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.

Explore the Garden

Upcoming Events

Mobilizing Restoration through Art and Culture
A Talk By Guest Speaker
Jill Wagner
Jill Wagner is a forester, ethnobotanist, and seed banking specialist whose work has spanned three decades of conservation and education in Hawai‘i and beyond. She began her career in 1994 at the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and has since led forest restoration and seed banking projects with private landowners, the State of Hawai‘i, and community groups. She also teaches widely, sharing her expertise in native ecosystems and plant conservation with audiences around the world. In her talk, Mobilizing Restoration through Art and Culture, Wagner connects ecological restoration to the power of human cooperation and creativity. Drawing from the influential work Limits to Growth and the more recent International Cooperation Against All Odds, she explores how global networks and collective action can overcome paralysis in the face of biodiversity loss and climate change. Using the metaphor of Indra’s Net, she shows how art can illuminate the interdependence of all life and serve as a vehicle for transformation in the way humans live on Earth.
When:

Thursday, September 11th, 2025 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, September 10
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.

Recurring Events

Eight shirts arranged on table in black, olive, grey, blue, white, red, mustard, and green.

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

Grow Aloha illustration for Captain Cook Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden native plant adoption event every third saturday.

Grow Aloha Plant Adoption

When we grow Hawaiian native plants and heritage crops, we grow aloha for ʻāina. Adopt one of these cherished plants every third Sunday!

Every Third Sunday: 9 am - 12:30 pm

Free for all ages

Learn More

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

1400-1700 AD

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.

1974

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.

1988

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.

2019

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.

About the Garden