POLYNESIAN CANOE PLANTS OF HAWAII
"Canoe plants" are plants which ancient Polynesian travelers brought with them on their explorations for their staple subsistence food, medicine, building material, and clothing provisioning qualities. In Hawaii these plants are estimated to have been introduced approximately 1,700 years ago. The inherent value of these early introduction colonizing flora of Hawaii is evidenced by their continuous cultivation over nearly 2000 years and that many of the plants have significant economic agricultural value in the Hawaiian islands today.
KALO, TARO - Colocasia esculenta
NONI, INDIAN MULBERRY - Morinda citrifolia
'ULU, BREADFRUIT - Artocarpus altilis
MAI'A, BANANA - Musa paradisiaca
KI, TI - Cordyline terminalis
'AWA, KAVA, KAVA KAVA - Piper methysticum
'APE, ELEPHANT'S EAR - Alocasia macrorrhiza
'AWAPUHI KUAHIWI, SHAMPOO GINGER - Zingiber zerumbet
HAU, BEACH HIBISCUS - Hibiscus tiliaceus
