Ornamentals and Flowers Jan. 2010 OF-48

Variegated Plants for Hawai‘i Landscapes

Melvin Wong Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences

hite is a contrasting color to Tall, attractive variegated any dark, cool color such as tropical plants are not common. green.W Green is the dominant color The banana Musa paradisiaca in landscapes because it is the ‘Koa‘e’, which is somewhat com- color of most foliage. Variegated mon in Kona on Hawai‘i, is an color can be green and white or exception. It is distinguished by green and yellow. Not many large striking white and green variega- tropical plants are variegated, but tion on the foliage and the fruit. many tropical shrubs and ground- The green and white variegated covers are. Chinese ficus tree with aerial Many plants that can exist in a roots is another example, but it tropical or subtropical environment probably should not be used in do not necessarily give a “tropical” the same landscape with ‘Koa‘e’ feeling. Examples, in my opin- because the two have completely ion, are plumerias, bougainvilleas, different looks. rainbow shower trees, ixoras, and The variegated bamboo Bam- hibiscuses. busa vulgaris ‘Aureo-variegata’ Groups of plants that I believe (variegated giant golden bamboo) provide more of a tropical look is another exception, this one yel- are palms, heliconias, gingers, low and green. Tall green plants bamboos, ferns, bromeliads, birds of paradise, tī, or- can also be used in landscapes in the background to set chids, members of the Araceae and Marantacea families, off green and yellow variegated shrubs and groundcovers certain aquatic plants, some tropical vines such as the in the foreground. passion flowers, and large ficus trees with aerial roots. Plants with green and white variegation are shown Specific plants for this purpose include Ficus pseudo- beginning on p. 3; those with green and yellow variega- palma, Ludovia lancifolia, Osmuxylon lineare, Piper tion begin on p. 13. These plants are just a few of the magnificum (also known as Piper pseudolindenii C. DC.; possibilities, however; their selection is based on my this plant has not been assessed for its invasive potential), personal aesthetic preference and is intended to give you and Begonia nelumbifolia (New Guinea impatiens). a start in developing your own list of plants to provide Monocotyledons in particular lend a primordial flavor. highlights to a landscape. Other green and white plants

Published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in coopera- tion with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Andrew G. Hashimoto, Director/Dean, Cooperative Extension Service/CTAHR, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822. An equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing programs and services to the people of Hawai‘i without regard to race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, dis- ability, marital status, arrest and court record, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran. CTAHR publications can be found on the Web site . UH–CTAHR Variegated Plants for Hawai‘i Landscapes OF-48 — Jan. 2010 not illustrated here include Calathea albertii ‘Emperor’ plantpono.org. If a species you are interested in has not (this species has been assessed as a low risk for invasive- yet been screened, you can request that the HRWRA ness), C. libbyana, Dieffenbachia ‘Exotica Alba’, and specialists do so. While the HPWRA system is not legally Musa paradisiaca ‘Koa‘e’. For other possibilities, look binding, it allows us to make informed planting decisions at the references and sources for further reading. that promote a sustainable Hawai‘i. More information about the HPWRA system is available at www.botany. Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment hawaii.edu/faculty/daehler/wra/. (HPWRA) When considering a plant species to use in a landscape References and Further Reading or garden, it is important to understand the species’ abil- Baensch, Ulrich and Ursula Baensch. 1994. Blooming ity to adapt to its new environment and perhaps cause bromeliads. Tropic Beauty Publishers, P.O. Box N unintentional harm. In Hawai‘i it is possible to create a 1105, Nassau/Bahamas. tropical theme in the landscape while at the same time Chapman, T.S. 1995. Ornamental gingers. Published by reducing possible negative economic and environmental Timothy Sean Chapman, 6920 Bayou Paul Road, St. impacts, with the use of a predictive tool that can assist Gabriel, Louisiana. in making informed decisions. Clay, H., and J. Hubbard. 1977. Tropical shrubs. Univer- The HPWRA is a proactive screening method devel- sity of Hawai‘i Press, Honolulu. oped by scientists who were concerned about the number Clay, H., and J. Hubbard. 1977. Tropical exotics. Univer- of introduced plant species that were becoming invasive sity of Hawai‘i Press, Honolulu. in natural and agricultural environments. Invasive spe- Graf, A.B. 1981. Tropica, second edition. Roehrs Com- cies are plants (or animals) introduced into a region they pany, East Rutherford, New Jersey. are not indigenous to that can harm the environment, Itten, J. 1970. The elements of color. Translated by Ernst the economy, or human health in this new area. The Van Hagen and edited by Faber Birren. Van Norstrand HPWRA system uses a series of 49 questions based on Reinhold, New York. traits that contribute to a species’ ability to invade. The Rauch, F., and P. Weissich. 1977. Plants for tropical questions, which look at biogeographical origin, biology, landscapes. University of Hawai‘i Press, Honolulu. ecology, weed status elsewhere, undesirable traits, and Wilson, Louis. 1977. Bromeliads for modern living. Mer- history of use, are used to predict whether the species chants Publishing Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan. has the potential to be invasive in Hawai‘i or other Pacific Wong, M. 2007. Tī plants for Hawai‘i landscapes. Col- Islands. Scores for each question are added together, lege of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and based on the total score a species is rated low risk, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. www.ctahr.hawaii. “evaluate” (needs more information), or high risk for edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/OF-36.pdf. invasion potential. High-risk species may cause negative Zelanski, P., and M.P. Fisher. 1989. Color. Prentice-Hall, impacts to Hawai‘i. Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. While the HPWRA system was originally developed to screen a species before importation, it can also be used to choose low-risk species for sustainable agriculture, landscapes, and gardens, species that will not escape cultivation and negatively impact Hawai‘i’s biological uniqueness. Some of the species in this publication have been screened using the HPWRA system, and the ratings are included next to the species name. Over 1,000 species have been assessed to date. To find out whether a species has been screened, you can request the list of assessed species from the Weed Risk Assessment Specialists at [email protected] or access plants’ ratings at www.

