Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook Hi

About

Tucked away in Captain Cook, twelve miles south of Kailua-Kona, Amy B.H. Greenwell’s garden legacy preserves her devotion to Hawaiian botany, archeology, and culture.

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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.

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.

Our History

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Amy Greenwell illustration in her youth
Amy Greenwell illustration in her youth
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A History of Stewardship

Managed by a non-profit community organization, the Garden plays a dual role as a popular tourist spot and an educational hub. With over 11,000 visitors each year, including more than 1,500 schoolchildren, it offers interactive tours and workshops on Hawaiian culture, agriculture, and traditional arts like kapa making and wood carving. These hands-on experiences connect visitors of all ages to Hawaii's rich cultural traditions and sustainable agricultural practices.

By nurturing a living collection of native plants and offering educational programs, Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden ensures that the agricultural wisdom and botanical resources of ancient Hawaii continue to thrive in the modern world. It's a place where history, culture, and nature come together to inspire and educate, ensuring these vital traditions are passed on to future generations.

A life building to the garden

About Amy Greenwell

Amy Beatrice Holdsworth Greenwell, born in 1920, was deeply connected to the rich history and culture of Kona, Hawaii. As the daughter of Arthur Leonard Greenwell and Beatrice Hunt Holdsworth, she was one of 23 grandchildren of Henry Nicholas Greenwell, a pioneering merchant and rancher who arrived in Hawaii in the 1850s. Among Henry's many land acquisitions, the purchase of the ahupua’a (a Hawaiian land unit) of Kealakekua in 1881 was the largest. This land was inherited by his second son, Arthur, Amy’s father.

Amy Greenwell was a talented individual with a genuine passion for plants and archaeology. She attended Stanford University, joined Gamma Phi Beta, and served as a nurse during World War II. After the war, she collaborated closely with renowned botanist Dr. Otto Degener at the New York Botanical Garden and later at Bishop Museum in Honolulu, contributing significantly to Book 5 of Flora Hawaiiensis, a key reference on Hawaiian plants. Dr. Degener praised her work in the 1957 introduction to the volume, noting her efficient collaboration and active co- authorship. Her work at the botanical garden was cut short when she returned to Kona in the mid-1950s to build a small home in Captain Cook and focus on her botanical and archaeological interests.

Back in Kona, Amy began to transform her property by planting native and Polynesian- introduced species in the region's historic agricultural fields. Her dedication to preserving Hawaii’s natural and cultural heritage extended to her archaeological studies of early Hawaiian sites, such as Ka Lae (South Point). Her commitment to these causes led her to bequeath her property to the Bishop Museum upon her death in 1974. Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, established in her honor, stands as a testament to her legacy, promoting the conservation of native plants and educating future generations about Hawaii’s unique cultural and botanical heritage.

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Amy Greenwell illustration in her youth
Amy Greenwell illustration in her youth
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What is ethnobotany?

Ethnobotany

Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationships between people and plants, focusing on how different cultures use and perceive plant life. It explores traditional knowledge about plants, including their uses in medicine, food, and rituals, and examines how this knowledge has been passed down through generations. Ethnobotanists investigate the ways in which plants contribute to cultural practices and societal functions, from agricultural techniques to crafting materials. By documenting and analyzing these relationships, ethnobotany helps preserve cultural heritage and provides valuable insights into sustainable practices and the conservation of plant species.

In addition to its cultural significance, ethnobotany contributes to modern science by offering a rich source of information for discovering new plant-based products and applications. For example, in Hawaii, traditional practices involving native plants such as wauke (Broussonetia papyrifera) and kalo (taro) illustrate key areas of ethnobotanical research. Wauke, used to make kapa (bark cloth), plays a vital role in Hawaiian cultural practices, showcasing the sophisticated techniques of traditional fiber arts. Kalo, a staple food crop, has deep cultural roots and significant agricultural value. Researchers also explore the traditional uses of plants like ʻawa (kava) in social and ritual contexts. By documenting these practices and their underlying knowledge, ethnobotany helps to preserve Hawaiian cultural heritage and provides insights into sustainable agriculture and conservation strategies.

