Hawaii Native and Polynesian-Introduced Plants

• Hu`a Lele – A fascinating natural feature in Makaīwa Bay, East Maui

  Makaīwa Bay is located about three quarters of a mile northeast of the village of Kailua below Hāna Highway along the north coast of East Maui. `O`opuola Stream that flows…

  November 21, 2021

• Vulnerability of Coastal Dune Plants to Sea Level Rise

  by Dr. Kasey Barton, School of Life Sciences, UH-Mānoa Beaches are an integral part of life in Hawai‘i. Providing recreation, tranquility, a site for celebration and mourning, and even sustenance,…

  August 23, 2021

• Seeds Sprout After 120 Years!

  by Cathy Davenport, Seed Storage Technician, MNBG Dr. William James Beal began a study in 1879 to test seed dormancy. 142 years later the study is still going on, much…

  July 20, 2021

• Seed Storage and Heritage Crop Distribution

  MNBG staff highlighting some plants that benefit from our seed storage and Hawaiian heritage crop distribution efforts.

  June 1, 2020

• A Virtual Introduction to Some of the Hawaiian Plants in the MNBG Collection

  MNBG Executive Director, Tamara Sherrill, virtually introduced some Hawaiian plants and trees to our friends at the City of Miami’s Sustainachella Tree and Plant Rehab Workshop

  April 30, 2020

• Floral emblems of the islands: Maui’s non-native rose

  By: Tamara Sherrill If you’ve heard about the lei flower or plant representing each Hawaiian island, you may have noticed that most are native. Maui’s flower, the Lokelani Rose, is…

  September 1, 2019

• Nā ana o Hawai‘i: Hawaiian Body Measurements

  by Kara Ueki Have you worked in your yard and found yourself needing a measuring tape? Ancient Hawaiians found ways to approximate measurements by using the body! What’s great is…

  May 11, 2019

• ‘Ōhi‘a Seed Banking Initiative

  By Kaili Kosaka The seed bank at MNBG has gotten a lot busier these days. Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD) is of growing concern on Hawai‘i Island and the threat of…

  March 15, 2018

• Loulu – Hawai’i’s Native Palm

  By: Robert W. Hobdy, MNBG Board member From the Fall 2016 MNBG Newsletter Loulu is the Hawaiian name referring to all of the palm species of the genus Pritchardia found…

  September 1, 2016

• Seed banking to support a diversity of coastal plants

  by Tamara Sherrill How many native plants grow on your favorite Maui beach? If you are like me, your favorite South shore beach has two: naupaka kahakai and pōhuehue, and…

  September 25, 2015