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Green and White Plants

Agave angustifolia

Alocasia macrorrhiza ‘Variegata’

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Alpinia vittata Ananas comosus ‘Tricolor’

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Caladium bicolor ‘Candidum’

Calathea pseudoveitchiana

Chlorophytum comosum (low risk)

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Cordyline fruticosa ‘Dwarf Mauna Kea’

Cordyline fruticosa ‘Poipu Hula’ Cordyline fruticosa ‘Tutu Elena’

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Cordyline fruticosa ‘Cascade’

Costus amazonicus

Costus speciosus ‘Variegata’

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Curcuma petiolata ‘Emperor’ Ctenanthe pilosa ‘Golden Mosaic’

Dieffenbachia ‘Tropic Marianne’ (a cultivar of Dieffenbachia ‘Wilson’s Delight’ Dieffenbachia seguine, which is high risk)

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Dieffenbachia amoena ‘Tropic Snow’ Ficus microcarpa ‘Variegata’ (though this cultivar has not been assessed, the species is high risk)

Ficus aspera (clown ficus) Ficus sagittata ‘Variegata’

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Globba species ‘Ballerina’ Guzmania ‘Pax’ (this cultivar has an unknown parent)

Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’ (though this cultivar has Neoregelia species not been assessed, the species is low risk)

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Neoregelia ‘Pinwheel’

Stenotaphrum secundatum ‘Variegata’

Neoregelia compacta ‘Bossa Nova’ Syngonium podophyllum ‘White Butterfly’ (though this cultivar has not been assesssed, the species is high risk)

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Xanthosoma species

Tillandsia tectorum

Xanthosoma lindenii ‘Magnificum’

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Green and Yellow Plants

Aechmea chantinii ‘Samurai’

Aechmea fasciata ‘Variegata’ (though this cultivar has not been assessed, the species is low risk)

Aechmea caudata ‘Variegata’

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Aechmea mexicana ‘Marginata’ Alpinia zerumbet ‘Waimailo’ or ‘Variegata’ (though this cultivar has not been assessed, the species is high risk)

Aechmea nudicaulis ‘Marginata’ Ananas bracteatus striatus

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Bambusa vulgaris ‘Aureo-variegata’ (though this Cordyline fruticosa ‘Bangkok Gold’ cultivar has not been assessed, the species is low risk)

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Cryptanthus bromelioides ‘Tricolor’

Cordyline fruticosa ‘Dillingham’

Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’

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Epipremnum aureum

Ficus elastica ‘Gold’ (though this cultivar has not been Ficus elastica ‘Schrejveriana’ (though this cultivar has assessed, the species is low risk) not been assessed, the species is low risk)

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Nerium oleander ‘Variegata’ (though this cultivar has Pandanus tectorius ‘Variegata’ not been assessed, the species is low risk)

Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’ Vriesea fenestralis

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