Native Plants Conservation

Hawai‘i is one of the most geographically isolated places on the planet, being over 2,000 miles from a continental landmass and nearly 1,000 miles from even the tiniest of islands. It was therefore very difficult for the original plant and animals inhabitants to colonize the islands and few actually made it. Before Hawaiians arrived in the islands the only animals present were birds, insects, a couple small reptiles, and one mammal – the hoary bat. The birds brought with them most of the flowering plants and the rest were carried over by the wind along with the spores of ferns and fungi. Scientists estimate that a new species arrived in Hawai‘i once every 20,000 to 50,000 years.

Successful plant immigrants found the islands a fertile land to occupy, with a moderate climate and an abundant rainfall. There were no grazing animals and few insects or pests in addition to minimal competition for sunlight and nutrients. These colonizing species rapidly spread out over their new home.

As these plants spread out across the islands they began to change, slowly forming new species. Several influences facilitated these changes. First of all their new habitat was very different from their old ones. The absence of grazing animals, for instance, caused many plant species to become more docile by losing their thorns and toxins. The absence of bees to pollinate some plants caused the plants to change in order to attract other animals such as birds or fruit flies.

There was also the ecological variability of Hawai‘i, which contains virtually every ecological zone on the planet. Therefore a plant could land and inhabit a dry plains area, and as it spread out it found itself within a rainforest and had to adapt accordingly. There was also the genetic isolation of species. If only a few individuals accomplished the journey to Hawai‘i the genetic pool is very small and inbreeding is inevitable. In addition there was further isolation within the chain, such as the isolation between islands or even the isolation between the steep mountain ridges separating the valleys.

Due to these factors the original species the arrived in Hawai‘i became completely new and unique species. These species are known as endemic, meaning they are found here and no where else in the world. Hawai‘i has the highest rate of endemism in the world, over 90%. While this means our species are original, it also means they are vulnerable because if they disappear from Hawai’i, they are extinct. Although Hawai‘i constitutes less than 1% of the United States land mass, it posts the most threatened, endangered, and extinct species.

Many of these plants species are conserved and displayed here at the garden. These species are propagated both for conservation projects that reintroduce them into the wild and also for private consumption. That’s right, you can buy endangered Hawaiian plants at our garden for your private landscaping desires.

Kona Field System

Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden is located within the ahupua’a, or traditional land division encompassing costal and mountain resources, of Kealakekua. Kealakekua, which mean “the path of the gods,” is a culturally and historically significant area.

Near the shoreline one would find coconut trees and small patches of ‘uala, or sweet potato, intermittedly dispersed among the various cooking, storage, and living facilities. It was here near the seashore where majority of the craft work was done such as beating bark cloth, weaving, and carving as well ocean activities such as fishing and gathering seaweed and other marine resources.

As we head mauka, or towards the mountain, from the coast we cross the lowland dry plains, known as kula lands. These lands still suffer from salt spray and very arid conditions, allowing few useful plants to grow in this zone. Typically wauke, or paper mulberry, from which Hawaiians made their bark cloth, was grown in this area, which persisted until about 500 feet elevation.

Above these wauke plantations began the ‘ulu, or breadfruit, groves for which the traditional zone, kalu’ulu, derives its name. These large trees provided considerable amount of food and also provided shade and captured moisture to house other sub-canopy crops. The ‘ulu groves typically extended to about 1,000 feet elevation, at which point the rain line would allow for more intensive agriculture.

The major agricultural zone, known as ‘āpa‘a, began with the rain at about 1,000 feet and extended up to about 3,000 feet. This is the zone in which Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden is located as well as the archeological remains known as the Kona Field System.

While majority of the Hawaiian agricultural systems utilized terraces, the Kona Field Systems, possibly because this area is relatively so dry when compared to the rest of the state, developed an original system consisting of long rock walls, known as kua’iwi, that ran parallel to the slope of the mountain. In between these divisions was heavily planted with the major food crops of kalo, or taro, and ‘uala, using techniques such as mounding and mulching to conserve the scarce water as much as possible. Along the walls, which doubled as paths through the plantations, were planted other significant crops, namely kō, or sugar cane, and kī, or ti leaf. Along the upper boundary of this zone we would find less significant crops such as mai’a, or banana, and uhi, or yams.

