E 16 MACARTHUR PALM (Ptychosperma macArthurii) Arecaceae family

IsaINDO ASIAN Section E

A clumping, medium to tall, fast-growing palm with a slender, grey trunk prominently ringed with old leaf scars.  Topped with a dense crown of arching, feathery fronds. This palm was assessed on 12/30/2019 by the Hawai’i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA) and was rated “high risk” for potential to become invasive. Shade tolerant Tolerates many soil types Reproduces by seeds (dispersed …

E 10 JAPANESE or HILO HOLLY (Ardisia crispa) Primulaceae family

IsaINDO ASIAN Section E

Neither a holly nor from Hilo; acquired local name due to frequent use as ornamental in Hilo area gardens.  Erect, evergreen, woody shrub to 8 feet; dark green, glossy leaves, white flower omen of good fortune.  Malaysians eat berries for medicinal purposes; sold in China for treatment of sprains and broken bones. Prefers partial shade, well-drained rich soil.

E 08 HONG KONG ORCHID TREE (Bauhinia blakeana) Fabaceae family

IsaINDO ASIAN Section E

Considered to be one of the most beautiful flowering trees; fragrant, rose purple flowers in greatest abundance October to March.  All of the cultivated trees originated from one at the Hong Kong Botanical Gardens 1880.  Full sun to light shade; moist, well-drained soils, drought tolerant once established. Flowers on new wood.

E 07 LADY PALM (Rhapis excelsa) Arecaceae family

IsaINDO ASIAN Section E

Characterized by shrubby clumps of straight, slender stems, 5 to 12 feet long; highly ornamental, dark green, semi-circular leaves, eight to a stem. Not known in the wild, first collected by the Japanese for Tokugawa shogunate palaces. Its low light requirements make it a common plant in office environments.