Every plant growing at our fishpond tells a story. Some stabilize the shoreline, some provide food, and others were traditionally used for medicine, weaving, or ceremonies. Explore the native plants that help us sustain this place and the people that care for it. Click on the plant icons to learn about them.

Native Species
Invasive Species
Garden Bed

Explore the Fishpond

A living classroom and restoration site. Explore the plants and places that help sustain our fishpond, our comunity, and our future.

How to Explore

  • Click a plant on the map.
  • Read about its cultural significance.
  • Learn how it supports the fishpond.

Coconut Trees

– Scientific Name: Cocos -Nucifera

– Hawaiian Name: Niu

Native

The coconut tree is one of Hawai’i’s most useful canoe plants. Nearly every part of the tree has traditionally been used for food, shelter, tools, and everyday life.
Polynesian voyagers intentionally brought coconuts to Hawai’i, where they became an important resource for coastal communities.
  • Food and drinking water
  • Coconut oil
  • Leaves for weaving
  • Husks for cordage
  • Wood for construction
Coconut palms help stabilize coastal shorelines and provide habitat for many coastal species.
A coconut can float across the ocean for months before sprouting.

Ti Leaf

– Scientific Name: Cordyline fruticosa

– Hawaiian Name: Ki

Garden Bed

Ti leaf is a beloved canoe plant brought to Hawaiʻi by early Polynesian voyagers. It is widely grown for its beauty, cultural importance, and many practical uses in Hawaiian life.
Ti plants are considered symbols of protection, good fortune, and spiritual power. Their leaves are often used in ceremonies, hula, lei making, and around homes to represent blessings and ward off negative energy.
  • Wrapped around food for cooking
  • Used to weave leis and skirts
  • Made into rain capes and sandals
  • Used in cultural ceremonies and blessings
  • Planted around homes for protection
 
Ti plants thrive in warm, humid environments with well-drained soil and partial to full sunlight. They are easy to grow and commonly found in gardens throughout Hawaiʻi.
Ti leaves can remain green for months after being picked, making them ideal for leis, decorations, and wrapping food during traditional celebrations.

Mango

– Scientific Name: Mangifera indica

– Hawaiian Name: Māno

Garden Bed

Mango trees are tropical fruit trees widely grown throughout Hawaiʻi for their sweet, nutritious fruit. They provide shade, food, and habitat while contributing to the diversity of the garden.
Although mangoes are not native to Hawaiʻi, they have become an important part of local agriculture and community life. During the summer months, mango season brings families and neighbors together to harvest and share fruit.
  • Eaten fresh when ripe
  • Used in smoothies, deserts, and preserves
  • Green mangos are enjoyed in local dishes
  • Provides shade in gardens and gathering spaces
  • Supports birds and beneficial insects
Mango trees provide shade that helps keep the surrounding soil cool and moist. Their flowers attract pollinators, while their dense canopy offers shelter for birds and other wildlife.
A mature mango tree can produce hundreds of fruits in a single season, and some trees continue producing fruit for over one hundred years.

Monkeypod

– Scientific Name: Samanea saman

Invasive

Monkeypod is a large, fast-growing tree introduced to Hawaiʻi. While it provides abundant shade, it spreads easily and can outcompete native vegetation by dominating the canopy and taking up space needed by native plants.
Its wide canopy blocks sunlight from reaching smaller native plants, while its extensive root system competes for water and nutrients. This can reduce native biodiversity in affected areas.
Managing Monkeypod often involves monitoring young seedlings and preventing unwanted spread into restoration areas where native species are being reestablished.
Monkeypod commonly grows in parks, roadsides, open fields, and disturbed landscapes throughout Hawaiʻi, where it thrives in warm tropical climates.
Monkeypod trees can develop canopies over 100 feet wide, making them one of the largest shade trees found in Hawaiʻi.