Mauka of the ‘āpa‘a zone began the wao akua, or realm of the gods. This was the dense forest that was unaltered by the Hawaiians. Several resources were collected from this area including the Hawaiian honeycreepers, collected for their feathers, and koa (Acacia koa), which was felled as lumber for canoes.

Our team

"He waʻa he moku, he moku he waʻa." "Our canoe is an island, our island is a canoe."

This ʻōlelo noeau compares an island to a canoe, in that we must "paddle" together in order for the canoe to reach its destination. In the same way, we must work together (and depend on one another) on these island communities to ensure we can succeed and sustain ourselves in the future! Our waʻa cannot continue to sail without our amazing hui. Mahalo nui to our staff for the amazing work you put into the Garden!

  • Lou Putzel - Executive Director

    Lou Putzel

    Executive Director

  • Joe Pryzdia - Garden Manager

    Joe Pryzdia

    Garden Manager

  • Bill Cullum - Horticulturist

    Bill Cullum

    Horticulturist

  • Phil Hester - Nursery Technician

    Phil Hester

    Nursery Technician

Introducing

The Friends of Amy Greenwell Garden

The Friends of Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the mission of protecting and invigorating the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden created for the purposes of:

  • Raising funds to help support the purposes and goals of the Garden.
  • Working with government officials, NGOʻs and other interested parties to ensure and enhance the Garden's future.
  • Fostering public understanding, enjoyment, and conservation of the natural and cultural resources of the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and our community forest.
  • Providing volunteers for important Garden projects.

