The only native Hawaiian palm trees belong to the genus Pritchardia, and some of them are already extinct in the wild. Called loulu (LOW-loo) in Hawaiian, this palm can reach heights of 90 feet or more. You can grow a suitable species of this attractive fan palm in your tropical landscape--if you can find a plant at a specialty nursery or botanical garden. The Pritchardia schattaueri is an endangered species in forests on the Big Island of Hawaii, and only about a dozen individual trees remain in the wild, so it is very important that home gardeners help to keep this lovely native tree alive. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Grow Your Endangered Loulu
1. Check local nurseries and botanical gardens for this plant, and select a robust-looking specimen with several fronds. The larger the tree you begin with, the better it will grow.
2. Choose a sunny location in your garden with well-draining average soil.
3. Dig a large hole and dig in some compost, a little peat moss and perlite or vermiculite.
4. Place your loulu in the hole you have dug, and fill it with the dirt you have removed.
5. Pat down the soil around the plant's base to seat it securely.
6. Give your new loulu palm a good watering, and be sure to keep it moist until it begins to show signs of new growth. After this, the loulu is generally very drought-tolerant, so be sure not to overwater it.
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