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Hawaii Gardening

'I wish I'd never planted...' Invasives to avoid

14 years ago

Hello, first post on this forum, happy to be here.

After many years of gardening in southern California, my dream of a tropical garden is about to come true. The new garden, in a very wet area of the Big Island, will be a project spanning many years.

While the primary emphasis will be palms from around the world, other plants will be used to add color, texture, scent, and possibly food to the garden.

One mistake I hope to avoid is planting invasives out of ignorance. We've all had the experience of finding a beautiful or interesting plant at the nursery -- you bring it home and it goes berserk trying to take over the entire garden, and eradication becomes a nightmare.

Experienced Hawaii gardeners, please tell me what you wish you'd never planted!

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Comments (11)

ton2menehune
14 years ago
Avoid palms that produces alot of seeds and germnates quickly. Any clumpy palm that spreads to rapidly. Other thoose tips good luck!
mauirose
14 years ago
There are several species that are escaping home gardens and wreaking havoc with the natural ecosystems-give these baddies a wide berth.

The link below is not a comprehensive list, doesn't include banana poka (passifolia tarminiana)for example. You can also go to www.hear.org for information about invasives.

OK, now on to the fun stuff!

I wish i had never planted...psittacorum in my garden. Looks terrible most of the time and is really hard to contain or eradicate.

Congratulations on your new project! Sounds like you will be having fun.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hawaii's Most Invasive Species
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nothing I have done but, the previous owner of our home obviously loved spreading plants!! we have approx 15 of them taking over! some I can lift like a carpet? We have absolutely no idea what they all are, as we are not flower people, some are lovely, some horrid! as we are new into the house in September, we are letting things grow and trying to Identify or decide if we like them. I am glad we have done this as I have found, strawberies, raspberries and Blackberry bushes, so far, and I know many people hate, blackberries, as they are invasive, but I love them! one man's meat is anothers poison! and was extatic today when I found them growing in the woods behind our house as well, as they are my Favorite fruit. I used to walk around my village for weeks during the harvesting season for blackberries and alway filled my freezer, never any left by Feb, yummy! yummy! our plan is to lay most of the areas with the creeping stuff (haha) to lawn which is more invasive but will at least let us be able to cut it!!
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pueokai
14 years ago
Don't plant wedelia !
catkim
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the responses and resources! While I was aware of some of the plants named as invasive, there were also some surprises, such as Clusia rosea and mauirose's mention of psittacorum -- never would have known it was so maddeningly prolific. I thought they were planted in masses for effect. : D

Please continue!
ifraser25
14 years ago
Not Hawaii, but similar climate. Busy Lizzy: Impatiens walleriana. The New Guinea type is OK. Very pretty but self seeds like mad. Black-eyed Susan - likewise. GRASS! Keep your grass areas down to a minimum or you will spend all your time with a lawn-mower! And be prepared to use a herbicide. Whatever you do it will come up everywhere! Big bushy plants that shade it out are best. Good luck!
angrymoon
14 years ago
Golden pothos. Once they escape cultivation, they start to blanket and crawl on trees and the forest floors.
Laurel Zito
14 years ago
Impatiens walleriana never have reseeded for me, and I tried to germinate them once from buying seeds I got not even one sprout.
sashahawaii
13 years ago
Areca palms, what a pain to maintain!
bradisha
13 years ago
Blue Agave! Its comming up everywhere
eluawai
13 years ago
Cashew tree; while it grew fast and produced nuts in about 3 years, it was impossible to harvest and prepare---it produces a harsh acid-like substance that will take your skin off until it is 'prepped' which means exceptionally high heat and other "not goin' to happen outside of big industry" requirements.
hotzcatz
13 years ago
Heliconia. They take over and just keep going. I've been trying to dig them out ever since. Most of the gingers would probably be the same way, too.

Running bamboo is bad but the clumping varieties are good.

We have a passion fruit vine which is all over the place but it at least produces lots of fruit. If you want a vigorous climbing vine, then that's a good choice.

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