pests.

Turf grass should be physically separated from the Naupaka planting area.  Use a nice stone, coral, or brick edging to keep grass and naupaka separated.

Hand weed out any invading grass. Grass will compete and rob water, nutrients, light and space from the naupaka.

An edge also makes it easier to mow the lawn.

Thoughtful Landscape design and old fashioned garden maintenance will help you keep your naupaka thriving and Beautiful, as nature designed.

CRB, what we can all do to save Niu and other trees.

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By Heidi Bornhorst

Alien Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles are currently Endangering our Niu (coconut palms), native Hawaiian Loulu palms, hala, banana and more.

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

This is an existential threat, not only for beauty, but for life.

Without Niu we may starve.

​Imagine Hawaii with no Niu. 

Coconut Rhinoceros beetles (CRB) are a serious alien pest. We really need to take this problem seriously and attack / control them on all fronts.

For years, At Every Arborist and landscape conference, we were warned about these chunky hungry beetles and warned to KAPU !! keep them out of Hawaii.

CRB are Major and serious pests in other places such as Polynesia and overall world tropics.

Now they have spread from a Navy site in 2013, to the west side, devastating the north shore and Waialua. They are bad in Waimanalo.

I was at Wahiawa Botanic Garden recently and so devastated to see all of our native Loulu palms being munched and destroyed. This upland Botanic Garden has a collection of rare Loulu palms (CRB love our native Loulu palms even more than Niu or coconuts). They also attack Royal palms. 

(We have the famous ET grove of Royals, on Royal palm drive in Wahiawa.)

Auwe! we stopped at Kahana state park, where the precious Niu of Mary Mikahala Robinson Foster grow tall and graceful, said to be some of the best nuts for eating and drinking. 


 Coconuts at Kahana state park,
attacked by CRB

I sadly observed the classic cut out fronds, characteristic of CRB feeding on new vulnerable growth. These Niu are iconic and getting munched to death, as I write this. 


 Coconuts at Kahana state park,
attacked by CRB

We need to get everyone to pay attention and help with control. Our Governor Green and Mayor need to get behind these efforts: Education and control.

Neighbor islands are getting hit with CRB too.

Know the life cycle, they spend the bulk of their life feeding on and in, rotting vegetation, compost piles and the like.

It should be on the News every night, along with other crimes affecting Hawaii. 

Here are some of the immediate steps we can all take:

No mulch piles

No dead stumps

Netting 

Traps with lights and netting

Public awareness and education

Government support and action 

Search for Biocontrol 

Education

Chemical treatment to save Coconut palms (Must label as treated, and cut off any flower and fruit on treated palms!) A high lift or skilled coconut climber is key for this.

Everybody’s dog, chickens and pigs can find and eat the grubs.  

A Gourmet opportunity for an innovative local chef?

Nui/Coconut, Cocos nucifera is the Tree of life for Hawaiians, do we really appreciate and treasure Niu in Hawaii as well as we could? 

Can you imagine Hawaii with no Coconuts? CRB also attack Hala, Loulu palms, banana and more.  

Let’s get together and scientifically, attack this pest.

Netting all around the vulnerable crown of the palm. Netting of mulch piles. Nets with Lights 

As my friend Mari Zane says Ho! Beneficial use for those illegal gill nets!  (Her Loulu and Niu on the north shore were early casualties, but there is hope for the shorter ones.)

Wrap the nets around the crown.  The nets will get the ones inside coming out of the bore holes, and get any on their way in.

Contemporary Landscaping, a nursery in Waimanalo, uses a low net about four feet tall, lit at night. This attracts and captures beetles. 

Trapped beetles attract more beetles to the light, and a chance for more control.

Brown Cannon made a trap using a netted Hula hoop and is capturing them out in Waialua. He sets this hula hoop net  (great recycling!) over a barrel of woody mulch.

We can all get smart and do our part!

