LIHU‘E — Elena Gillespe was not taking any chances on getting her free trees Saturday during the 17th Annual Arbor Day tree and plant giveaway.
“I was first in line,” Gillespe said, driving in from Kilauea to the Kalepa Road parking lot at the Kukui Grove Center. “My first choice is the ‘Ohi‘a, then I want the Malungay and the Silverbush.”
The ‘Ohi‘a was indeed the most popular plant citizen arborists looked for, the supply being exhausted within 20 minutes of the drive-through being opened on Saturday morning.
Hosted by a group of partners led by the Kaua‘i Landscape Industry Council, the Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Program, Alexander & Baldwin, Corteva Agriscience, and a large number of plant growers and volunteers, more than 1,000 plants and trees limited to three plants per car were sent off to new homes.
“I’m going to make Calamanci pie,” said Sandy Poenhelt of The Right Slice. “That’s in three years! But, we’re carpooling. We should be able to get more trees.”
Some of the available species included Alahe‘e, Ko‘oko‘olau, Koai‘a, Kou, Munroidendron, ‘Ohi‘a, ‘Uki‘uki, and native hibiscus that were also very popular with the crowd whose line of cars snaked past the Macy’s entrance to the shopping center.
Other non-invasive plants included the Silverbush, described by a spokesperson with Kaua‘i Seascape Nursery as a rare plant, but easy to grow. Others included the mamo ‘ohai ali‘i, or a yellow poinciana variety.
“We really miss not having the Keiki Tent,” said a volunteer with KLIC. “This is our 17th year, and we almost didn’t have it because of the surge in COVID-19 cases late in the summer. We’re doing everything to help prevent the spread. But with more than 1,000 plants, hopefully, this makes it to just around the noon cutoff.”
Bryna Storch, a volunteer plant runner, said she knew the recipient of one of her “orders.”
“This is Clifton Oliver,” Storch said. “He’s going to plant his trees in the forest.”
Oliver responded, “No, I’m going to try and grow the ‘Ohi‘a in my yard.”
Arbor Day, one of the oldest celebrations in Hawai‘i, started more than 110 years ago and is a worldwide observance dedicated to honoring, planting, and enjoying the benefits of trees.
Noelani Pomroy, a lei maker, waited patiently while her daughter’s petite vehicle wound its way through the pick-up.
“Her car is too small,” said Pomroy, who traditionally uses the Arbor Day giveaway to add to her lei-making plant inventory. “We’ll use our truck to move her plants. And, we’ll keep them at the nursery until she comes to get them. It’s all good.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
