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If You Live In A Warm Climate, Planting This Tree Is The Way To Go
By KATE NICHOLSON
If you live in a hot, dry microclimate, adding a drought-resistant tree to your yard is the way to go. The wiliwili, also known as the Hawaiian coral tree, fits the bill.
Native to Hawaii's dryland forests, the wiliwili is a member of the pea family and a nitrogen-fixing tree. It can take the nitrogen from the air and redistribute it into the soil.
It can grow between 30 and 50 feet tall and 25 feet wide. The light wood of the tree, once used to make canoes and surfboards, allows the tree to photosynthesize through its bark.
The claw-like blooms and seeds, which come in pods that twist open, are traditionally used in leis. They come in many colors such as orange, peach, light green, yellow, and white.
This tree thrives in dry, exposed sites where there is full sun. It prefers desert and Mediterranean climates and the coldest area where this tree is hardy is USDA Zone 10.
It is a good shade tree for the spring and fall, but it loses its leaves before flowering at the start of summer. It blooms until the end of November, when the leaves grow back.
Pick a spot in your yard that has really poor soil and excellent drainage. Water once or twice a week until it's fully grown, about a decade later, and it'll no longer need water.