Dechus: A Lesser-Known Pacific Island Native Worth Discovering
If you’re a gardener in the Pacific islands looking to incorporate more native plants into your landscape, you might want to get acquainted with dechus (Elatostema stoloniforme). While this charming little plant might not be the showstopper of your garden, it’s a true Pacific native that deserves a spot in conversations about indigenous flora.
What Exactly Is Dechus?
Dechus is what botanists call a forb – essentially a non-woody herbaceous plant that lacks the thick, woody stems of shrubs and trees. Think of it as the plant world’s equivalent of a down-to-earth, unpretentious neighbor who’s been quietly living in the Pacific islands long before any of us arrived on the scene.
This native belongs to the nettle family, though don’t let that family connection scare you off. Many plants in this group are perfectly garden-friendly, and dechus appears to be one of the more mild-mannered relatives.
Where Does Dechus Call Home?
Dechus is a true Pacific Basin native, specifically found in Guam and Palau. It’s evolved to thrive in these tropical island conditions, making it naturally suited to the climate and ecosystems of these regions.
Why Consider Dechus for Your Garden?
Here’s where things get a bit tricky – dechus is one of those plants that hasn’t made it into the mainstream gardening spotlight. While we know it’s a Pacific native forb, detailed information about its specific garden performance, appearance, and growing habits remains somewhat elusive in common gardening resources.
However, there are compelling reasons to consider native plants like dechus:
- Native plants are naturally adapted to local climate conditions
- They typically require less water and maintenance once established
- They support local ecosystems and wildlife
- They help preserve regional biodiversity
Growing Dechus: The Challenge of Limited Information
If you’re thinking about growing dechus, you’ll be somewhat of a pioneer. The specific growing requirements, mature size, and care instructions for this particular species aren’t widely documented in standard gardening resources. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – it just means you’ll need to approach it with some educated guessing based on its native habitat and plant family characteristics.
What We Can Reasonably Assume
Given that dechus is native to Guam and Palau, we can make some educated assumptions about its preferences:
- It likely thrives in warm, tropical conditions
- As an island native, it may tolerate some salt exposure
- Being a forb, it probably prefers partial shade to full sun
- Regular moisture is likely appreciated, typical of tropical plants
The Bottom Line on Dechus
Dechus represents one of those interesting gardening challenges – a native plant with clear ecological value but limited cultivation information. If you’re in Guam, Palau, or a similar tropical climate and you’re passionate about native plant gardening, dechus could be worth seeking out from local native plant sources or botanical gardens.
Just be prepared to be something of an experimenter. You might find yourself learning alongside the plant, which can be one of the more rewarding aspects of gardening with lesser-known natives.
While we wait for more detailed cultivation information to become available, consider exploring other well-documented Pacific island natives that can provide similar ecological benefits with more established growing guidelines. Your local native plant society or botanical garden can be invaluable resources for discovering these alternatives.
