Mahalo to our Supporters and Donors
Home » Go Native App » Pili (Heteropogon contortus)
Search

Site Conditions?

Select appropriate response below to feature plants best adapted to the environmental conditions where you live.

Exposure?

Select what best represents the amount of sunlight at the planting site.

Water Requirements?

The amount of water the plant needs: 1 is lowest, 5 is highest. Learn more.

Well Drained Soil?

Plant prefers well-drained soil. Learn more.

Salt Tolerant?

Salt tolerance is variable. If your site is right on the coast with direct salt spray, do some additional research to determine its tolerance. Learn more.

Elevation?

If the plant grows better above or below 2,000' in elevation. Learn more.

Landscaping Attributes?

Appropriate selections below will feature plants best adapted to your landscape design needs.

Plant Form?

The plant's growth form.

Landscape Uses?

Select the landscape design role you are looking for. Learn more.

Plant Height?

The range of height of a fully-grown plant, in feet.

Plant Width?

The range of width of a fully-grown plant, in feet.

Flower Color?

Select a flower color or other attractive feature to filter for those plants. Learn more.

Plant Temperament?

Appropriate selections below will further refine the list to feature plants that meet your specific needs.

Good For Novices??

Select options below to match your gardening experience. Learn more.

Spreader??

If the plant spreads or not. Learn more.

Degree of Spread?

If the plant spreads, how evenly. Learn more.

Short Lived??

Whether or not the plant is short-lived. Learn more.

Pruning Needs?

If the plant needs pruning or not. Learn more.

Availability?

How easy it is to find the plant. Learn more.

Additional Criteria

Ethnobotany Uses?

How the Ancient Hawaiians used the plant: food, tools, shelter, canoes, medicine, spiritual, crafts, lei, ornamental, and/or fire.

Plants' Presence by Island?

Not all native plants, birds occur on all islands. Select to show only what naturally occurs on your island. Learn more.

Valued by Birds?

Select a native forest bird to feature plants beneficial to/associated with that bird. Learn more.

Valued by Bees??

Select to feature plants valued by native yellow-faced bees and/or honeybees. Learn more.

Federal Status?

The federal status of the plant (Endangered, Threatened, or Not listed) based on the US Fish and Wildlife Services Environmental Conservation Online System as of 6/26/2024. Also see "Population Status" designations (PEPP, SWAP). Learn more.

Population Status?

Protection status for the plant under Federal and Hawai'I state laws. Learn more.

Origin?

The native status of the plant in Hawaiʻi: Indigenous (found natively throughout Hawaiʻi), Endemic (found natively in specific areas), or Canoe (brought to Hawaiʻi by Ancient Hawaiians from other places in Polynesia). Learn more.

History
No recent plants found.
Title Placeholder
Subtitle Placeholder
✖
Favorites

You must register and log in to use the Favorites feature.

Register
Mahalo to our Supporters and Donors

    Pili

    Adaptable bunchgrass makes a nice accent plant in dry sunny areas. Drought tolerant, but will green up nicely with regular water. Tall and shorter forms available.

    Scientific NameHeteropogon contortus
    Federal Status?

    The federal status of the plant (Endangered, Threatened, or Not listed) based on the US Fish and Wildlife Services Environmental Conservation Online System as of 6/26/2024. Also see "Population Status" designations (PEPP, SWAP). Learn more.

    None
    Common Name?

    The Hawaiian name(s) or other common name(s) of the plant.

    Pili
    Family?

    The taxonomic family for the plant.

    Poaceae
    Other Common Names?

    Other names the plant may be called.

    Black speargrass, Tanglehead

    Does your site's environmental conditions meet this plant's needs?

    Climate Zones?

    The climate zones where this plant grows best. Learn more.

    Coastal Arid
    ✔
    Coastal Dry
    ✔
    Coastal Mesic
    ✔
    Coastal Wet
    ✖
    Inland Arid
    ✔
    Inland Dry
    ✔
    Inland Mesic
    ✔
    Inland Wet
    ✖
    Salt Tolerant?

    Salt tolerance is variable. If your site is right on the coast with direct salt spray, do some additional research to determine its tolerance. Learn more.

    Yes
    Preferred Elevation?

    If the plant grows better above or below 2,000' in elevation. Learn more.

    No preference
    Exposure?

    Select what best represents the amount of sunlight at the planting site.

    Full Sun
    ✔
    Partial Sun
    ✖
    Shade
    ✖
    Water Requirements?

    The amount of water the plant needs: 1 is lowest, 5 is highest. Learn more.

    1-3
    Well Drained Soil?

    Plant prefers well-drained soil. Learn more.

    Yes

    Does this plant meet your landscaping needs?

    Plant Form?

    The plant's growth form.

    Grass
    Height?

    The range of height of a fully-grown plant, in feet.

    1.3-4'
    Width?

    The range of width of a fully-grown plant, in feet.

    1.5-3'
    Landscape Uses?

    Select the landscape design role you are looking for. Learn more.

    Accent, Ground Cover, Hedge, Fragrant
    Flower Colors?

    Select a flower color or other attractive feature to filter for those plants. Learn more.

    Other, Decorative Seed Heads
    Seeds heads can be decorative en masse.

    Does this plant have the personality you're looking for?

    Availability?

    How easy it is to find the plant. Learn more.

    Common
    Good for Novices??

    Select options below to match your gardening experience. Learn more.

    Easy
    Long-lived??

    Whether or not the plant is short-lived. Learn more.

    No
    Degree of Spread?

    If the plant spreads, how evenly. Learn more.

    Variable
    Pruning Needs?

    If the plant needs pruning or not. Learn more.

    Easily shaped

    Prune to encourage growth and to shape, but do not prune more than 1/3 of stems at a time.

    Does this plant provide the ecosystem and/or ethnotobanical benefits you're looking for?

    The leaves were used for matresses, as tinder, to pad floors, and in charcoal form, to make a black dye.

    Ethnobotany Uses?

    How the Ancient Hawaiians used the plant: food, tools, shelter, canoes, medicine, spiritual, crafts, lei, ornamental, and/or fire.

    Medicine, Shelter
    Islands?

    Not all native plants, birds occur on all islands. Select to show only what naturally occurs on your island. Learn more.

    Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lanaʻi, Maui, Hawaiʻi
    Population Status?

    Protection status for the plant under Federal and Hawai'I state laws. Learn more.

    SWAP, Important interaction
    Origin?

    The native status of the plant in Hawaiʻi: Indigenous (found natively throughout Hawaiʻi), Endemic (found natively in specific areas), or Canoe (brought to Hawaiʻi by Ancient Hawaiians from other places in Polynesia). Learn more.

    Indigenous

    Welcome to the Go Native App

    Things will go here.