Tulsi, or holy basil, is a medicinal herb used for tea. Considered sacred in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, it is believed to be promote longevity. The purple leaf variety is known to have a slightly spicy, peppery flavor.
Plants in Hawaii
This section holds an encyclopedia of plants that have come from or will be brought to the Hawaii Kai Plant Exchange. There are also anecdotes about permaculture: composting and aquaponics in particular.
Compact easy to grow indoor plant requires minimal windowsill light to grow. Keep soil moist.
“Mini Hope Philodendron” – This is an easy to grow indoor plant requiring just minimal windowsill light to thrive.
Jewels of Opar is a self-seeding plant that requires minimal care. Its leaves are edible and can be eaten raw in salads. The flower puts out stalks of pretty purple flowers without bolting. A pretty alternative for ground cover.
Giant Ruellia is a hardy plant which will grown in full sun as well as shade. It can be propagated by division, seed or cuttings. Stems are purple-hued and short-lived purple flowers bloom regularly. Makes an excellent border plant or hedge which reaches a height of about 3 feet tall. […]
Both varieties are dwarf basil that produce heavily branched plants with tiny, dark green leaves. The leaves have a good basil aroma and a fine basil flavor. The plants are compact, globe-shaped and reach 7 to 8″ in height at full maturity. Excellent for both open field and pot production, […]
Mexican Mint Marigold has aromatic leaves which are often used as a substitute for French Tarragon. Sweet licorice flavor brightens salads and main dishes. The edible, pretty, golden-yellow flowers bloom all summer. Thrives in warmer climates where French tarragon will not grow. Also known as sweet mace or Mexican tarragon. […]
Malabar spinach is a hardy vine with edible leaves that taste like spinach when cooked. The leaves are high in protein, Vitamin A & C, iron and calcium and low in calories by volume. The plant comes in both red-stemmed and white-stemmed varieties. It will self-seed and needs full sun […]
The kukui nut tree, also known as candlenut, grows to a height of 25 to 75 feet, with wide spreading or pendulous branches. The leaves are pale green, simple, and ovate, or trilobed or rarely five-lobed, with an acute apex, 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) long. The nut is round, about an inch in diameter […]
This particular basil variety is from Johnny’s Seeds, where I purchase a number of my plant seeds. Although I’ve found this variety is less heat-tolerant than other basil varieties, the herb is more fragrant, evoking the scent one would expect of a typical Italian basil. As with all basil, be […]