Landscape May 2006 L-14 Edible Plants for Hawai‘i Landscapes Melvin Wong Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences ost people love to grow plants that have edible The kukui tree (Fig. 5a, b, c) is a hardy tree that will Mparts. The choice of which plants to grow depends add greenish-white to the landscape. upon an individual’s taste, so selecting plants for a land­ Other less common but attractive plants with edible scape is usually a personal decision. This publication parts include sapodilla, ‘Tahitian’ breadfruit, ‘Kau’ mac­ gives a broad overview of the subject to provide a basis adamia, mangosteen, orange, lemon, lime, kumquat, ja­ for selecting edible plants for Hawai‘i landscapes. boticaba, surinam cherry, tea, coffee, cacao, clove, bay The list of fruits, vegetables, and plants with edible rum, bay leaf, cinnamon, vanilla, noni, pikake, rose, parts is extensive, but many of these plants do not make variegated red Spanish pineapple, rosemary, lavender, good landscape plants. For example, mango, litchi, lon­ ornamental pepper, society garlic, nasturtium, calabash gan, and durian trees are popular because of their fruits, gourd, ung tsoi, sweetpotato, land cress, Tahitian taro, but they are too large to make good landscape trees for and edible hibiscus. most urban residential situations. However, they can be Sapodilla (Fig. 6a, b, c) is a compact tree with sweet, and often are planted on large houselots, particularly in edible fruits. ‘Tahitian’ breadfruit (Fig. 7) is a compact rural areas, and in circumstances where landscape de­ tree that is not as large and spreading as the common sign aesthetics are not of paramount importance. Hawaiian breadfruit. The ‘Kau’ macadamia is an attrac­ Some of the plants with edible parts that are used ex­ tive, conical, vertical tree with good quality nuts, al­ tensively in tropical landscapes are coconut, allspice, though homeowners should consider that macadamia strawberry guava, kukui, natal plum, honeysuckle, and nuts in the landscape can attract rats. Roses, pikake, daylily. honeysuckle, and orange and lemon trees produce fra­ The normal coconut palm (Fig. 1a) is expensive to grant, edible flowers. Society garlic (Fig. 7) has edible maintain, requiring pruning of the fruits for safety rea­ flowers and is attractive as an accent next to rocks. sons and the old leaves for aesthetic reasons. The ‘Dwarf Surinam cherry (Fig. 8) and jaboticaba (Fig. 9) produce Samoan’ variety (Fig. 1b) is preferable because it is easier desirable fruits, make good hedge plants, and can be to maintain, and some prefer its fruit quality to the com­ pruned in bonsai style. Cinnamon (Fig. 10), coffee (Fig. mon type. 11), tea, cacao (Fig. 12), bay leaf, bay rum, ornamental The female allspice (Fig. 2) and the strawberry guava pepper (Fig. 13), tamarind, pepper vine, lavender, clove, trees are considered invasive because birds eat the fruits lime, and vanilla are attractive plants that can be har­ and spread the seeds through their excretions. The all­ vested as, variously, culinary herbs and spices or to make spice tree is used as a street tree, and the strawberry beverages. guava is used in Japanese-style gardens. Tahitian taro, ung tsoi (Fig. 14), and land cress (Fig. The natal plum (Fig. 3a, b) is commonly grown as a 15) are groundcovers with edible foliage. Tahitian taro hedge, but the fruits have a milky sap that makes people (Xanthosoma brasiliense, Fig. 16) is not a true, Hawai­ think the fruits are poisonous. ian Colocasia taro. It can be grown as a high groundcover The flowers of honeysuckle and daylily (Fig. 3) are and lends a “tropical” effect. The leaves are low in acrid­ edible but these plants are not usually grown for that ity and need not be cooked for as long a time as Colocasia purpose. taro leaves when prepared as luau. Two harvestable, 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 cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Andrew G. Hashimoto, Director/Dean, Cooperative Extension Service/CTAHR, University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa, 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, disability, marital status, arrest and court record, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran. CTAHR publications can be found on the Web site <http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/freepubs>. UH–CTAHR Edible Plants for Hawaii Landscapes L-14 — May 2006 vining groundcovers are ung tsoi (Ipomoea aquatica) 22), and the yellow passion fruit vine seedling. Coconut and sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas), although the is a very versatile food source in the tropics. The water sweetpotato weevil can become a problem if they are in the fruit is a refreshing drink, and the milk obtained grown in the same area over and over again. Ung tsoi by squeezing the grated endosperm is used in many tropi­ can be used as an ingredient in stir-fry dishes. Land cress cal dishes and for making a desert called