Exotics ...

Victoria Water Lily;
Giant Amazon Water Lily
Victoria amazonica
Native to Brazil and the Amazon this lily can grow up to 8’ leaves that can hold 300lbs. These strong and stiff leaves are covered with 1” spines on the maroon bottom of supporting ribs and sides. The new leaf is flat before growing a 3-6” rim.

Its Guarani Indian name is “Yrupe”, which means water platter. Another Indian name means “maize of the water”, because its nutritious seeds can be ground into delicious flour.

The night blooming fragrant flowers can grow to 18”. The first night they are white female flowers that turn to pink male flowers on the second night. Beetles and sphinx moths can pollinate them. The seedpods are the size of a baby’s head and sink beneath the water. They only reproduce through seeds, which can lay dormant in the mud for up to 4 years before germinating. The plant goes through an annual dormancy period before producing more leaves that increase in size before flowering again.


Corpse Flower; Titan Arum; Bunga Bangkai
Amorphophallus titanum
Family: Araceae
Native to Indonesia’s equatorial rainforests, this plant was first discovered in 1878 in Sumatra, Indonesia. It has the largest un-branched inflorescence in the world. A mature bloom could measure 7-12 feet in height. A mature leaf could be 20’ tall and 15’ wide. There is usually only one leaf at a time; our tuber has put out three leaves this growth cycle. A vegetative period may last 12 to 20 months before the plant withers and goes dormant for 2 to 4 months. Repotting is necessary during dormancy and the new pot should be three times larger than the tuber. Photo on the right is a close up of the trunk-like leaf stem.

Amorphophallus means “shapeless phallus”, and the bloom last only 2-3 days. Plant releases waves of odor to attract insect pollinators, which smells like rotting flesh. This “stinking” odor lasts only the first 8 hours the bloom is open. It may bear hundreds of red orange fruits. It belongs to the aroid family that also includes anthuriums, caladiums, callalilies and philodendrons. Some plants have gone from a seed to flowering in 7 years.

Check out the International Aroid Society website for some great photos of this plant in bloom! The Fullerton Arboretum website includes detailed information and life cycle.

Epiphytic Orchid Hybrids:
All the non-terrestrial orchids at the zoo are epiphytic and have been positioned on trees to grow as they would in their native habitat. Since orchid species readily hybridize, orchid growers have created a very large number of hybrids, many inter-generic. The orchids present belong to several families that have been raised artificially then fastened to the trees to establish themselves.

Odontoglossum	Cattleya
Vanda	Dendrobium
Miltonia	Oncidiums

Bamboo Orchid
Arundina graminifolia
Family: Orchidaceae
This native to southern China, North India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and the Pacific Islands is firmly established in Hawaii and can be found in many localities. It forms clumps and the canes, which may reach five feet in height, resemble canes of the bamboo. Leaves are narrow and are arranged alternately on the canes. Blossoms are strung into leis.





Nun's Orchid; Chinese Ground Orchid
Phaius tankervilleae
Family: Orchidaceae
This striking orchid is native to southern China, North India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and the Pacific Islands. This orchid has established itself throughout the Islands mostly in moist forests. This plant forms large clumps with inflorescences as tall as four feet bearing 10-20 fragrant flowers, opening up in succession. The sepals and petals are white outside, brown underneath with a rose-lipped labellum.



Philippine Ground Orchid
Spathoglottis plicata
Family: Orchidaceae
They are native to the Philippines and southeast Asia. These orchids were first grown on Oahu in the 1920’s, and have since naturalized on the Hawaiian islands. Their leaves are fluted or pleated.





Torch Ginger; `Awapuhi-ko`oko`o
Phaeomeria magnifica
Family: Zingiberaceae
This is a clumping type of ginger with large elongated leaf stems that may attain 20 feet. The name describes the inflorescence that forms at the end of a stalk and resembles a torch. This ginger is native to the East Indies. It is not recommended for small confined areas.











Umbrella Plant;
`Ahu `awa haole; Pu`uka`a haole
Cyperus alternifolius
Family: Cuperaceae
Native of Madagascar, this clumping leafless perennial is popularly cultivated as an ornamental in water settings. It appears to be a miniature version of the papyrus. In its native country and elsewhere this sedge is used in making plaited mats, baskets, or other woven objects. The slender triangular solid stalks or clum are one to five feet long with an umbrella shaped spiral of 20 leaf-like 8” bracts at the top. The flowers are tiny yellow-green to brown fuzzy clusters.





Water Lily
Nymphaea species
Family: Nymphaeaceae
Native to tropical countries these flowers come in white, yellow, pink, lavender and purple. Some have fragrances, and while most bloom during the day, some only bloom at night.



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