Plant of the Month: Hala

Many small hala seedlings await the Arbor Day plant give away at Amy Greenwell Garden. (Phil Hester/Amy Greenwell Garden)

The fruit of the female hala tree holds a curious likeness to a pineapple. (Noa Lincoln/Amy Greenwell Garden)

The flowers on a male hala tree are fragrant and surrounded by long white bracts. (Kim and Forest Starr/Courtesy photo)

The trunk, lateral branches and stilt roots will form on a hala once it is reaches maturity after 5-10 years. (Noa Lincoln/Amy Greenwell Garden)

Hala trees grow well in coastal locations. (Kim and Forest Starr/Courtesy photo)

This male hala tree is sporting a few fragrant flowers. (Kim and Forest Starr/Courtesy photo)

Arbor Day is being celebrated at several Big Island locations today, Nov. 2. Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook will be participating by giving away free native Hawaiian trees and shrubs starting at 9 a.m. Lots of different plants will be offered including milo, kou, kamani, ulu, ohia, koai’a and hala.