Hawaiian Tropical Plant Nursery, LLC

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	Bixa orellana-Family: Bixaceae. Common Name: Annatto. Native to tropical rainforest of South America. Dwarf form is best for containers or small yards. Pink blooms followed by red or reddish-orange pods. Seeds are used for natural food coloring and dye. Dwarf form begins to bear at about 16 to 18 months old. Full sun. Keep moist. Rich soil. Mulch and fertilize several times per year for best growth.
	Camellia sinensisFamily: Camelliaceae. Common Name: Tea. Large shrub with lanceolate serrated leaves. Young leaves are picked and processed to create green, oolong, and black tea. Length of fermentation determines the type of tea
	Cinnamomum aromaticum-Family: Lauraceae. Common Name: Chinese cinnamon. Green bark. New growth is red. Reported to be more pungent than true cinnamon. Very fast growing in Hawaii.
	Cinnamomum verum-Family: Lauraceae. Syn. C. zeylanicum. Common Name: true cinnamon. Bark is the source of the best cinnamon. Leaves have a distinct cinnamon smell when crushed and can be used like a bay leaf in cooking. Slower growing than the Chinese cinnamon.
	Costus guanaiensis- Costaceae. Common name: Spiral ginger.  Large tropical ginger relative native to South America. Grows well in medium shade to full sun. Keep moist and warm. Does not tolerate frost or prolonged periods below 50 degrees F.   The stems are crushed for juice.
	Elettaria cardamomum- Family: Zingiberaceae. Common Name: Cardamom. Large member of the ginger family grown for its tasty seed pods. The dried green pods are used in curries and deserts. Usually grown in the shade. Blooms emerge from the ground.
	Myristica fragrans-Family: Myristicaceae. Common Name: nutmeg. Large tree native to tropical Pacific Islands. Glossy thick dark green leaves. Small bell shaped fragrant flowers. Large seeds are the source of nutmeg. Red aril is source of mace. Seems to like rich slighly acid soil and a steady supply of moisture. Begins to bloom at about 5 or 6 years old.
	Ocotea quixosFamily: Lauraceae. Common Names: ishpingo or Ecuadorian cinnamon. Tree with lanceolate leaves. Slow growing when young. Only about 6 inches a year for the 1st 2 or 3 years. Leaves have a very pleasant smell like Dentene gum. Used in tea and flavoring. Bark can be harvested like cinnamon. Seeds are about 3/4 inch in diamter. Rich slightly acid soil. Rare in the US. Sometimes seeds can be obtained from Rio Guaycuyacu; see our plant source list. This species has been difficult to grow. Plants seem to drop leaves a couple of times per year. New growth sometimes starts and then dies back.
	Pandanus sp.-Family: Pandanaceae. Common Name: Bai Thuy. Probably Pandanus amaryllifolius. Used in Southeast Asia to flavor rice and curry dishes. Plants have deep green smooth leaves. This species doesn't have spiny leaf margins. Propagated by cuttings which root easily. I will have a few cuttings available in late 2008; check back for pricing and availability.
	Pimenta dioica- Myrtaceae. Common name: allspice. Small to medium tree. Dried berries are allpsice. Glossy dark greenleaves which are fragrant when crushed. Leaves can be used in rice dishes and currys. Leaves make an excellent addition to marinades. Slow to moderate growth rate depending on your conditions.
	Piper betel-Family: Piperaceae. Common Name: betle leaf. large cordate leaves are used to wrap a mixture of spices and betel nut in India. Chewed after meals. Vigorous vine.
	Piper methysticum-Family: Piperaceae. Common Name: kava, 'awa. Roots are used to make a beverage. Use only subterranean portions of the roots and stem base. Taste is earthy and peppery. Relaxing and in large quantities intoxicating. Used as a social drink throughout the Pacific basin. Medicinally it is used as antianxiety and antidepressant. Cordate leaves. Stems range from black to light green depending on the cultivar. A number of cultivars have been selected on different islands across the Pacific. They do not produce seeds. Propagated by stem cuttings; woody sections of the stem are covered and will root and send up shoots in about 3 weeks. Many cultivars are suseptible to shot hole disease caused by a fungus. Results in decreased plant vigor and may even kill plants. This can be controled with neem oil or sulfur.
	Piper nigrum-Family: Piperaceae. Common Name: black pepper. Dried berries are the source of black pepper. If the seeds ripen and the exterior portion is removed, it is white pepper. Vine with cordate green leaves. Roots will form at each node if the vine touches soil.
	Syzygium aromaticum-Family: Myrtaceae. Common Name: cloves. The dried flower buds are the source of the spice. Trees are densely branched. Plants prefer rich slightly acid soil. Full sun. Blooming begins at about 6 years old.
	Theobroma cacao-Family: Sterculiaceae. Common Name: Cacao, chocolate. Seeds are roasted and processed to produce chocolate liquor or cocoa powder. Pods ripen to yellow or red. Thin layer of pulp around the seed is edible. Believed to have originated in the Amazon basin. Cultivated in the tropics worldwide now. Prefers some shade. Warm moist growing conditions. Plant in areas protected from wind. Organic fertilizer is best. Over use of chemical fertilizer can burn the plant. Seeds germinate quickly and must be kept moist at all times. Temperatures above 80F are best for germination. Seeds are available when I have ripe pods. Germination begins within a few days. Shipped in moist peat moss; handle carefully to avoid damage to emerging root. SEED PACKET (10 seeds)-$8.00 (SHIPPING VIA PRIORITY MAIL FOR 1-5 PACKETS $5.00)