Bananas

– Scientific Name: Musa × paradisiaca

– Hawaiian Name: Maiʻa

Native

Bananas are one of Hawai’i’s most familiar food plants. They have been cultivated throughout the islands for generations and continue to be an important source of food in home gardens and agroforestry systems.
Many varieties of banana were traditionally grown throughout Hawai’i. Different cultivars were valued for food, ceremonies, and medicinal purposes, making banana an important part of Hawaiian agriculture.
  • Fruit eaten fresh or cooked
  • leaves used to wrap and steam food
  • Flowers eaten as a vegetable
  • Pseudo stems composted after harvest
  • Shade plant in food forest
Banana plants help retain soil moisture, reduce erosion, provide shade for neighboring plants, and contribute organic matter back to the soil as their leaves decompose.
Despite looking like a tree, a banana plant is actually the world’s largest herb. Its “trunk” is made of tightly wrapped leaf stalks rather than wood.

Mangrove

– Scientific Name: Rhizophora mangle

Invasive

Red mangrove is an invasive coastal tree introduced to Hawaiʻi in the early 1900s. It spreads quickly along shorelines and fishponds, forming dense stands that replace native coastal habitats.
Mangroves trap sediment, reduce water circulation, and crowd out native shoreline plants. In fishponds, they can alter habitat conditions and interfere with traditional restoration efforts.
Restoration crews remove mangroves by cutting trees, removing seedlings, and monitoring regrowth. Removing invasive mangroves helps restore healthy water flow and native coastal ecosystems.
Mangroves grow along sheltered coastlines, estuaries, wetlands, and fishponds where their roots anchor into muddy soils and shallow water.
Mangrove seeds begin growing while still attached to the parent tree. Once they fall into the water, they can float away and establish new trees far from their original location.

Gorilla Ogo

– Scientific Name: Gracilaria salicornia

Invasive

Gorilla Ogo is an invasive red seaweed that spreads rapidly across Hawaiian reefs and fishponds. Dense mats can smother native marine life and reduce habitat for fish and invertebrates.
This seaweed competes with native algae and corals by covering rocky surfaces and blocking sunlight. Its rapid growth can alter the balance of nearshore ecosystems and reduce biodiversity.
Community workdays and restoration efforts often include removing Gorilla Ogo by hand. Regular monitoring helps prevent it from spreading throughout the fishpond and nearby reefs.
Gorilla Ogo commonly grows on shallow reefs, rocky shorelines, and within fishponds where water movement and nutrients allow it to spread quickly.
Although many seaweeds are important native species in Hawai’i, Gorilla Ogo is not. It was introduced and has become one of the islands’ most widespread invasive marine algae.

Kalo

– Scientific Name: Colocasia esculenta

– English Name: Taro

Garden Bed

Kalo is one of Hawaiʻi’s most important traditional crops and holds deep cultural significance. Brought by Polynesian voyagers, it has nourished generations and remains central to Hawaiian identity and agriculture.
In Hawaiian tradition, Kalo is considered the elder sibling of the Hawaiian people through the story of Hāloa. Caring for Kalo reflects the Hawaiian values of stewardship, family, and respect for the land.
  • Pounded into poi
  • Cooked and eaten as a vegetable
  • Leaves used as dishes such as lūʻau
  • Cultivated in traditional lo’i (irrigated terraces)
  • An important source of nutrition and cultural connection
 
Kalo grows best in consistently moist soil with abundant water and warm temperatures. While traditionally cultivated in flooded loʻi, some varieties also grow well in upland gardens.
There are hundreds of traditional Hawaiian varieties of Kalo, each with unique colors, flavors, and growing characteristics that have been cultivated for centuries.

Uala

– Scientific Name: Ipomoea batatas

– Common Name: Sweet potato

Native

ʻUala, or sweet potato, is a Polynesian-introduced canoe plant that became one of Hawaiʻi’s most important staple crops.

ʻUala provided a reliable food source for many Hawaiian communities, especially in dry regions where kalo was difficult to grow.

  • Roasted, baked, or steamed for food.
  • Leaves were sometimes eaten as greens.
  • Frequently grown in traditional Hawaiian agricultural systems.
  • Prefers full sun.
  • Grows best in loose, well-drained soil.
  • Requires moderate watering while establishing.

ʻUala can grow from vine cuttings, making it easy to propagate without seeds.

