Want to the be a plant parent? That’s possible through a partnership between Grow Aloha, a hui of plant adoption partners, and seven locations across the islands.
In February, Native Hawaiian plants such as native hibiscuses, ʻihi and koʻokoʻolau will be some of the plants given away, according to Grow Aloha’s website. The exact plants vary by location.
The monthly plant adoptions are free and open to Hawai‘i residents, according to the website of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, which manages the hui and has several locations participating in the giveaways. The National Tropical Botanical Garden has three spots giving away plants: Allerton Garden & McBryde Garden, Limahuli Garden & Preserve and Kahanu Garden & Preserve. Other plant distribution locations include Molokai Land Trust on Molokai; Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden on Hawaiʻi Island; Maui Nui Botancial Gardens on Maui; and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum on Oʻahu.
In January, the Bishop Museum gave away ʻilima, kalo, ko, lonomea and milo, which were obtained from several sources, including its Seed Bank, which has space to process and store up to 5 million seeds, according to representatives of the museum.
“Bishop Museum’s mission is to inspire our community through the exploration, celebration, and perpetuation of the history, culture and environment of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. An important part of our work involves preserving the rich biodiversity of our unique ecosystems, and we’re excited to share plants native to our island homes with our neighbors,” said Taylour Chang, the Bishop Museum’s director of public programs, in a written statement. “We’re appreciative of the support of Grow Aloha partners National Tropical Botanical Garden, Molokai Land Trust, Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and Maui Nui Botanical Gardens in organizing these adoptions and for their work in restoring Hawaiian plants in our ‘āina.”
Grow Aloha has given away more than 1,500 individual plants, according to its website. Previous giveaways have included wiliwili, ʻōhiʻa, ʻaʻaliʻi, loulu palms, breadfruit, palapalai, koaiʻa, māmaki, alaheʻe and ʻillima, according to the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s website.
Here are the locations where you can adopt plants, according to Grow Aloha:
Hawaiʻi Island
Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden: The plant give away takes place from 9 a.m. to noon every third Saturday of the month in Captain Cook.
Maui
Kahanu Garden & Preserve: The plant give away takes place from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. every third Friday of the month at the Hāna Farmers Market.
Maui Nui Botancial Gardens: The plant give away takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first Friday of the month in Kahului.
Molokai
Molokaʻi Land Trust: The plant give away takes place from 9 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of the month in Hoʻolehua.
Oʻahu
Bishop Museum: The plant give away takes place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. every third Wednesday of the month at the Kaiwiʻula Night Market.
Kauaʻi
Allerton Garden & McBryde Garden: The plant give away takes place from 9 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of the month in Koloa.
Limahuli Garden & Preserve: The plant give away takes place from 9 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of the month in Hanalei.
For more information, go to: growaloha.org.
