Nowhere Else on Earth: Indigenous Plants of Hawaii

Hawaii is home to 10,000 native species, more than 90% of which are found nowhere else in the world. In this educational video, Sam Gon, senior scientist and cultural advisor for The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, leads a hike into Oahu's Koolau Mountains, stopping along the way to point out the islands unique flora and its scientific and cultural significance.
www.nature.org/hawaii

[@CardinalKaos]

THIS is why youtube was created; for the betterment of all people through knowledge. Im gonna try to plant as many of these plants in my garden

[@Alternatives_Universum]

Native trees only please.

[@michaelcrabtree2939]

Awesome video...nice to see a beautiful forest in all its glory. The native plants are such a beautiful sight to see. Mahalo for your mana'o Sam gon 3.

[@TravelAgentCale]

So many beautiful flowers! Thank you for sharing!

[@Chelsea123Chii]

The music and your voice is so relaxing thank you for this informative video

[@liamball8335]

Nani keia kii'i'oni'oni! Mahalo e Sam.

[@endemiccorrea8749]

endemic means that the plant is found there and nowhere else. indigenous means its found in somewhere else but is also native.

[@AgroecologicalSystems]

Indeed, seems like they used the wrong word in the title

[@hachmoniselah250]

The first polynesian voyagers came from the Moluccas/Maluku/Molo Uku Islands. They brought the kukui seeds to Hawaii. Kukui also known as candlenut. It's origin from the Moluccas.The Botanical name is (Aleurites Moluccana). The kukui tree (Aleurites Moluccana) was designated the state tree of Hawaii in 1959. The blossom of the kukui is also the official Island flower of Moloka'i.

[@indoororchidsandtropicals358]

Do you live there? I used to live on Oahu and if I had known that puakenikeni is impossible to get on the mainland, I would have shipped my potted tree over here.

[@samaralrebh9051]

Interesting video. wonder what he did with the dye

[@ohanailo7743]

Bradha Sam, I was hoping if you could start a reforest project on the Waianae Coast mountain ranges. Sandalwood and Koa tree forests that used to be in the Waianae range was at one time, the most premium Sandalwood available in Oahu, then over harvested in trade to the Orient by the ruling Ali’i of Oahu. Although I spent many a day in the valleys, I was not able to find any Sandalwood or Koa Trees, to try and replant on the Waianae coast. It seemed clearly evident that the trees were over harvested to extinction on the Waianae Coast. With your knowledge and care I think it could be a successful and worthy venture to restore what was lost over a hundred years ago. Aloha. 🌺🌸🌴❤️🇺🇸

[@imapseudonym7503]

Mahalo Nui Loa! An excellent video!

[@dane2530]

There are plants that are endemic, meaning only found in hawaii. Then there is ingenious which means it is found in hawaii and other places of the world. There’s also naturalized which means it was brought there naturally without the help of humans meaning animals like birds. Then there’s also plants that were brought here illegally or by accident. Most native endemic plants are endangered which is one reason why Hawaii has the most endangered species in the world

[@gumonthepants]

Think about it. We depend on plants for sustenance, to rebuild ourselves, to cleanse our blood, our organs. Some plants, uniquely, alter our perceptions and thus help us to grow our culture, our beliefs. It’s no wonder our Ancients, our relatives, had such a respect, holding ALL plants in such a deference with the knowledge that we come from them, we’re made of them, and possibly even DESCENDED from them them. One either simply needs to go full natural, living in the nature and letting go, giving over to his intuition, or consume Ayahuasca in a series of initiatory ceremonies as I did to affirm this truth. I have also found that simple, daily gardening can foster an enormous amount of connection to these understandings. If you do try this latter method, pay close attention to your dreams as they will reconnect you to your chosen path in life.

[@DeepElmRecords]

Moviemad56 is incorrect. Endemic: Organisms that are native (brought there without the help of man) and can be found ONLY in that location. Examples of organisms that are endemic to Hawaii are the spectacled parrotfish, fantail filefish, and Hawaiian Monk Seal. Indigenous: Organisms that are native but CAN be found elsewhere. An example of this is the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle.

[@chelseypavao6524]

Great video, I plan to share it with my students. What is the song playing in the background, I recognize it.

[@dhammadaughter7260]

I was thinking the same thing. I am going to share with my students as well.

[@grilledlettuce1845]

"deep in an ancient hawaiian forest" by makana Probably heard it from the movie "The Descendents" lol

[@woodyahh2110]

And now I know Mahalo

[@ellarose1150]

Aloha, I live in Captain Cook thank you for your video

[@TheNatureConservancy]

Thanks for watching!

[@AVE_YAMA]

Are there any books out there that have this kind of information? I want to go so much deeper, into the names, stories, and cultural significance of the plants.

[@kamakaokalani]

Lāʻau Hawaiʻi by Isabella Aiona Abbott is a great place to start

[@kavikanaveli8348]

@@kamakaokalaniI know this comes years later but any other suggestions.

[@kamakaokalani]

There is also "Hawaiian Herbs of Medicinal Value" which was a study into lāʻau lapaʻau by the territorial Board of Health. There is an English translation available. David Malo also details some uses of plants in his book but he does not go into great detail. And don't overlook the info that is in Pukui's dictionary! She details beliefs and plant uses in some entries.

[@kavikanaveli8348]

@@kamakaokalaniMahalo

[@johngjerry1892]

Can you mail me the santalum seedlings?

[@katrussell6819]

How old are the Hawaiian Islands? I thought they were NEW islands. Perhaps only a few thousand years old.

[@nm1978]

I wonder what percentage of Hawaiian trees and plants are natives? because they told me most were brought from other countries.

[@sidthemyth]

they are the survivors, indigenous or not...

[@coconutterrence8549]

dear sam is it not true that plants washed up from the ocean and bought over by birds are native plants thats how hawaii and other islands got started so how can you say what is native or not , the only way i figure it,s not native is if it was bought in by foreiners or farmers to get rid of pests like cane toads bought in to get rid of sugar cane beetles and things like that

[@hankakah4180]

A lot of plants , flora, and fauna may have traveled to Hawaii by wind water. and air. It's the evolution of millions of years that have created plants and animals that are only found in Hawaii. What may be a relative found somewhere else has evolved. Honeycreepers are a prime example with many branches of it that evolved to fill specific niches from foods and environments that you don't find anywhere else on earth. There is a reason why Hawaii has the most species of flora and fauna on the endangered species list, as well as a huge portion of plants and animals already extinct.

[@moviemad56]

no, "indigenous" implies the opposite - that the species originated there and nowhere else. the word is used in many countries.