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Koko Crater Botanical Garden

Would you visit a garden in a volcanic crater?  We did!  Koko Crater Botanical Garden in Honolulu is a remarkable desert paradise. It sits in an extinct volcanic crater on the southeast corner of Oahu, near its larger, more famous neighbor, Diamond Head. It’s too dry for orchids at Koko, but there’s plenty of tropical desert beauty. These tough plants feature architectural shapes, brilliant flower colors, and pointed defenses. A few spiky cactus photos start this Koko tour.

Golden Barrel Cactus and other cacti, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiTall White Cactus, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiContorted Cactus, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, Hawaii

This blooming crater is part of Honolulu Botanical Gardens. It’s a public park with free admission, open daily from sunrise to sunset. Visitors can hike a 2 mile (3.2 km) loop trail through 60 acres (24 hectares) of desert plants (bring water for the walk!) The hot, dry regions of Africa, Madagascar, the Americas, and, of course, Hawaii are featured in different sections. Other collections include Koko’s huge plumeria trees, which sport more colors of of these flowers than I’ve ever seen.

Pink and yellow Plumeria hybrid, Frangipani, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiPink Plumeria, Frangipani, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiPink, white, and yellow Plumeria, Frangipani, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, Hawaii

Many of the garden’s plants are rare and facing extinction, like two endangered Hawaiian species in the next row of photos: a red hibiscus from Kauai, and a fascinating wiliwili tree in bloom. The endangered Dragon’s Blood Tree in the third photo is native to a few islands in the Indian Ocean.

Hibiscus newhousei native to Kauai, Hawaiian endemic, Koki'o 'ula, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiWiliwili flowers, Erythrina sandwicensis, Hawaiian native endemic, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiDragon's Blood Tree, Dracaena cinnabari, native to the Socotra archipelago in the Indian Ocean, growing at the Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, Hawaii

Koko is a great showcase for interesting, low-water garden options. Of course, many of these tough desert plants need more sun and warmer temps than we can provide on the Northern California coast, but others are hardy enough to survive outside the tropics. There are always lots of gardening options, even in California’s current drought emergency. Just look to Koko Crater Botanical Garden for inspiration.

Cactus flower, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiYellow flower of Uncarina peltata, native to Madagascar, growing at Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HawaiiStapelia, Carrion Flower, African Starfish Flower, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, Hawaii

Explore posts in the same categories: Botanical Gardens, General Gardening, Photos

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014 at 9:02 pm and is filed under Botanical Gardens, General Gardening, Photos.

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One Comment on “Koko Crater Botanical Garden”

  1. Epiphyte Says:
    October 23rd, 2014 at 2:01 pm

    Too dry for orchids? The hot, dry regions of Africa, Australia, the Americas, Asia, India and Madagascar all have epiphytic orchids. Many are commercially available such as Ansellia africana, Dendrobium canaliculatum, Encyclia cordigera, Oncidium cebolleta and Sobennikoffia robusta.

    Somewhat off-topic…I have a friend in Pacifica that you should visit. He has pretty much the best collection of tree ferns. But he did grow Vanda coerulea from seed. E-mail me for his contact info.