Kukui

– Scientific Name: Aleurites moluccanus

– English Name: Candlenut

Native

Kukui, also known as the candlenut tree, is a Polynesian-introduced canoe plant that grows throughout Hawaiʻi. It is recognized by its silvery-green leaves and round, oil-rich nuts.

Kukui symbolizes enlightenment, protection, and peace. It is Hawaiʻi’s official state tree and has long been valued in Hawaiian culture for its many practical and ceremonial uses.

  • Nuts were burned as candles for light.
  • Oil from the nuts was used for medicine and skin care.
  • Wood was carved into canoes and tools.
  • Leaves, bark, and sap were used in traditional healing practices.
  • Thrives in full sun to partial shade.
  • Prefers well-drained soil.
  • Tolerates drought and coastal conditions once established.

The name “candlenut tree” comes from the oily nuts, which can be strung together and burned one after another like candles.

Hala

– Scientific Name: Pandanus odratissimus

– English Name: Screwpine

Native

Hala is a distinctive coastal tree with long, spiny leaves and large orange fruit made up of many wedge-shaped sections called keys.

Hala has been an important cultural resource for generations because nearly every part of the tree has a useful purpose.

  • Leaves were woven into mats, baskets, hats, and sails.
  • Fruit keys were sometimes eaten after cooking.
  • Roots helped stabilize sandy coastlines.
  • Prefers full sun.
  • Thrives in sandy, coastal soils.
  • Very tolerant of wind, drought, and salt spray.

Hala trees develop large aerial prop roots that help support them in loose coastal sand.

Hau

– Scientific Name: Hibiscus tiliceus

– English Name: Sea Hibiscus

Native

Hau is a fast-growing coastal tree with heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers that later turn orange or red.

Hau was one of Hawaiʻi’s most useful plants because of its strong, flexible bark fibers.

  • Bark fibers were woven into cordage and fishing nets.
  • Wood was used for canoe outriggers and tools.
  • Branches were commonly used in fishpond construction.
  • Prefers full sun.
  • Thrives in moist coastal soils.
  • Tolerates flooding, salt spray, and wind.

Like milo, hau flowers change color during the day, opening yellow before turning orange-red.

Milo

– Scientific Name: Thespia populnea

– English Name: Portia Tree

Native

Milo is a coastal canoe plant known for its glossy leaves and attractive yellow flowers that turn reddish as they age.

Milo wood was highly valued for making bowls, platters, and other finely crafted wooden objects.

  • Carved into food bowls and utensils.
  • Used for canoe parts and woodworking.
  • Planted for shade and wind protection.
  • Thrives in full sun.
  • Prefers coastal, well-drained soils.
  • Tolerates salt spray and drought.

Milo flowers change color throughout the day, opening yellow before gradually turning reddish-purple.

Akulikuli

– Scientific Name: Seswium portulacstrum

– English Name: Sea purslane

Native

ʻAkulikuli is a low-growing native coastal succulent found along beaches, fishponds, and salt marshes. Its fleshy leaves help it survive in salty environments.

ʻAkulikuli helps stabilize shorelines and protects coastal ecosystems, making it an important plant around traditional Hawaiian fishponds.

  • Used in traditional Hawaiian medicine.
  • Occasionally used as livestock forage.
  • Helps prevent coastal erosion naturally.
  • Prefers full sun.
  • Thrives in sandy, salty soils.
  • Highly tolerant of drought and salt spray.

ʻAkulikuli can survive being regularly splashed with seawater without being harmed.

Ulu

– Scientific Name: Artocarpus altilis

– English Name: Breadfruit

Native

ʻUlu, or breadfruit, is a Polynesian-introduced canoe plant that produces large, nutritious fruits and can provide abundant harvests for decades.

ʻUlu represents abundance and food security. It was carefully cultivated as an important staple food throughout Hawaiʻi.

  • Fruit was roasted, baked, steamed, or pounded into food.
  • Wood was used for canoes and household items.
  • Sap was sometimes used as an adhesive.
  • Prefers full sun.
  • Grows best in fertile, well-drained soil.
  • Requires regular moisture, especially while young.

A mature ʻulu tree can produce hundreds of fruits in a single year, making it one of the most productive food trees in Hawaiʻi.

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