Just when Hawaiian gardeners, City parks folks and landscapers were convinced to wisely use mulch, we find that mulch piles are endangering NIU.

CRB grubs love rotting vegetation and spend most of their life there.

​We can have mulch piles and mulch dishes if we are akamai.

Turn the mulch frequently disrupting the grubs. 

HOT mulch will help to kill them.

Turn your mulch and have animal helpers, keiki or your arborist ready to spot and capture the grubs. 

(Dogs, pigs and chickens can be trained to eat the grubs of CRB)

Mulch and green waste piles are perfect habitat for these alien pests and their voracious grubs.

Hot mulch is OK:  turn it and burn it!

Or spread mulch and compost thinly. Water it and look for CRB grubs.

As always water and nurture your palms, keep them as healthy as possible.

Let’s work together to protect and save this vital part of Hawaii. !!!

Try ASK if you like pick!

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By Heidi Bornhorst

My tita, Mimi, was incensed when two women drove up and just helped themselves to her Plumeria flowers.  This was not casual ‘one for my hair, one for my sister’s hair,’ but full on taking of a lot of blossoms, she said they even had fancy flower picking baskets!

When she confronted them, they said they thought it was ok because the tree was adjacent to the street.  After a bit of discussion, they told her that if she didn’t want anyone to pick the flowers, she should put up a sign.  

A few days later a neighbor she casually knew came up the street, reminded her that our mother and her grandmother had been friends and nicely asked if she could pick some flowers so she could make a lei.  Mimi invited her into the yard and happily shared the pua.

She explained the ones on the inside are nicer and less sun and wind burnt. As they chatted Mimi went and picked a bag of her famous Tahitian limes to give to the neighbor.

What a difference!  We love to share if asked nicely.

I remember back when we lived up Wahiawa, I heard some noises and came outside.  There was a man, instructing his kid to not only pick my front flowers, but also to CUT some pink gingers.

Without thinking too much (gotta be careful these flower thieves know where you live!) Tita mode came out and I chastised the man, saying my flowers were not just randomly growing and teaching his kid to steal flowers is not pono!

On another occasion I heard some women admiring my Madeira, Portuguese roses, they were so nice that I carefully clipped them a bouquet, and shared propagation advice.  We all became friends because they asked nicely when admiring my flowers.

Gardeners and Horticulturists love to share and talk story with fellow plant lovers. 

 

One thing I always knew, which was reinforced when I worked at Foster Botanic Gardens and Honolulu Botanical gardens, is to share plants and to keep records of garden specimens. 

With good records if you lose a plant, your plant friends or cooperating botanic garden will have backup. It can be as simple as a note on a calendar, or full on in your garden diary.

ASHS coming to Honolulu!

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By Heidi Bornhorst 

Heidi Bornhorst Keynote Speaker

A prestigious Horticulture group is coming to Hawaii for a weeklong conference.

The American Society for Horticulture Science will be here on Oahu for a week long conference beginning Monday September 23, 2024, closing on Friday September 27.

Over one thousand attendees are signed up and registration is still open. (1067) at last count.

This is great for Hawaii gardeners, Horticulturists, Botanists, and plant scientists.

The conference will be held at the Hilton HawaiianVillage hotel, right on the beach in beautiful Waikiki.

Renowned for its extensive gardens, featuring many native Hawaiian plants, along with canoe plants and tropical exotics, it is a great venue for these plant loving scientists to enjoy.

The Hilton is also right next to the Hale Koa Hotel (where I served for over 10 years as Landscape Director).

The extensive landscaped grounds of the Hale Koa were designed as a botanical garden and the plantings there are very impressive and worth a stroll.

There are many wonderful gardens in Waikiki, amidst all of the hotels and high-rises.

I was very honored to be invited to be the keynote speaker for this conference and I plan to be talking about my favorite: Growing native Hawaiian plants.

There are over one thousand native Hawaiian plant species, and we now are growing about 100 of these Hawaiian plant species. We can grow more!

