Medicinal Plants from the Garden – Calendula: An Herb for Wise Women
By Brittany P. Anderson The midwife holds a clear bag of dried herbs over a large box. The box is filled with supplies in preparation for the impending birth. She explains each item contained within the homebirth kit to the…
Planting the Forest Back Together
By Rachel Laderman The Kealakekua Forest Nursery (KFN) is the biggest native plant nursery in the state, and it is run with a big heart, driven by love for the land and Hawaiian heritage. It provides seedlings for many reforestation projects,…
Casa de Las Palmas: Hilo’s Sanctuary for Rare and Endangered Palms
By Sara Stover On an unassuming country road outside of Hilo, perched above the ancient waters of Waiākea Stream, grows a menagerie of rare and endangered palms. Before you even step foot onto the grounds of Casa de Las Palmas…
Medicinal Plants from the Garden: Unlock the Healing and Cleansing Power of Lemon
By Brittany P. Anderson A young boy reaches his hand into a branch of shiny green foliage, palming a bright yellow, slightly oblong fruit. The tree sways as he tugs to release the object of his desire. Bringing his hand…
Ipu Stories—From Seed to Stage
By Nancy S. Kahalewai There are few things as unique as the feel, shape, sound, texture, decoration, source, and even lineage of a Hawaiian ipu drum. Pahu (drums) are part of the bedrock of traditional Hawaiian hula traditions, dancing, and…
Medicinal Plants from the Garden: The Comfort of Comfrey
By Brittany P. Anderson Green lance-shaped leaves fall over themselves in compact clusters, with a fuzz about them like a clump of rabbit ears waiting to be pet. The leaves are coarse to the touch, while purple bell flowers dangle…
The Gift of Trees: Hilo Nursery Arboretum
By Brittany P. Anderson In the heart of Hilo, between the old downtown and new city center, sits the Hilo Nursery Arboretum. As cars bustle along Kīlauea Avenue, a chicken shuttles her chicks to gather under the shade of one…
Seeds of a New Industry: A History of Cannabis on Hawai‘i Island
Editor’s Note: Our local agriculture feature story was originally planned to cover the production of Hawai‘i’s legal cannabis crop. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were unable to pursue it. Instead, here is an overview and history of…
Hilo’s History Through the Banyan Trees
By Denise Laitinen During the 1930s, a virtual who’s who of celebrities, sports stars, and politicians including our nation’s 32nd president all made their way to Hilo. While here, many participated in planting a banyan tree on the Waiākea Peninsula.…
A Taste of Hawai’i Island’s Vanilla Industry: Anything but Plain
By Brittany P. Anderson As the day’s first light sneaks over the horizon, a light green orchid blooms in a tangle of vines. A flurry of activity buzzes around the flower. With a swift hand, the orchid is pollinated, ready…
Mālama Mokupuni—Caring for Our Island Environment: Saving ‘Oha Wai—How a Rare Hawaiian Plant Has Been Given Life
By Rachel Laderman “When we think something is gone and we find it again—there aren’t adequate words to describe it,” says Rob Robichaux, University of Arizona professor and rare plant recovery collaborator. “It’s beyond thrilling.” In about 1999, the last…
The Past is Present: Kalo Farming on Hawai‘i Island
By Brittany P. Anderson There is a story behind every plant on Hawai‘i Island. Sometimes it is a legend of betrayal, sometimes a voyage across the Pacific Ocean, or an accidental introduction to our island home. The tale of kalo…
The Cultivating Life: Agroforestry Expert Craig Elevitch
By Brittany P. Anderson A cool breeze runs through the dense forests of Hōlualoa, perched on the slope of Hualālai Volcano in North Kona. Here, the woods are brimming with avocado, ‘ulu (breadfruit), macadamia nut, coffee, and fruit trees. Once…
For the Love of Cacao: Highlighting East Hawai‘i Cacao Farmers
By Brittany P. Anderson A Hawai‘i Island farmer once told me, “Plant some; if it grows, plant some more,” and that’s just what East Hawai‘i cacao farmers are doing. From the lava scalded shores of Puna to the rolling hills…
La‘au Lapa‘au: Medicinal Plants and their Healing Properties
By Marcia Timboy Hawai‘i is viewed throughout the world as a place of rest and rejuvenation, a concept that is deeply rooted in and supported by the healing environment of our islands. Ancestral wellness wisdom is the basis of the…
