One of our most cherished, culturally significant and gorgeously recognizable native Hawaiian plants is 'ohi'a lehua. Lei makers and hula dancers love the flowers, and they spice up any garden.

There are many mo'olelo and myths about 'ohi'a, and one of them was that they were impossible to grow in a garden. Today, thanks to the diligence of Island growers, we have figured out that, yes, we can grow all kinds of wonderful, gorgeous, flourishing 'ohi'a lehua right in our own gardens. Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden has a wonderful collection of 'ohi'a lehua, and we send a mahalo nui loa to Jimmy "Mr. 'Ohi'a lehua" and Nellie Pang. Jimmy conceived this collection, tramped the forests with Nellie making air layer cuttings of the most "colorful, unique, profuse blooming, different-time-of-year-blooming and so on."

Seeing Jimmy and Nellie walking into the Ho'omaluhia nursery, air layers in hand (and seeds and cuttings, too), was a happy day for Hawai'i gardeners.

'Ohi'a lehua drive rigid botanists and taxonomists nuts, because they blow their scientific minds trying to pin down what species the diverse plants might be. Many scientific names have been applied. The main one that stuck is Metrosideros polymorpha. Polymorpha means "many, many forms." 'Ohi'a lehua have color and leaf differences, and can grow in any Hawaiian habitat that gets enough water. There are different Hawaiian names for some of the varieties.

Tomorrow, the Friends of Honolulu Botanical Garden are having a classroom 'ohi'a lehua presentation and a mini-plant sale at Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden in Kane'ohe.

Much more than just a class about growing 'ohi'a, the event will look at the many different aspects of this beautiful, significant plant. The session will explore the importance of 'ohi'a in Hawaiian culture as it relates to music, dance and legends. Kumu hula Michael Casupang and Karl Veto Baker from Halau I Ka Wekiu will present songs and dance that relate to 'ohi'a, plantsman Dennis Kim will present information on propagating, growing and caring for 'ohi'a, and noted naturalist and photographer Nathan Yuen will give a visual presentation on the many different forms of leaves and flowers. Bill Char will present the final segment on how 'ohi'a is used in lei-making, followed by small group demonstrations.

Capping off the event will be a mini native plant sale that will highlight 'ohi'a.

A new giant form of 'uki'uki and four new koki'o, cultivars of Hibiscus St. Johnianus, also will be available for the first time at the sale. The colors range from a salmon orange to a fluorescent dark orange and a beautiful pink. These hibiscuses are vigorous vertical growers that can be planted in narrow spaces.

Heidi Bornhorst is a sustainable-landscape consultant. Submit questions to islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com or Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Letters may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.