We have 1367 native Hawaiian plant species. Over 90% of them are endemic, meaning they only grow naturally here in Hawaii. About 9% of them are extinct, and many are rare and endangered.

Some are common and easy to grow, and we see them all around. Examples are: Hala, beach naupaka, `ilima, Hapu`u or Hawaiian tree ferns, and Kou and Milo trees.

Other native plants are less common in our gardens and landscape, but horticulturists are working to change that.

​My friend, Dr. Mike Opgenorth, who is the Director of Kahanu Botanic Garden in Hana, Maui will be speaking on Thursday about his PhD work on our endangered native Hawaiian Gardenias 

Many more students and graduate student at the U.H. are studying how to grow and perpetuate native Hawaiian plants.

The landscape or “Green industry” here in Hawaii is doing the groundwork with native plants.

Home gardens now feature native Hawaiian plants especially those loved by lei makers such as `Ohi`a lehua, `ilima, Palapalai and Pala`a ferns, and our native fragrant Hawaiian white Hibiscus, Koki`o ke`o ke`o.

Our public parks and urban forests are growing more native plants too.

Let’s learn and grow more, let’s perpetuate our native Hawaiian plants together.

https://ashs.org/page/ASHSAnnualConference

Variegated Hala tree. Pandanus. Growing happily at the Hale Koa hotel.

What will Wild West winds bring? More flowers and fruit?

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By Heidi Leianuenue Bornhorst

We had such a weird windstorm with those super strong and gusty west winds! So different then normal.

Up in our valley we lost power twice to the wind and HECO did not restore power until 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday 3/8/2023.

Mangoes and avocados were full of blossoms, Honohono orchids were in bud and some in bloom.

My Portuguese Madeira roses, and native Hawaiian gardenia Na`u have been blooming well, loving the cool and rainy winter were are finally having.

As I clean up the storm debris, (Mahalo for nature’s Arboriculture) including blown down dead twigs and branches, and lots of leaves, some I notice are from my mauka neighbors.

One of the tenets of true Horticulture is to OBSERVE nature and plants, to track the moon, winds, rain and other weather phenomena as see how the plants respond.

I am still reflecting on how the plants would respond.

What do you see? How are your plants after the winds?

Did you have any big tree failures? Or just small or dead branches?

The leaves are whipped on my gingers, Surinam cherries, mulberries, and ohia shed a few flowering branches. A young popolo plant got totally blasted on one side, it was just coming into fruit.

So, we shall see!

Honohono orchids had been in full glorious fragrant bloom as they budded and bloomed early this year. Originally I thought the orchids stood the wind storm but after a few days those in the main wind tunnel area of my garden wilted and withered prematurely.

Went to a neighborhood watch potluck pa`ina and a nice lady, Lokelani, that I always say hi to on my walks was there, with a gorgeous papale lauhala. She admired my honohono and said she caught a whiff of fragrance, from way across the yard, and she looked for the source of this favorite old time Hawaii fragrance, and from where? My hair!

Since she admired the orchids, I had to give them to her, along with maire ferns!

Now a couple weeks after the winds, I’m observing some of my favorite flowers and fruit trees in my garden and neighborhood:

• ‘Ohi’a lehua  Blooming profusely, some dead wood branches and twigs broke in the winds

• Native White Hibiscus wind whipped leaves, a few blooms at the very top of the tree

• Tahitian mountain apples were blooming before, still many flowers and now small fruit.

• Gardenias surprise early blooms two on one stem, but no other apparent buds yet. (they usually bloom for me in May).

• Na`u, native Hawaiian Gardenia lots of flowers and buds (also triggered by abundant soft rains before the winds)

• Madeira roses Blooming profusely.

• Mangoes my Friend Dawn Shim from Makakilo brought me a gift of Haden mangoes, super early for this to fruit.

