Lei are the very expression of traditional Hawaiian culture and were once an essential part of community and family life. Following in the footsteps of Samuel Kamakau, Abraham Fornander, and others, the authors have collected here a wealth of written and oral information to reveal the significance of making and wearing lei and their role in Hawaiian ritual and dance.

This volume covers eighty-five flowers and plants (and another dozen color variations) used in traditional lei construction. They are arranged according to their Hawaiian names and accompanied by botanical information...

Over the past several decades, the U.S. cityscape has changed radically. Large areas have been cleared of natural vegetation to accommodate new development. The "urban forest," which consists of all city trees, natural and planted, has been severely and negatively impacted. A 2003 study indicates that we are losing through clearing and grading four trees for every one planted. This is a wake-up call for greatly increased planting in the urban forest and the need to popularize small trees (defined as trees that grow up to thirty feet high) for diminished city spaces.

Small Trees for...

Gardeners who suppose that planning a water-saving garden means giving up brilliant color and the lush beauty of Hawaii's tropicals are in for a surprise. Not only can Hawaii's gardeners save water through applying xeriscape techniques, but they can have gardens filled with exceptional plants that are not only less thirsty but can provide the garden with shade, color, and fragrance, as well as exotic foliage and blooms. In Plants for the Tropical Xeriscape two of Hawaii's foremost plant experts, Fred Rauch and Paul Weissich, guide both novice and experienced gardeners in choosing the...