haupia. makes a good addition to soup. Japanese gardens can include bonsai strawberry Edible hibiscus (Abelmoscus manihot, Fig. 18) is an guava, allspice, jaboticaba, or surinam cherry trees, bam­ herbaceous shrub with attractive, large, dark green, ed­ boo, and society garlic next to rocks as an accent. Effec­ ible leaves. Calabash gourd (Lagenaria leucanthe, Fig. tive use of these plants depends on the gardener’s aes­ 19a, b) can be used as a vigorous, attractive, annual thetic sense and landscape design and maintenance abili­ groundcover that produces an edible squash. In Hawai‘i, ties. people tend to not like plants that need to be replanted Less commonly eaten plants with landscaping poten­ annually. tial include palms for heart-of-palm, bamboo shoots, and The tea plant also makes a handsome hedge. Unlike fern shoots called warabi. Many palm species have ed­ durian, the mangosteen tree produces quality fruits and ible heart, sometimes called “cabbage” (apical bud and is not exceptionally large. The variegated, red Spanish underdeveloped leaf bases and leaves). In Brazil, Para­ pineapple (Fig. 20) can add color to landscapes. guay, and the Dominican Republic, where palms are Durian cannot be generally recommended for resi­ numerous in the wild, palm heart has been harvested to dential landscapes because the tree is large and the fruits such an extent that the ecology has been negatively af­ have an onerous smell, but many people from Southeast fected. The following palms with edible hearts can be Asia cherish this fruit. Other favorite fruit trees in SE found in Hawai‘i landscapes: Asia include jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), sour­ sop (Annona muricata), atemoya (Annona cherimola x Archontophoenix alexandrae (alexander) Annona squamosa), lansone (Lansium domesticum), Areca catechu (betel nut) rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum). Akee (Blighia Bactris gasipaes (peach) sapida) although an attractive tree cannot be recom­ Caryota urens (wine) mended because its fruits are poisonous in both the un­ Coco nucifera (coconut) ripe and over-ripe stages, and only people who know Hyophorbe lagemcaulis (bottle) this plant well can safely eat the fruit. Livistonia rotundifolia (footstool) In Filipino household gardens you will almost always Lodoicea maldivica (coco de mer) find the horseradish tree (Moringa oleifera). Many parts Normanbya normanbyi (black) of this plant are eaten. You may also find the bilimbi Rhopalostylis sapida (feather duster) (Averrhoa bilimbi) and the otaheite gooseberry Roystonia oleracea (South American royal) (Phyllanthus acidus), the fruits of which are tart and Sabal palmetto (cuban palmetto) usually pickled. Satakentia liukiuensis (sataki) There is a yellow passion fruit seedling vine (Fig. 21a, Syagrus romanzoffianum (queen). b) that has excellent quality fruits and very attractive, dark green foliage. The fruits have high acidity and sugar Peach palm is commercially grown for harvest of palm levels that make them very good to eat fresh off the vine. heart (Fig. 23a, b) in Costa Rico and Hawai‘i because The vine requires a trellis system for best growth. Un­ the plant grows rapidly and reproduces by division; there fortunately, these plants are seldom found at nurseries. is a thornless variety that might be preferable for land­ Many of the plants on the “recommended” list can be scape uses. Coconut palm heart also can be eaten. grouped into tropical, Japanese, and contemporary theme Bamboo shoots are commonly eaten in China and gardens. Tropical gardens can include ‘Dwarf Samoan’ Japan. Since Chinese and Japanese foods are popular in coconut, thornless peach palm, warabi fern, Tahitian taro, Hawai‘i, bamboo shoots are a common ingredient in ornamental taro, variegated red Spanish pineapple, var­ many local dishes. Most of the bamboo shoots used are iegated cassava, vanilla, variegated golden bamboo (Fig. canned and shipped from Southeast Asia. The four gen­ 2 UH–CTAHR Edible Plants for Hawaii Landscapes L-14 — May 2006 era used for commercial edible bamboo shoots are References and further reading Arundinaria, Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, and Phyl­ Clay, Horace F., and James C. Hubbard. 1977. The Ha­ lostachys. In Hawai‘i, Bambusa vulgaris var. aureo waii garden, tropical exotics. University of Hawai‘i variegata is used commonly as an ornamental plant. This Press, Honolulu. species is edible, but like all bamboos the shoots need Clay, Horace F., and James C. Hubbard. 1977. The Ha­ to be cooked properly before being eaten. waii garden, tropical shrubs. University of Hawai‘i Fern shoots for consumption are obtained from Press, Honolulu. Pteridium aquilinum var. decompositum (Hawaiian Creasy, Rosalind. 1999. The edible flower garden. bracken fern) and Diplazium esculentum. Both are called Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., Boston and Singapore. warabi. Bracken fern has cancerous properties and a Farrelly, David.