Vegetable Vampire
kauna‘oa, a Native Hawaiian medicinal plant and the official flower of Lanai, is as beautiful as it is deadly, earning it the ominous reputation as a vampire plant.
When Fire Meets Ice
The volcano goddess Pele created the tallest mountains in Hawaii — Mauna Kea and Haleakala — but those peaks are also home to her snow goddess rivals.
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 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.
Haleakalā Silverswords
Summer is the prime time to observe an only-on-Maui botanical phenomenon: the blooming of the Haleakalā silverswords.
All You Need Is Grub
Only around five hundred wild parrotbills exist today, in the remote rainforests of East Maui.
The Urchin and the Hala Tree
Learn about hala trees (Pandanus tectorius), which are among Hawai‘i’s most recognizable and versatile native plants.
Longboarding
Along the coast of Maui, few things sing summertime more than the wide, rolling southern swells dotted with longboarders.
Koli‘i: The RuPaul of the Rain Forest
The native lobelia, koli'i spreads an umbrella of pink blossoms in late summer.
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.
A Fern by Any Other Name
Two attractive fern species in Hawai‘i share the name laua‘e. Both are beloved by lei makers and Hawaiian cultural practitioners.
The Steadfast ‘A‘ali‘i
The native Hawaiian shrub 'a'ali'i is as tough as it is beautiful. Learn about its role in restoring ecosystems, and its uses for Hawaii's lei makers and crafters.
Grow Your Own Fireworks
Celebrate the Fourth of July with a different kind of firecracker, the papala. This endemic Hawaiian plant is a Roman candle made by nature.
Hawaiian Sandalwood: Aboreal Gold
The story of Hawaiian sandalwood is a sad one, but it's not over yet.
Rainy Season
Ho‘oilo starts in November and marks the rainy season in Hawaii. Micro climates and rain fall varies with wind, geography and elevation.
Spring Serenade
In springtime, Hawaiian petrels, or ‘ua‘u, return after many months at sea to their underground nests atop Maui’s 10,023-foot-tall volcano.
Hurricane Season
Official hurricane season in Hawaii runs from June to November and August is by far the biggest month for these events.
Return of the Wiliwili
This native tree breaks all the rules. It grows on barren lava fields, loses its leaves in summer, and, faced with a deadly invasive pest, backed away from the brink of extinction.
Shark Pups
When you enter the ocean this fall, remember that it’s not just the sharks’ home; it’s their nursery.
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.
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.
Behold the Lobelia
The Lobelia Grayana is an endangered lavender flower that grows in Waikamoi Preserve on Maui. Ancient Hawaiians called this plant opelu.
Turtle Tracks
Since 1996, volunteers have helped Hawaiian hawksbills turtles reach the ocean, and you can too.
Maui Events & News
Imua Family Services’ Will Smith Discovery Garden
A World of Pure Imagination
Story by Savy Janssen
Photographs by Jason Moore
Sunlight filtered through the outstretched arms of the 120-year-old monkey pod trees, and...
