Native Plants

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Sunday - April 27, 2008

From: Honolulu, HI
Region: Hawaii
Topic: Invasive Plants, Non-Natives, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Do Salvia coccinea and Salvia occidentalis occur in Hawaii
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Aloha, Would you please happen to know if the salvia occidentalis and the salvia coccinea are growing in a wild state in Hawaii, the quantity (small or large areas? What are the weather conditions required for their growth? If there is nothing in Hawaii, what would be the best state in the USA to gather wild sage? Your knowledege is very important to me and I appreciate your answer. Thank you in advance and have a wonderful day.

ANSWER:

Both Salvia occidentalis and Salvia coccinea grow in the wild in Hawaii. S. occidentalis is native to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and introduced to the lower 48 states and Hawaii. S. coccinea is native to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the lower 48 but introduced to Hawaii. You can see a location map for the islands of Hawaii for S. coccinea and one also for S. occidentalis from Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR). Pacific Islands Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) lists both S. coccinea and S. occidentales as invasive weeds in Hawaii. We can't tell you exactly where on the various islands these occur, but perhaps you could contact someone at the HEAR or PIER for information about where you might find them. Indeed, these two organizations, plus the Native Hawaiian Plant Society may have programs to rid the Islands of invasive plants and your help in ridding them of these two species would probably be welcomed.