Garden Detective

With the Great Long Island Tomato Challenge behind me, I now can concentrate on other things I've been wanting to share with you.

When I returned from my once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hawaii in July, I quickly shared instructions I picked up for propagating pineapples. But there's so much more I want to tell you about that part of the world.

You know how when you land at JFK or LaGuardia and step outside to where the taxis are, the first thing you smell is exhaust fumes? To me, it's become synonymous with arriving home. I've inhaled similar air at some other airports across the country, some more odiferous than others. But when we landed at Honolulu International Airport and stepped outside, the first thing I noticed was the strong, sweet smell of Plumeria. The scent was everywhere, and it was intoxicating. Walking the streets was like being in one of those Febreze commercials, where the characters just can't get enough of sniffing their belongings.

While not the official state flower of Hawaii (that would be Hibiscus,) Plumeria can be seen -- or at least smelled -- just about everywhere. At the airport, growing along the side of the road, in home gardens, in front of schools and businesses and, of course, on people: Plumeria is a popular blossom used to make traditional leis and worn in women's hair.

Related to the beautiful but infamously toxic Oleander, Plumeria is one of nature's big charlatans. Its scent strengthens at nightfall in order to lure feeding sphynx moths. While the hungry moths search for nectar, prancing from barren blossom to barren blossom, Plumeria gets pollinated. Meanwhile, the moths leave with empty tummies because Plumeria flowers contain no nectar, they just smell like they do. But take just one whiff and you'll forgive their sneaky underhandedness.

While bringing a live plant onto the mainland is prohibited, I did bring home some packaged cuttings to give as gifts and plenty of scented hand cream, body lotion and candles.

While I was simply enchanted by the flower, it seems many Hawaiians take it for granted. Lois Taylor, formerly of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin once wrote: "Plumerias get very little respect. Hybridize an orchid and you get written up in national journals. Introduce a new ginger and the garden magazines are at your door. Develop a new Plumeria and friends ask what you think of the Bishop Estate. It's because a Plumeria tree is so easy to grow it's the meatloaf of Hawaiian gardening."

Well, I for one am crazy about meatloaf.