We Give You the Raspberry
‘Akala, the native Hawaiian raspberry, is one of the native plants bringing life back to Poli Poli forest after last January’s devastating fire.
Spring Cleaning
‘Awapuhi is one of the twenty-seven species known as “canoe plants”—plants the first Hawaiians carried with them and relied on when colonizing these Islands.
Hawaiian Owl: Love Is in the Air
Autumn is a thrilling time for Hawaiian owls and those who admire them.
Oh, Hello!
Deck the halls this season with Hawaiian ohelo berries, a sacred yet edible plant endemic to Hawaii. They are also a nice alternative to cranberries.
The Voice of the Ulili
The “wandering tattler spends the summer nesting near streams in the Alaskan tundra. When the weather starts to cool, the birds fly south to Hawai‘i.
Hala: The Hawaiian Aphrodisiac
When foraging for plants to kindle romance, the love-struck Hawaiian had no further to look than the distinctive Hala tree.
Wetland Chic: Ae‘o Stilts
Summer is the season to look for an exceptionally photogenic shorebird: ae‘o, the Hawaiian black-necked stilt.
On The Wing
Entomologists fear this endemic butterfly, our official state insect, may be disappearing from forests.
The Hawaiian Sphinx’s Riddle
Hawaiian Sphinx Moth is endangered and rare with many bright colors and can found in the winter months in a nocturnal environment.
Casting Call
As summer ripens, local fishermen start scanning the shoreline for oama, or baby goatfish.
Hawaiian Turmeric
Turmeric is prized around the world for its yellow color, bold flavor, and medicinal properties. When Polynesian voyagers first sailed to Hawai‘i, they brought the pungent herb with them.
Kanawao: Hawai‘i’s Hydrangea
Beautiful and distinctive kanawao shrubs decorate rain forests across Hawai‘i.
Haleakalā Silverswords
Summer is the prime time to observe an only-on-Maui botanical phenomenon: the blooming of the Haleakalā silverswords.
Welcome Home, Kolea!
Every autumn, Hawai‘i welcomes home a beloved snowbird, the Pacific golden plover (Pluvialis fulva), known to Hawaiians as kolea.
The One That Got Away?
Ulua are no easy catch. The powerful, deep-sea-dwelling predators can weigh over 100 pounds. And they’re smart.
Holding the Sea at Bay
‘Aki‘aki, also known as seashore rush grass, is an indigenous ground cover that thrives in salty, sun-blasted environments.
Jacarandas
Each spring the tall jacaranda trees lining the Upcountry Maui roadsides begin their slow explosion of color.
Winter Surf
For Islanders, nothing signals winter quite like the smell of deep ocean swells and the pounding thud of giant surf.
Seasonal Reds
Bright red poinsettias are a familiar sight in the Hawaiian Islands during the holidays.
Nene Nursery
In 1962, biologists reintroduced several breeding pairs of nene to Haleakala National Park, and now around 300 nene call the park home. Nene goslings take up to three months learning to fly and need special attention during this vulnerable time.
