"Just Stick It in the Ground!"

“Just Stick It in the Ground” (dedicated to Karin)

Wild Nun's Cap Orchid

White Anthurium

When we first retired to Pahoa on the Big Island, many of our new neighbors gifted us with cuttings from their yard, with this planting technique being repeated numerous times. Although it was initially hard to believe, after two years now,  it is an everyday experience!    

Two weeks ago we visited Luana neighbors across the street whose lovely white hibiscus arched gracefully, full of white blossoms.  As we left I asked for a cutting and was gifted a 4’ branch, simply snapped off near the trunk.  As we were busy finishing up the new lanai, I literally stuck it down in a three-gallon pot of cinder/soil and forgot about it – until today.

Hibiscus that rooted and bloomed in 2 weeks

Today’s project was to work on our “white bed” in front of our house, in which I was planning to add some miniature spider lilies to a bed with white anthurium, white mini poinsettia, nuns cap wild orchids and white trumpet flower tree.  Hoping for the best, I gently shook the hibiscus (from two weeks ago) and found the roots had extended to reach the edges of the three-gallon pot!!  Not only that, it already had four blossoms. Although few friends from the continent really believe it, IT IS TRUE!  “Just stick it in the ground!”