Mālama Mokupuni–Caring for Our Island Environment: A Walk through a Home Food Forest
By Rachel Laderman Stepping onto the narrow path of a food forest, the first thing you notice is the cool, quiet peacefulness. In the dappled shade, you see a variety of leaf forms, textures, and colors—dancing oval katuk (sweet leaf…
Local Foods: Hawai‘i Island Hō‘i‘o (Fiddlehead Fern)
By Brittany P. Anderson It’s one of those rainy days, when the sky is filled with endless layers of clouds painted with broad strokes of lilac and gray. Looking out at the ocean, I see dark indigo patches of rain…
Tropical Edibles: Dreaming of an Island Eden
By Lara Hughes The Dream On the mauka (mountain) side of the Māmalahoa Highway on the slopes where Hualālai and Maunaloa meet overlooking Kealakekua Bay, you can find a garden vision brought to fruition. Hailing from different places around the…
Hawai‘i Island Tea – Craft Brew
By Brittany P. Anderson The quest for Hawai‘i Island grown tea starts with the perfect storm of volcanic acidic soil and humidity. Those bold enough to take the journey tend to their plants with patience and a kind hand. The…
Edible Flower Power: A Recipe for Floral Ice Cubes
By Brittany P. Anderson My puppy, Ku‘u Lei, bounds around the backyard plucking flowers from their branches, then playfully running about with flowers in his mouth like a little prince. He only drops the flowers to chew on their petals.…
Healing Plants: ‘A‘ali‘i
Attractive native for landscapes and healing By Barbara Fahs Many of us probably know the Hawaiian word ali‘i: it refers to a reigning noble of any kind. When an “a” is added to this word, it means “of” the royalty.…
Plainly Vanilla
By Sonia R. Martinez The term ‘vanilla’ is used commonly as a synonym meaning plain or basic. Nothing is further from the truth! Vanilla is a rich and complex ‘spice’ used in almost all parts of the world. Vanilla originated…
Healing Plants: Vervain
Don’t whack that weed! Vervain packs a practical punch all its own By Barbara Fahs Vervain looks a bit like mint, which is its relative, so it’s easy to identify. However, it has no distinctive minty fragrance. Called ha‘uoi and…
Healing Plants: Lau Kahi, an All-Around Helpful “Weed”
By Barbara Fahs If you have a lawn, a pasture, or garden beds, you have probably mowed, weed whacked, or pulled out lau kahi. Commonly called plantain, this small broadleaf herb has no relationship to the plantains we know as…
Healing Plants: Māmaki, The “Stingless” Stinging Nettle
By Barbara Fahs You might have seen dried māmaki leaves for sale at your local drug store or farmers market. Tea made from this endemic Hawaiian plant is tasty and popular. Known as Pipturis albidus, māmaki is a perennial shrub…
Healing Plants – ‘Uhaloa: Wonderful Weed is Useful for Many Ailments
By Barbara Fahs Residents in lower elevations on all Hawaiian Islands might have noticed a grey-green plant growing in seemingly impossible places on their properties. The plant is not especially attractive, so many people remove it from their carefully designed…
Healing Plants: Pōpolo – Foundation of the Hawaiian Pharmacy
By Barbara Fahs Related to tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers in the nightshade family, pōpolo, also known as Solanum nigrum or black nightshade, was a common medicinal plant in Hawai‘i until modern times. Like its culinary relatives, pōpolo is a small…
Healing Plants: Pohe Kula
A small wild plant you want to remember By Barbara Fahs Having trouble remembering things? Perhaps you have taken Ginkgo biloba, a popular herbal supplement that is available at health food stores and pharmacies in easy-to-take capsule form. The website…
The Man Behind the Flowers: Peter Honeyman Transforms Botany Into Art
By Le‘a Gleason Peter Honeyman stands inside a booth at the Hilo Farmers Market addressing passersby. “That’s not silk, it’s not a fabric, not a synthetic. They’re all the real thing,” he says, pointing. It’s hot. Everyone who passes by…
In The Shadow Of The Sandalwood: The Plight Of The Wiliwili
By Stig Lindholm In Hawaiian legend, when the god Kāne threw his calabash into the void of space, everything Hawai‘i was created: the sky, the earth, and the ocean. Then, in and upon those mediums, Kāne bestowed life. To the…
