Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden facts for kids

The Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden is a super cool place in Hawaii (island) where you can explore amazing plants and nature! It's a huge 17-acre botanical garden and a special nature preserve. You can find it along a beautiful 4-mile road off Route 19 in a town called Pāpa'ikou.

This garden is a non-profit organization, which means it's run to help people and nature, not just to make money. It's open every day, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. There's a small fee to get in, which helps keep the garden beautiful.

The garden is tucked away in a lovely valley that opens up to Onomea Bay. Imagine walking past streams, seeing waterfalls, and even strolling along a boardwalk right by the ocean!

How the Garden Started

The Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden was created by a person named Dan J. Lutkenhouse. He bought the land in 1977 and started working to turn it into a botanical garden. It first opened its doors to visitors in 1984. Later, in 1995, the Lutkenhouse family generously gave the garden to a non-profit group. This made sure the garden would be protected and enjoyed by everyone for a long time.

What You Can See at the Garden

Today, this garden is home to over 2,000 different kinds of plants! These plants come from more than 125 plant families and 750 different genera. It's like a giant living museum of plants from all over the world.

Some of the most impressive collections include:

• Nearly 200 kinds of palm trees.
• More than 80 types of heliconias, which have bright, colorful flowers.
• Over 80 kinds of bromeliads, known for their unique shapes and colors.

You can also see some really old trees here, like mango and coconut palm trees that are more than 100 years old! Imagine all the things they've seen.

Water and Plants Together

One of the best parts of the garden is how it combines beautiful plants with stunning water features. You'll find a three-tiered waterfall called Onomea Falls. There are also other water views, like Boulder Creek and cool lava tubes right on Onomea Bay. It's a perfect mix of lush greenery and sparkling water.

Images for kids

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  Typical Pathway at the Gardens

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  View from the Bamboo Waterfall

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  Panorama of the Lilypad Lake

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  Typical scene at the Tropical Botanical Gardens

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  View of Onomea Bay from the lower Gardens

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  Hawaiian Red Ginger

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  Water Lily at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

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  Beautiful flower at the gardens