Board of Directors

  • Alan Rolph - President Alan is ecstatic about his return to the Big Island. He was born in Honolulu, moved to New Zealand and returned to the Big Island to attend High School at Hawaii Preparatory Academy. He graduated from Denison University and the University of Cincinnati with a Masters degree in Geology. His career with Shell Oil took him worldwide in search of energy resources. He is now retired and enjoying woodworking and making improvements to a 5-acre property and home in Captain Cook. He has always had great love for nature and history. He is a descendent of then Cooke family who arrived with the 8th company of missionaries to Hawaii in 1837. The Amy Greenwell Garden holds a very special place in his heart as his mother, Dorothea Rolph, worked with the garden in its early years helping to propagate and grow native Hawaiian plants. He is looking forward to continuing this work of maintaining and preserving this region’s native plants and their cultural history entwined with the people of the Big Island.
  • Noa Kekuewa Lincoln - Vice President Noa is a Native Hawaiian born in Kealakekua. He is the former Ethnobotanical Educator of the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden. He has worked extensively in plant conservation, ecosystem management, and indigenous food issues in Hawai‘i and around the Pacific Rim, as well as Brazil and the American Southwest. Much of his current research examines the traditional Hawaiian rain-fed agricultural systems, and how traditional agricultural practices affect nutrient cycling and productivity. He is the lead scientist for several Hawaiian agricultural sites, such as Ulu Mau Puanui and Māla Kalu‘ulu. He has a BS from Yale University in Environmental Engineering, and a PhD from Stanford University in Interdisciplinary Resource Management. He is currently Assistant Professor of Indigenous Crops and Cropping Systems with the University of Hawai‘i. He has done extensive work on indigenous Hawaiian sugarcane varieties, many of which are at the Garden, and his book is being published by the University of Hawai‘i Press.
  • Michael Bell Big Island born and bred, Michael is a lifelong resident of Hawai'i. He graduated from West Hawaii Explorations Academy and was raised in the tourism industry. He is currently employed as the general manager of his family’s business, Body Glove Cruises. In this position, he was recognized in 2018 by Pacific Business News “40 Under 40” for the State of Hawaii. An active community service volunteer, he currently serves as Vice President for the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawai'i (STAH) and a board member for Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i (VASH), and Community Forums. He is also a former board member of the Kailua Village Business Improvement District (KVBID), and currently chair of the Program Services Committee. In 2021 he was appointed to the Hawaii County Water Board by Mayor Roth to represent District 7.
  • Ashley Kaiao Obrey Ashley was raised in Hōlualoa, Kona, where she can trace her ‘ohana back generations. A graduate of KS, Pepperdine University, and the William S. Richardson School of Law, Ashley currently works as an asset manager for Kamehameha Schools’ expansive South Kona agricultural and conservation lands. Previously, she served as a staff attorney at the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation in Honolulu, where she represented clients on issues dealing with land, water, and natural and cultural resources, and as a law clerk to Chief Justice Moon at the Hawai'i Supreme Court. Ashley is a mom to a four-year-old who attends preschool at Pūnana Leo O Kona and an ‘ōlapa of Hālau Kaʻeaikahelelani in Keauhou. She loves spending time on the ‘āina and at the kai, learning new things (especially nā mea Hawaiʻi), working out, ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi, and, most recently, growing Native Hawaiian plants at home. Ashley is excited to see the renewed impact that the Garden will have on our community, our keiki, as well as the preservation and perpetuation of traditional Hawaiian knowledge.
  • Rose Schilt As a community advocate, with Master’s degrees in anthropology/archaeology and public health, Rose has worked in Hawai‘i, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, and the US Midwest. She brings 12 years of experience as a nonprofit executive director and Weinberg Fellow, focusing on public health advocacy and policy for youth and families. She directed archaeological projects throughout the islands and believes in the relevance of the past to the present. Rose served as the second director of the Garden in the 1980’s, helping to develop it for opening to the public, and is now committed to ensuring that it serves as a cultural and educational center for a sustainable future.
  • Nathan Smith Now a resident of Kealakekua, Nathan believes that “The Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden is a unique and irreplaceable gift — from Amy, from many years of stewardship by the Bishop Museum, and from years of care by Garden Staff and Volunteers. The time has come for our community and island to preserve this gift and bring it to its full potential." He has been a commercial real estate and energy attorney in Portland Maine for 35 years. As an attorney he has received many peer recognitions including being listed in Best Lawyers in America for the past 15 years. Nathan has worked on numerous land conservation transactions and was the first person in Maine to receive the National Park Service’s ‘Conservation Hero’ Award in 1993. He has been a community leader for decades, which has included holding leadership positions in a broad spectrum of community organizations as well as serving on the Portland City Council for two terms and as Portland’s Mayor in 2003-4.
  • Kanani Wall Kanani was born in Kona, attended Konawaena High, and grew up playing under the bleachers at Greenwell Park. She spent much of her childhood on her Grandpa’s coffee, macadamia nut, vegetable, and anthurium farm, where she learned mālama ‘āina. Her father ran a glass-bottom boat in Kailua Bay, where she grew a deep love and respect for the ocean and its biodiversity. Kanani and her husband just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They have 6 children between the ages of 14 and 29, and they are the sixth generation paniolo on Wall Ranch. Kanani is a Counselor with Kamehameha Scholars Program and a Learning Success Coach with the Kamehameha Schools Kāpalama Campus supporting distance learners. She received a BA in Education from the University of the Pacific and a Master of Education from UH Mānoa in Curriculum Studies. She has worked as an elementary school teacher and as school administrative staff, as well as in community education. She has spent time in the Garden as an educator with groups that she brought, as well as a volunteer with an afterschool group known as Hua o Ke Ao.
