Lyon Arboretum Visit

Yogi with Manuri, the Arboretum

s head gardener and Rick Quinn. Behind them is one of the Arboretum's sandalwood trees--yes, it's small and not particularly picturesque.'

This is a variety of sandalwood native to Kauai and of particular interest to us. Rick

s idea is to locate and propogate the native varieties of plants on each island for landscaping use.'

Among the other delights: green tea!

and the "Pickle Tree" so named for the thousands of "pickles" growing off its trunk. They are edible, don

t taste anything like a pickle and wouldn't be suitable for pickling, but are apparently used to clear brass in some countries (as they are acidic).'

"Pickles" all over the ground.

This is a hibiscus tree, native to Kauai. Hibiscus are often trimmed to a bush size, but some varieties will grow into flower-bearing elegant trees, like this.

These are the berries of a hybrid sandalewood tree, one seed per berry.

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On September 12, Arumuganathaswami and Yogi Jothinatha went to Honolulu to attend a government agency meeting regarding the monastery's farm land across the river. In the afternoon we met with landscape architect Rick Quinn to talk about sandalwood growing. He has a particular interest in native Hawaiian plants and advocates their increased use in landscaping. We then went to the famed Lyon Arboretum just outside Honolulu to see some plants. Rick is a member of the Arboretum's board of directors.