Branch out this weekend and attend 11th Plant People Road Show in Kailua-Kona

Fall is in the air and itʻs time for planting and sprucing up your landscape.

Get some great ideas from the islandʻs friendly mom-and-pop nursery folks while you shop a large selection of tropical and temperate plants during the 11th Plant People Road Show from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 25 at Maka‘eo Pavilion at Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area in Kailua-Kona.

“In addition to landscape and bedding plants, we will have multi-colored anthuriums and orchids suitable for the island’s varied climates,” said Peter DeMello in the announcement about the upcoming event.

DeMello’s company offers exotic looking tillandsias, better know as air plants.

These showstoppers grow affixed to rocks and other plants, livening up any landscape. Their spiky leaves also are covered with specialized cells that are capable of rapidly absorbing moisture and nutrients.

Admission to Plant People Road Show is free. Attendees are encourage to bring boxes to carry their purchases.

This year’s participating growers hail from around the island:

• Chitosi Tsumura of C&T Products in Kea‘au features many varieties and colors of long-lasting, heart-shaped anthuriums.
• Peter and Kay DeMello of DeMello Air Plants of Kona provide 50 varieties of easy-care air plants.
• Jennifer Snyder and Bob Harris of OrchidPeople in Waimea offer their largest selection ever of cool and warm-tolerant cymbidium orchids. Find exciting new varieties and colors in mini to standard size and get tips on growing orchids.
• Phoenicia and Bob Zeller of Pele’s Island Plants in Ocean View grow select and hard-to-find orchid varieties, assorted cactus and succulents. Find choices for the collector and hobbyist.
• Kari Hagerman of Pomaika‘i Plant Co. of Waimea is bringing grafted fruit trees, herbs, veggies, bedding plants, lavender, hibiscus, Brindabella roses and Silver Dollar eucalyptus.

Plant People Road Show stages two sales annually, the first near Valentine’s Day and another during the fall.

Its direct, nursery-customer setting enables growers to meet the public and get feedback while providing expert growing guidance.

Call 808-987-3231 and follow Plant People Road Show on Facebook for additional information.

Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area is located at 75-5560 Kuakini Highway.