  • Patricia "Pat" Todd - Treasurer As a new landowner in Captain Cook and a long-time volunteer, Pat feels the responsibility to be a good steward of the land and place where she is honored to live. Working for the benefit of Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and its future is a passion. A love of living museums was instilled through volunteering for many years at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Pat has lived all over the world and was first introduced to the Hawaiian Islands as a child when she was living in Saipan and Kwajalein. She is grateful to now be living in “paradise.” She previously worked in corporate America in human resources. Pat is a graduate of Indiana University.
  • Marie Morin - Secretary As a conservation biologist, Marie has a Ph.D. from the University of Hawai’i, and has worked with native and endangered species throughout her career with various agencies and educational institutions. Since 1980 she has resided and worked on O‘ahu, Oregon, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i Island. Marie’s support of the Garden stems from her long-time interests in Hawaiian culture, the perpetuation of endemic plants and animals, and sustainability through locally-sourced food and energy. One of her favorite quotes: “Grow where you are planted.”
  • M.E. "Meg" Greenwell Meg is a niece of Amy B. H. Greenwell and remembers visiting her at her residence and garden property. She is President of the family corporation, Kealakekua Ranch, Ltd., of which Amy was a Director and Treasurer for many years before her death. Kealakekua Ranch/ChoiceMart received the competitive 2016 Statewide Family-owned Business of the Year Award through the Small Business Administration. Through her personal enthusiasm and recognized leadership, Meg carries forward a generations-long concern for serving Kona through family business, promoting local jobs and local foods, and also advancing charitable interests and community events. Kealakekua Ranch, Ltd. donated the land on which the Visitor Center is located and is very interested in the Garden and committed to seeing it service the community again.
  • Shirley A. P. (Cho) Kauhaihao Shirley has volunteered at the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden for 15 years. She was the lead organizer for the cleanup of coral graffiti along Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway – this cleanup was completed in approximately three years of Sundays. She is a Master Weaver, member, and past president of Ka Ulu Lauhala ‘o Kona, the annual weaving conference, and has participated in events in Hawai‘i and Washington, D.C. She is also a chef of Hawaiian cuisine, assisting top chefs in our state. Shirley’s family ties and commitment to the Garden go back decades.
  • Marcia L. Timboy Marcia grew up in Kona on Moku o Keawe with a childhood full of island-style activities (ocean swimming, body boarding, fishing, surfing, hula, camping, hiking, and exploring our natural island environment), all of which shaped her reverence for nature and respect for island cultural diversity. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UH Mānoa. Marcia has been a lecturer at UH Hilo Art Dept.; Manager for a Contemporary Arts and Crafts Gallery; a grant writer for several non-profits; stage Manager, Events Planner, and Coordinator for cultural, arts, performance, and environmental projects; President of the Big Island Dance Council; a Resource Instructor in the SFCA Artists-in-the Schools Program; Museum Assistant at the Lyman House Museum; former Executive Director of the East Hawai’i Cultural Center, and a practicing artist and performer. As an Events Planner on the Big Island, Marcia has developed programs implementing Hawaiian culture and practices. During her tenure at the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, Marcia developed and managed HMH’s signature Hawaiian music series. Several of her stories have been featured in the Hawai’i Island magazine, Ke Ola: https://keolamagazine.com/category/writers/marcia-timboy/
  • R. Kealohapau‘ole Manakū (Kealoha, Roz) Kealoha moved to Hawai‘i Island 14 years ago, and is home. On O‘ahu she was a partner in Na Mea Hawai‘i/Native Books and volunteered by reading to residents of Lunalilo Home; on Hawai‘i Island she worked with an organization to prevent abuse to children. She now enjoys photographing plants and the ‘āina and volunteers at the Garden -- she has been doing this prior to the closure of the Garden up to the present.
  • James H. Hershey James H. Hershey was born March 11, 1946 in central Kansas. He graduated from Kansas University in 1968 with majors in philosophy and psychology. James also served in Army artillery in Viet Nam 1968-70; honorable discharge; rank Spec. 5. He has been in various positions, including management with Yosemite Park & Curry Company 1967-72. An interested fact about James, he hitchhiked across Europe for six months 1971. James continued his education, graduating from Sonoma State University in 1978 with majors in Biology and Environmental Studies & Planning. There after, he graduated from Hastings College of Law in 1981; passed California bar exam. James volunteered for Marine Mammal Center 1977-81; on Board as Treasurer. James became a law clerk to Federal Judge Martin Pence; and passed the Hawaiʻi bar in 1982. He was an Associate at Carlsmith law firm 1983-87, and then an Associate/Partner with Greeley Walker Kowen law firm 1987-90. He is a founding Partner of Fukunaga Matayoshi Hershey & Ching 1991-2016 (retirement). From 2006-2016, he was the Per down judge in First Circuit. He is happily married to Patricia Kehau Wall and has two sons; Jack is a computer programmer in Honolulu; and Sean is a third year engineering student majoring in computer science at Cal. Poly San Luis Obispo. He and his wife enjoy traveling, golf and family. Now retired, he is a coffee farmer on the lot just above Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook.

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