Hawaiian gardens have long been famous for their vast array of orchids. We commonly see epiphytic types growing on hapu’u, tree branches and even rocky, soilless areas. In the last decade, other airplants like bromeliads have become popular because of their colorful foliage and flowers. Plants that do not need to be attached to the ground like these, receive moisture and nutrients from what is deposited on them.

Although heavy periods of rainfall in some parts of our island have caused the loss of essential nutrients, other areas have experienced dry conditions. This makes it difficult to make general recommendations that apply to all. Parts of the windward side received enough precipitation to remove nutrients like nitrogen and actual top soil as well. West Hawaii received much less but with our excessively porous rocky areas, even 5 or 6 inches of rain can leach important elements essential to plant growth.