Keikei: A Rare Pacific Island Native Worth Knowing About
If you’re passionate about native plants and have a connection to the Pacific islands, you might be intrigued by keikei (Salacia forsteniana). This lesser-known shrub represents the unique flora of Guam and Palau, though it’s certainly not your typical garden center find.
What Is Keikei?
Keikei is a perennial shrub that’s native to the Pacific Basin, specifically found in Guam and Palau. Like most shrubs, it’s a multi-stemmed woody plant that typically grows less than 13 to 16 feet tall, though it can sometimes grow taller or develop a single stem depending on environmental conditions.
This plant grows naturally in Guam and Palau, making it a true representative of Pacific island biodiversity.
Should You Grow Keikei?
Here’s where things get interesting – and a bit challenging. Keikei appears to be quite rare in cultivation, and there’s limited information available about its growing requirements, appearance, or availability in the nursery trade.
The Reality Check
While keikei might sound appealing as a native Pacific plant, several factors make it impractical for most gardeners:
- Extremely limited availability in nurseries
- Unknown growing requirements and care instructions
- Unclear hardiness zones and climate needs
- Limited information about its appearance and landscape value
If You’re Determined to Find Keikei
Should you somehow encounter this rare shrub, remember that responsible sourcing is crucial. Given its limited distribution and apparent rarity, any specimens should come from reputable sources that practice sustainable propagation – never from wild collection.
What We Know About Care
Unfortunately, specific growing conditions, planting tips, and care requirements for keikei aren’t well-documented in horticultural literature. As a Pacific island native, it likely prefers:
- Warm, tropical to subtropical conditions
- Well-draining soil
- Protection from cold temperatures
Better Alternatives for Your Garden
If you’re drawn to Pacific island natives but keikei proves elusive (which it likely will), consider researching other native plants from your specific region. Every area has wonderful native shrubs that are better documented, more readily available, and equally worthy of garden space.
For those in tropical or subtropical zones, focus on well-established native plants that offer proven benefits to local wildlife and ecosystems – and come with reliable growing information!
The Bottom Line
Keikei represents the fascinating diversity of Pacific island flora, but it’s more of a botanical curiosity than a practical garden choice for most of us. Sometimes the most responsible approach to rare native plants is simply appreciating them in their natural habitat and supporting conservation efforts rather than trying to grow them in our gardens.
If you’re passionate about Pacific island plants, consider connecting with botanical gardens or conservation organizations in Guam and Palau – they might have insights into this intriguing but elusive shrub.
