In Season

When in bloom—as it is about now—mamane is an explosion of color: bursts of yellow petals.

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.

The annual East Maui Taro Festival in Hana is the perfect opportunity to learn about—and taste—this delicacy.

‘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.

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.

Summer is the prime time to observe an only-on-Maui botanical phenomenon: the blooming of the Haleakalā silverswords.

Bright red poinsettias are a familiar sight in the Hawaiian Islands during the holidays.

Learn about hala trees (Pandanus tectorius), which are among Hawai‘i’s most recognizable and versatile native plants.

Autumn is a thrilling time for Hawaiian owls and those who admire them.

Wedge-tailed shearwaters spend the majority of their lives at sea, where they feed on baitfish and squid. They return to Hawai'i each spring to nest.

‘Aki‘aki, also known as seashore rush grass, is an indigenous ground cover that thrives in salty, sun-blasted environments.

Look out for Hawai'i's official State Mammal; it's pupping time.

Seven species of uhu dwell in Hawaiian waters, including three endemics.

Lobster season closes to allow Hawaiian spiny lobsters a chance to reproduce.

As summer ripens, local fishermen start scanning the shoreline for oama, or baby goatfish.

Summer is the season to look for an exceptionally photogenic shorebird: ae‘o, the Hawaiian black-necked stilt.

Which Hawaiian animal can swim, “fly,” and “walk” on water? The humble mālolo, or flying fish.

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.

Each spring the tall jacaranda trees lining the Upcountry Maui roadsides begin their slow explosion of color.

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 the Polynesians first made landfall in Hawaii, their closest relative here was a bat.

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.

Every winter, Hawaii entertains around 4,000 North Pacific humpback whales returning from their summer vacations in Alaska.

Ho‘oilo starts in November and marks the rainy season in Hawaii. Micro climates and rain fall varies with wind, geography and elevation.

Decorate your holiday table with a wreath of island flora featuring ‘ūlei.

Maui's delicious lychee season spans the summer from May to August.

Few people know that plumeria has a true Hawaiian cousin: hōlei. This rare tree species is endemic to the dry forests of East Maui.