Friends of Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden

Friends of Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden This is the official account for the non-profit Friends of Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden. https://www.amygreenwell.garden/

There's wauke, the paper mulberry, which is used for making kapa, which is what you see in a lot of museum collections, ...
06/17/2026

There's wauke, the paper mulberry, which is used for making kapa, which is what you see in a lot of museum collections, or what most people are using today. And then you have ʻākia, which is mentioned as a kapa plant, but you don't see a lot of them collected. But when you do see ʻākia kapa, it's very white, and it's such a really nice fiber, but it's a little more work because the branches aren't as long as wauke, which can grow quite tall, maybe ten, twelve feet or more. So it's much easier to make a large piece of kapa out of wauke than it would be out of ʻākia.

Hear the Narration at the following link

https://amygreenwell.garden/virtual-tour?exhibit=52

Tomorrow, 6/17, we will be opening at 11:00 am instead of our normal opening time!
06/17/2026

Tomorrow, 6/17, we will be opening at 11:00 am instead of our normal opening time!

Work is currently underway on an additional structure in our plant nursery. This expansion will allow us to build long-t...
06/16/2026

Work is currently underway on an additional structure in our plant nursery. This expansion will allow us to build long-term propagation capacity and improve the overall productivity of our public plant sales.

If you are looking to purchase native or ethnobotanical plants for your home landscape, our regular nursery retail hours are Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, or by appointment. For current inventory availability or to coordinate a specific visit, please contact our nursery coordinator, Christopher Buehler, at [email protected]. 🔨🌿

Our plant nursery is open today from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM for public plant sales. If you are looking to add native or ethn...
06/13/2026

Our plant nursery is open today from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM for public plant sales. If you are looking to add native or ethnobotanical species to your home landscape, our current inventory includes varieties propagated directly from our collections here in South Kona.

Proceeds from all plant sales support our ongoing propagation and conservation work. Come by the nursery area before 2:00 PM, or contact our coordinator at [email protected] to set up a weekday appointment. 🌿

06/13/2026

Volunteers are out on the grounds this morning, putting in the quiet, steady work that keeps the garden beautiful and accessible. Thank you to everyone who dedicates their Saturday morning to stewardship. If you couldn't make it out today, our grounds remain open for self-guided walks during regular visitor hours.

06/13/2026

The video recording of our June Ethnobotany Talk with researcher Tommy Haensel is now available for those who were unable to attend the live event.

In this presentation, Tommy shares his interdisciplinary research on the ancient Kona Field System, drawing from soil science, ecology, archaeology, and historical Māhele records to explain how this intensive rainfed agricultural system supported large populations for centuries. His work offers practical insights into traditional agroecology and demonstrates how historical data can inform modern land management.

Watch the full presentation and subsequent discussion on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Luz-dMSFdIQ 📺

06/12/2026

Tomorrow is Saturday, which means our weekly volunteer session is back on the schedule. No prior botanical experience is necessary, just a willingness to get your hands dirty and support the preservation of these cultural plant collections. Meet us at the visitors' pavilion at 9:00 AM. Remember to bring water and wear closed-toe shoes.

Our plant nursery is open today from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM for public plant sales. If you are looking to add native or ethn...
06/12/2026

Our plant nursery is open today from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM for public plant sales. If you are looking to add native or ethnobotanical species to your home landscape, our current inventory includes varieties propagated directly from our collections here in South Kona.

Proceeds from all plant sales support our ongoing propagation and conservation work.

Come by the nursery area before 2:00 PM, or contact our coordinator at [email protected] to set up a weekday appointment. 🌿

Our June Ethnobotany Talk is this evening at 6:00 PM at the garden. We are hosting Tommy Haensel, who will share his res...
06/11/2026

Our June Ethnobotany Talk is this evening at 6:00 PM at the garden. We are hosting Tommy Haensel, who will share his research on the ancient crops, production methods, and distribution networks of the Kona Field System.

Following the presentation, we will gather for our community ethnobotanical potluck. If you plan to join the dinner, please bring a food item to share. We look forward to an evening of learning and discussion with our neighbors. 🍲

Reminder: Tommy Haensel’s presentation on traditional Kona agroecology takes place tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM. Tommy’s ...
06/10/2026

Reminder: Tommy Haensel’s presentation on traditional Kona agroecology takes place tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM. Tommy’s research utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach—combining soil science, ecology, archaeology, historical accounts, and Māhele records—to reconstruct how Kona’s ancient food systems functioned.

He will also discuss his current work with the NRCS to integrate traditional Hawaiian agricultural concepts into modern ecological site materials. Come learn about the history of the land we cultivate, and stay for the community potluck after the talk. Please bring a dish to share. 📚

Address

82-6160 Mamalahoa Highway
Captain Cook, HI
96704

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