A Small Selection of Thriving Plant Life on the Hawaiian Island Chain

Stimulation…

Coffee provides we islanders with our caffeine kick, and so does cola nut when the seeds are chewed. Cola nut also makes a very tasty tea.

Coffee

Cola Nut

A stimulant of another kind is the West African Cherry Orange. This tree, like many other varieties of citrus, grows quite well in the Hawaiian tropical environment. The root of the tree is alleged to be the equivalent of Viagra.

West African Cherry Orange

Spices & Healing Plants

A few plants are shown that grow very well on the Hawaiian chain. Most spices and herbs have some sort of medicinal value. For example, the self heal plant stops the flow from bleeding wounds, is a cure for boils, sore throats, and relieves colic. This will be beneficial for Dr. Kirsten to use. The tooth ache plant is just as the name implies. It relieves mouth pain by numbing the area. Hawaiian cooks use it in salads and cooking for its pepper-like flavor.

Allspice

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Self Heal Plant

Acerola

Noni

Tooth Ache Plant

Produce

There are literally thousands of plant species, with their subspecies that grow on the island chain. Many fruits such as the strawberry tree, a variety of palms, berries, and lilly pillies are edible, but not overly flavorful with a watery texture. These fruits are made into jelly and wine. There is no alcohol or most other vices on Niihau, so the locals make their own spirits.

Strawberry Tree

Peanut Butter Fruit

Peanut butter fruit actually tastes nothing like its namesake. The flavor is similar to a mixture of mango and banana. You can’t have peanut butter without jelly…

Jelly Palm

Star Fruit

Avocadoes

Hot Peppers

Guava

Banana Passion Fruit

Paw Paw

Lilly Pilly

Mango

Malay Apple

Key Limes

Bread fruit is very popular in many countries. It is an ideal crop for Niipau because of its starch-like flesh. It makes a delicious flat bread, which keeps our community from being dependant upon acquiring bread and yeast from other island locations.

Bre

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Carob

Coconuts

Custard Apple

Ice cream beans are an exciting discovery. They taste like vanilla, and vanilla beans are generally expensive, so this plant is under consideration as a cash crop for the community. Also, the novelty is a selling point and vanilla is the top-selling flavor of all time.

Ice C

ream

Bean

Java Plum

Cedar Bay Cherries

Lilikoi are popular in desserts like cheesecake and custard pies. The flavor resembles passion fruit, and makes a yummy juice. Jujubes are a unique fruit. When green, they taste like green apples. When ripe, they taste like dates. This makes it a very versatile food. Jack fruit, like papaya, dries nicely.

Lilikoi

Jujubes

Jack Fruit

Macadamias

Cash crop number two, the miracle fruit. This little berry, after eaten, makes anything eaten after it taste very sweet – no matter how sour or bitter. The prospects for this being a sellable natural sweetener are probably quite good. Currently, the only crop on the island is sugar cane.

Miracle Fruit

Constru

ctive

Org

anics

Candle nuts are carving material for decorative purposes such as jewelry and leis. Traditional leis are not available on Niipau, because of the lack of flowers growing due to the more arid climate. Leis are made of shells instead. The screw pine, otherwise known as the tourist pineapple, has tough leaves which are excellent for weaving baskets, mats, panels, totes, hats, etc.

Candle Nuts

Screw Pine

Toon T

rees

Euca

lyptu

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We do not wish to become too dependent upon electricity, thus one of our alternative energy sources is solar. Simple solar greenhouse constructions attached to homes and buildings can create environments for plants that might not produce naturally, because of climate or season. The constructions can be built using our native hardwoods.

Sola

r Gre

enhouse

Just a few flowering plants that we would like to be able to grow to beautify our island…

Golden Shower Tree

Ixora

Lilac Fuchsia