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.
Summer Stargazing
Take advantage of Maui’s warm summer nights by gazing up into the star speckled sky.
Behold the Lobelia
The Lobelia Grayana is an endangered lavender flower that grows in Waikamoi Preserve on Maui. Ancient Hawaiians called this plant opelu.
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.
The Right Stuff
Discover the endemic yellow mao blossom, its history, ancient and modern uses, and where to catch a glimpse of it right here on Maui.
Bats on the Wing
When the Polynesians first made landfall in Hawaii, their closest relative here was a bat.
Wave Chasers: Sanderlings
Global populations of sanderlings numbers around 700,000—but only a few hundred hunakai call Hawai‘i home.
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.
Hurricane Season
Official hurricane season in Hawaii runs from June to November and August is by far the biggest month for these events.
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.
Hercules of the Hawaiian Streams
Oopu nakea is the largest and most abundant of five native Hawaiian goby species, famous for their ability to climb steep waterfalls.
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.
All You Need Is Grub
Only around five hundred wild parrotbills exist today, in the remote rainforests of East Maui.
Beach Naupaka: Opera by the Sea
Native Hawaiian naupaka is a beach shrub with worthy gems to offer the budding botanist.
Seasonal Reds
Bright red poinsettias are a familiar sight in the Hawaiian Islands during the holidays.
James Bond, Caterpillar
Hawaiian scientists have discovered tiny caterpillars that climb, spin webs, and eat escargot! Meet Hyposomocoma, a native Hawaiian genus of moths with highly a charismatic caterpillar stage.
The Urchin and the Hala Tree
Learn about hala trees (Pandanus tectorius), which are among Hawai‘i’s most recognizable and versatile native plants.
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.
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...