Hawaii: Plant Hardiness Zones, Climate & Soil Conditions

Our experienced writers spend hours deep researching, considering both scientific and experimental info to bring the insights you can trust.  

The leading traditional crops, sugarcane and pineapple, are grown on large plantations.

Fruits and vegetables are grown for local consumption, while greenhouse and nursery products, papayas, macadamia nuts, and coffee are grown for export.

Hawaii Island is particularly known for its production of macadamia nuts, papaya, banana, guava, avocado, and other specialty tropical fruits.

US Plant Hardiness Zone for Hawaii

Firstly let us have a glimpse of the US Plant Hardiness Zone Map of the state.

Plant Hardiness Zone Map for Hawaii

Climate

Hawaii, the oceanic American state, is tropical but experiences four different climate zones: tropical, arid, temperate, and polar based on altitude and topography on the constituent islands. 

The state comes under the 9-13a zone. Summer average high temperatures peak at 84°F, as highs usually do not breach 90°F, while the lows seldom drop below 70°F.

Winter average high temperatures are usually at 79°F, and the lows seldom dip below 65°F at night.

Precipitation

The Hawaiian Islands mainly exhibit two seasons: dry from May to September, which is hot and receives a minor amount of rain, and wet from October to April, which is warm and aggregates the majority of the annual precipitation of 32 inches.

Snow falls at higher altitudes such as Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa during the winter.

Mount Waialeale on Kauai records an average annual rainfall of 460 inches per year, which is the second-highest average annual rainfall on Earth.

Soil Type

The below maps will give us some information about the various ecoregions of the state.

Now let us understand the soil order distribution.

Soil Order For Hawaii

Soil OrderLocationCharacterstics
AndisolsKauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and HawaiiAndisols are dominated by short-range-order minerals or Al-humus complexes.
AridosolsKauai, Molokai, Maui, HawaiiThe redistribution and accumulation of soluble materials in some layers of the soils are common
EntisolsKauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and HawaiiEntisols have no diagnostic horizons.
HistosolsKauai, Oahu, Maui, and HawaiiHistosols are forming in organic soil materials.
InceptisolsKauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and HawaiiInceptisols are soils of cool to very warm, humid, and sub-humid regions.
MollisolsKauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and HawaiiMollisols have a mollic epipedon.
OxisolsKauai, Oahu, Molokai, MauiUstox is the Oxisols that have a ustic moisture regime.
UltisolsKauai, Oahu, Molokai, MauiUltisols are an ochric epipedon and an argillic or kandic horizon that has few bases and commonly is calcium deficient.
VertisolsKauai, Oahu, MolokaiVertisols are clayey soils that have deep, wide cracks for some time during the year.

Best Fruits / Veggies to Grow in the State

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