November 6: Waimea Valley holds third annual Arbor Day sale

Waimea Valley will host its third annual Arbor Day Plant Sale and giveaway on Saturday, November 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., or until all plants are sold. Waimea Valley is co-sponsoring the event with Hawaiian Electric Company and the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program. The event will be taking place in front of Parking Lot 2 before the security guard shack and admission is free.

A variety of patio plants, flowering plants, fruit trees, and shade trees, both native and non-native, will be given away at the event. Each household will be allowed one free tree or shrub.

Vendors from all over Oahu will be selling a variety of plants. Vendors and the plants they will be selling are listed below.

Laau Hawaii/The Hawaiian Fern Project—Native ferns including palapalai from the Hawaiian gene pool

Olomana Tropicals—Unusual gingers and heliconias; bromeliads

Happy Koi Nursery—Native water plants; a very odd looking fern; `ihi`ihi lauakea; signature bonsai water lilies

Ewa Blue Worms—Starter worm kit in large worm bin; worms and worm castings to make vermicast tea and/or soil amendments

Waimea Valley—Unusual gingers and heliconias; native plants; fruit trees; unusual ornamental plants like the variegated tapioca; Mgambo tree has fuzzy velvet fruits for lei making; Hawaiian varieties of taro.

Waimea Valley is a living puuhonua, a place of peace and safety, for Hawaii and the world and one of Oahu’s last partially intact aahupua, according to the Waimea Valley website. The 1,875 acre valley is considered significant in the history of Hawaii and a repository for Hawaiian spirituality and traditions. Waimea, “The Valley of the Priests,” gained its title around 1090 when the ruler of Oahu awarded the land to the kahuna nui. Descendants of the high priests lived and cared for much of the Valley until 1886.

2010 General Admission Fees to Waimea Valley:

Visiting adult               $13.00
Visiting child               $6.00
Visiting senior             $6.00
Kamaaina/military adult     $8.00
Kamaaina/military child     $8.00
Kamaaina/military senior   $5.00
Individual annual pass       $30.00
Individual family pass       $60.00
FIT Group                 $9.00 (per person)reservations required

For more information visit www.waimeavalley.net or call (808) 638-7766.