• Mulberries wind whipped leaves, lots of young fruit

• Pua Keni keni usually Bloom less in winter, BUT after the storm mine are full of Buds, flowers and lots of developing green “ball” fruit.  I made some lei for a fundraiser, and plucked and cut off all the young fruit, to encourage more blooms from the tree 

What are YOU observing, in your garden in your unique microclimate? I would love to hear back from my Gardening Readers …..

Arbor Day 2022, Brachychiton acerifolium, Illawarra Flame Trees

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By Heid Bornhorst

Heidibornhorst.blog

After three years of lockdown, we are finally, Happily, able to celebrate Arbor Day in Kapi`olani Park once again.

On Saturday November 19, 2022, we will gather with ScenicHawaii, Inc., Kapi`olani Park Preservation society, some Dedicated City tree workers and Arborists, Volunteers, and all of us who love and cherish trees and our Park.

We will be planting and ceremonially mulching four new trees courtesy of the Division of UrbanForestry led by Certified Arborist Brandon Au and DUF/ City and County of Honolulu Parks Department.

Citizen Forester Emily Perry will be representing our busy parks director Laura Thielen.

The trees are drought tolerant and are native to coastal subtropical forests of Australia.

The common name is FLAME Tree, or Illawarra Flame tree. Also called the lacebark tree.

One thing our mentor Paul Weissich, Director Emeritus of the Honolulu BotanicalGardens taught us, is to look beyond flowers when you view trees.

What does the bark look like? How is the truck shaped? What is the growth pattern? What kind of shade pattern does it adorn the ground with? What are the leaves like? Are they good for mulch and soil nurturing? For Keiki art projects?

As we Arborists say, “Touch trees”. Place your hand on the trunk and look UP! What do you see, in the Tree Canopy? I love doing this with keiki of all ages!

When we plant a tree, we are investing in, and finding out about the future. This small tree, grown from a tiny seed and planted today. What will it grow into in the Future?

We can read about the size and growth habits in a book, but how big will it really get here in Hawaii? Will it grow big and strong with proper nurturing and akami tree maintenance?

Will it withstand the abuse that trees sometimes take in public park spaces? Will most people be happy and respect the growing young trees? We sure hope so! Trees ensure a healthy, happy future for all of us.

Known in Scientific Latin as Brachychitonacerifolium, the Illawarra Flame trees are in the Sterculiaceae plant family.

We don’t have many of these trees in Hawaii.  A few grow at Foster and Ho’omaluhia Botanical gardens. These were grown from seed by the Horticulturist and Plant propagators at Foster Botanical Garden.

They are particularly striking when in bloom,with bright red orange or scarlet flowers. The flowers look like a hanging red bell when viewed from the side. If you look directly at them, they look like stars.

The leaves are shaped like a kukui leaf, or a mainland maple tree leaf.  This is what the species name acerifolium means.  Acer is the Latin name for Maple, and folium as you might guess is referring to the foliage or leaves, maple shaped leaves.

The trees will grow up and into a pyramid shapewith a tall, greenish grey, smooth round shapedtrunk. In time they can grow up to about 100feet tall (30 – 35 meters). They are a popular street tree in Australia and around the subtropical world.

The seeds of Brachychiton species are edible. But like many plants in the sterculia family they have irritating hairs, which must be removed or carefully removed to get to the edible seeds. Native Australians ate them raw or roasted. They are nutritious, containing 18% protein and 25% fat with high levels of zinc and magnesium.

There are uses for this tree in its native Australia. Fiber is made from the bark and a kind of gum can be extracted. The wood is soft but dries hard. Shingles, among other things, are made from the wood. The roots of young trees are edible, but let’s not do this in our park!

A related tree, Brachychiton rupestris is called the bottle tree.  It grows a big fat water retaining trunk over time, somewhat like the Baobab tree from Africa.

Mahalo to Wikipedia for some of this info, I also referred to our old standard book: In Gardens of Hawaii, by Marie C. Neal.