Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden
Ka mālama ‘ana i ka mo’omeheu. I mea e ola ai mai kēia mua aku. Preserving culture. So that there is life to come.
Featured Event
Arbor Day Celebration
Annual Friends of Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden Meeting and Celebration, in partnership with Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative
Free Entry!
9:00am - 2:00pm
- Tree Giveaway and Plant Sale
- Cultural Demos and Keiki Activities
- Music and Food Trucks
- Parnter Exhibits: Conservation Dogs of Hawai'i, CTAHR, Hawai'i Island Seed Bank, NRCS, Pālamanui Dry Forest, Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative and more!
12:30pm - 1:30pm
- Membership Meeting & Elections
When:
November 2, 2024
Where:
82-6160 Māmaloahoa Highway, Captain Cook
Mahalo to our partners and funders:
- Atherton Family Foundation
- Ceres Trust
- Cooke Foundation Ltd
- The Healy Foundation
- Lawrence H. Dorcy
- Hawaiian Foundation
Funding for this project provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. USDA, Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and partners are equal opportunity providers and employers.
Upcoming Events
Putting Back The Trees – From Overlogging to Restoration of Native Forest Species
A Talk By Guest Speaker
Lou Putzel
The Garden’s Lou Putzel steps in this month for a speaker who had to cancel. He will tell the story of shihuahuaco (Dipteryx spp.), an ecologically important timber tree species in Peruvian Amazonia overexploited for the international market. What hope is there for tree species that are too valuable and attract the attention of global buyers? Even in conservation areas, such species are subject to poaching, and people will go a long way through dense forest to get them. But also, local people go to great lengths to collect seed and seedlings from the natural forest and move them to a safe place on their farms. This story may resonate here in Hawaii, for example with the story of ‘iliahi (Santalum spp.), exploited long ago to satisfy demand for its oil and still vulnerable to various types of extraction including conversion logging. Here too, local residents are busy putting back the trees.
When:
Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 5:30 pm (Talk starts at 6:00 pm)
Where:
Hale Pulelehua, Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, 82-6160 Mamalahoa Hwy (please park at the Garden Visitor Center and walk in)
Followed By:
Ethnobotanical Pupu Potluck
If Can:
Please bring an ethnobotanically-relevant pupu and be prepared to explain the origin and significance of the plant(s) to be devoured. May contain meat: a card will be provided to list main ingredients.
RSVP:
To ensure there is room for all, please RSVP to info@amygreenwell.garden by Wednesday, October 9th
Funding for this project provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. USDA and Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden are equal opportunity providers and employers.
Weekly Events
Pure Kona Green Market
Great farmers market featuring delicious food, crafts, and produce from our local artisans and farmers.
Every Sunday: 9 am - 2 pm
Free for all ages
Garden Volunteer Days
Come and join our dedicated volunteers for garden work and having fun. Meet at our Visitor Center, located at 82-6160 Mamalahoa Hwy, Captain Cook, HI 96704, USA to sign in for the day and meet the crew!
Every Saturday: 9 am - 12:30 pm
Free for all ages
Over 200 native plant species
About the Garden
Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden is a vibrant 15-acre biocultural kīpuka – a protected remnant of land with plants and agricultural features from an earlier era. Located in South Kona, the Garden, which is also an officially designated community forest, showcases over 200 species of native and Polynesian-introduced plants that predate the arrival of Captain Cook in 1778. From culturally significant plants like kalo (taro) and maiʻa (banana) to rare and endangered species like kōki’o (Kokia species), this garden is a treasure trove of Hawaii's botanical heritage. The Garden also includes a fascinating 5-acre archaeological site, preserving the features of ancient Hawaiian agricultural lands that once fed a large population in Kona.
Our History
Kona Field System Established
Establishment of the Kona Field System by Native Hawaiians, featuring large stone archaeological features around which a thriving upland agricultural system developed to feed a population comparable to that living on the Big Island today.
Bishop Museum
The Garden bequeathed by Amy Greenwell to Bishop Museum for the purpose of conserving an example of the historic Kona Field System and curating a collection of native (endemic and indigenous) and Polynesian-introduced “canoe” plants used for food, fuel, fiber and medicines.
Public Opening
After a number of archeological studies and several years of planting and curating a unique collection of native, rare, endangered and useful Hawaiian plants, Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden opened to the public, becoming a beloved landmark for knowledge sharing, cultural activities and nature appreciation.
Community Ownership
After more than 30 years as part of Bishop Museum, the Garden devolved to community ownership, marking a new chapter in a rich history starting with several phases of agricultural production and now transitioning to a new existence as an anchor of biocultural knowledge sharing and a source of enjoyment for local residents, students and visitors for years to come.
The Experience
As you wander through the Garden, you'll experience a variety of ecological zones, from coastal and dry forests to lush agricultural and wet forest areas. It's not just a place of beauty—it's a living classroom dedicated to conserving native plants and supporting traditional Hawaiian land use and cultural practices.
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Our Partners
