Donate to Maui Nui Botanical Gardens

Reasons to Give

  • Seed storage of threatened native plant populations – Conservation groups and other land managers in Maui County work hard to protect native forests, wetlands, and coastlines. Our staff collect, process, and store seeds to represent endemic plant populations on those lands in partnership with these managers. This process keeps seeds alive for many years as a future propagule source, which buys time to control threats like invasive plants and animals and provides propagules for research into solutions to new threats.
  • Perpetuation of heritage Hawaiian varieties – Long before the creation of hula or feather cloaks, Hawaiian farmers had developed hundreds of unique cultivated varieties of Polynesian introduced plants, most notably kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potato), kō (sugarcane), mai‘a (banana), and ‘awa (kava). These represent an agricultural resource that must be maintained by both po‘e Hawai‘i (Hawaiian people) and po‘e malihini (non-Hawaiians) to persist. MNBG is part of a statewide network that works to verify and grow these cultivars for distribution to the public. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @mauinuibg for notifications of plant giveaways.
  • A public native plant landscape – Residents receive free admission, may collect for traditional use, and get consultations about which native plants might work for their property.
  • Education and events – We host free school activities such as ethnobotany tours, service learning, and cultural activities, and free annual events like Lā ‘Ulu Breadfruit Day and the Arbor Day Garden Expo and Tree Give Away.

Other ways to support us:

  • Volunteer – The Weed and Pot Club meets from 8:30 to 10:30 am every Wednesday. Wear covered shoes, bring a water bottle and sun protection and we will provide the rest. No reservation necessary.
  • Take a class – Check out our Workshops and Events calendar to register for upcoming classes.
  • Schedule a tour – Reserve an ethnobotany tour and get hands-on experience with the traditional uses of the plants in our collection. $10 for residents and $20 for visitors, by reservation only.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.