WIKOLIA GARDENS
 
Wikolia is the Hawaiian form of Victoria. What’s in a name? This one represents an age of moral fortitude, grace, dignity and a stiff upper lip in times of adversity. Euphorbia milii and their hybrids reflect these qualities. Their forbears have graced homes around the world since explorers brought them out of Madagascar and South Africa. The plants that we grow are tough classics that have been given a makeover by human hybidizers, the resulting developments rendering them virtually unrecognizable. They remain, however, prickly but generous bloomers. Prickly posies sparkle very prettily in the sunlight as they receive their morning shower. They also survive nicely when you forget to water them. It was at a Cactus & Succulent Society of Hawaii plant sale years ago that I came across small potted posies. They were different from anything I’d ever seen before. (You see a lot of strange things in the cactus club.) The flowers were very pretty and delicate-looking. The thorns were tolerable. Our family’s move to an area of dry, scorching heat had prompted a search for tough plants that relieved the aridness around us. I don’t remember who brought the pokey posies. Was it Larry, who habitually imported plants from Thailand, or Michael Miyashiro, owner/proprietor of Rainforest flower shop? Anyhoo, they were irresistible. I brought two plants home and propped the 4” pots up among some rocks. Under my sporadic care and benign neglect, a series of plants succumbed to the heat and dryness. The Crown of Thorns, however, continued to grow and flower in spite of it all, and bugs did not spoil their foliage. I had to have more. The financial needs of family and tax demands made good excuses to raise these plants and learn more about them. They were a hard-sell until 2005, when they became wildly popular among the Filipino community. Interest eventually calmed; but people continued to discover and be drawn to them. These beauties have been a prickly passion for many years now. The modern poysean , as the Chinese call them, were developed in Thailand, and they have been circulating for more than a decade. They yet remain unfamiliar to most people. People at the plant sales stop and exclaim, “My! What pretty flowers! What are they?” It’s a delight to introduce them to people who had never noticed them earlier. Some are attracted by the lovely flowers, but the thorns repel them. The characteristic prickliness assigns them their more common name, Crown of Thorns. We have composed and have been circulating information sheets to make these plants more familiar to the general public. An orchid grower, who also sells these, helps to distribute the literature. Succulent plants won’t immediately wilt and die under your care if you forget to water them regularly. A big goal of ours is to show how enjoyable it can be to have succulents around. This website has been set up to provide more information and garner more interest in succulents. We will also let you know where and when we will take part in seasonal plant events. Among these pages you will also find pictures and announcements of various activities of some plant clubs and links to their websites. This will happen as time permits. Aloha! Welcome to