Na 'Aina Kai Botanical Gardens
Encyclopedia
Na Āina Kai Botanical Gardens (240 acres including forest and farmland) are nonprofit botanical garden
s located at 4101 Wailapa Road, Kīlauea
, Kauai
, Hawaii
. A variety of guided tours are offered Tuesday through Friday; an admission fee is charged for each.
Na Āina Kai was established by Joyce and Ed Doty in 1982. In 1999, it became a nonprofit organization and opened to the public. Today it contains 13 gardens, a hardwood plantation, farmland, meadow, canyon, and beach. More than 90 bronze sculptures are sited throughout the estate. Highlights of the gardens include:
The hardwood plantation (110 acres) contains African Blackwood
(Dalbergia
melanoxylon), African Mahogany (Khaya
senegalensis), Big-leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla
), Blue Mahoe
(Hibiscus
elatus), Caribbean Pitch Pine (Pinus oocarpa
), Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa
), Indian Blackwood (Dalbergia latifolia
), Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo
), Iroko (Chlorophora excelsa), Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum officinale
), West Indian Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni
), Moreton Bay Chestnut (Castanospermum
australe), Narra (Pterocarpus indicus), Palu (Manilkara hexandra
), Brazilwood
(Caesalpinia
echinata), Pheasant Wood (Andira inermis
), Queensland Maple (Flindersia brayleyana
), Rainbowbark (Eucalyptus deglupta
), Sandalwood (Santalum album
), Teak
(Tectona grandis), West Indian Cedar (Cedrela odorata
), and Zebra Wood (Astronium graveolens
)
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
s located at 4101 Wailapa Road, Kīlauea
Kilauea, Hawaii
Kīlauea, on the Island of Kauai, shares the name of the active volcano, Mt. Kilauea. The name literally translates to "spewing" or '"much spreading" in Hawaiian. Kilauea, the town, is a census-designated place in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States....
, Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. A variety of guided tours are offered Tuesday through Friday; an admission fee is charged for each.
Na Āina Kai was established by Joyce and Ed Doty in 1982. In 1999, it became a nonprofit organization and opened to the public. Today it contains 13 gardens, a hardwood plantation, farmland, meadow, canyon, and beach. More than 90 bronze sculptures are sited throughout the estate. Highlights of the gardens include:
- Bog House - several carnivorous plantCarnivorous plantCarnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants appear adapted to grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic...
species, including butterworts and pitcher plantPitcher plantPitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
s.
- International Desert Garden - cactiCactusA cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
, succulents, and other desert plants including aloeAloeAloe , also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe"....
, agaveAgaveAgave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....
, a tamarindTamarindTamarind is a tree in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic .-Origin:...
and several baobabBaobabAdansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island....
s.
- Poinciana Maze - a hedge of 2400 mock-orangeMock-orangeMock-orange is a genus of about 60 species of shrubs from 1 to 6 m tall, native to North America, Central America, Asia and in southeast Europe....
plants, with topiaryTopiaryTopiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and the term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be...
and sculpture.
- Shower Tree Park & Kaula Lagoon - hibiscusHibiscusHibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world...
, ixoraIxoraIxora is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 500 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas throughout the world, its centre of diversity is in Tropical Asia. Ixora also grows commonly in...
, firecracker flowers, and fiddlewoodCitharexylumCitharexylum is a genus of flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. It contains 70 to 100 shrub and tree species commonly known as Fiddlewoods or Zitherwoods. They are native to the Americas, ranging from southern Florida and Texas in the United States to Argentina. The highest...
trees, with lagoon, waterfall, and Japanese-style teahouse.
- "Under the Rainbow" Children’s Garden - pond, treehouse, train, log cabins, bridges, tunnels and slides.
- Wild Forest Garden - heliconiaHeliconiaHeliconia, derived from the Greek word helikonios, is a genus of about 100 to 200 species of flowering plants native to the tropical Americas and the Pacific Ocean islands west to Indonesia. Many species of Heliconia are found in rainforests or tropical wet forests of these regions...
s, gingerGingerGinger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
s, noniNoniMorinda citrifolia, commonly known as great morinda, Indian mulberry, nunaakai , dog dumpling , mengkudu , Kumudu , pace , beach mulberry, cheese fruit or noni is a tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae...
, ylang ylang, cardamomCardamomCardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds...
, vanillaVanillaVanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
, and ornamental bananaBananaBanana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s, as well as nutmegNutmegThe nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia...
and cinnamonCinnamonCinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods...
trees.
The hardwood plantation (110 acres) contains African Blackwood
African Blackwood
Dalbergia melanoxylon is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to seasonally dry regions of Africa from Senegal east to Eritrea and south to the Transvaal in South Africa....
(Dalbergia
Dalbergia
Dalbergia is a large genus of small to medium-size trees, shrubs and lianas in the pea family, Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. The genus has a wide distribution, native to the tropical regions of Central and South America, Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia...
melanoxylon), African Mahogany (Khaya
Khaya
Khaya is a genus of seven species of trees in the mahogany family Meliaceae, native to tropical Africa and Madagascar. All species become big trees 30-35 m tall, rarely 45 m, with a trunk over 1 m trunk diameter, often buttressed at the base...
senegalensis), Big-leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla
Swietenia macrophylla
Swietenia macrophylla, commonly known as big leaf mahogany, is a species of plant in the Meliaceae family. It is one of two species that yields genuine mahogany timber, the other being Swietenia mahagoni....
), Blue Mahoe
Blue Mahoe
The Blue Mahoe, Talipariti elatum, is a species of flowering tree in the mallow family, Malvaceae.-Distribution:Talipariti elatum is native to the islands of Cuba and Jamaica in the Caribbean. In wetter areas it will grow in a wide range of elevations, up to and is often used in reforestation...
(Hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world...
elatus), Caribbean Pitch Pine (Pinus oocarpa
Pinus oocarpa
Pinus oocarpa is a species of pine tree native to Mexico and Central America. It is the national tree of Honduras, where it is known as Ocote. Common names include Pino Amarillo, Pino Avellano, Mexican Yellow Pine, and Hazelnut Pine...
), Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa
Dalbergia retusa
Dalbergia retusa is a plant species in the genus Dalbergia. It is known to produce the wood called cocobolo. It is a fair-sized tree, reported to reach 20–25 m in height...
), Indian Blackwood (Dalbergia latifolia
Dalbergia latifolia
Dalbergia latifolia is an economically important timber species native to low elevation tropical monsoon forests of eastern India...
), Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo
Dalbergia sissoo
Dalbergia sissoo, known as Shisham, is an erect deciduous tree, native to the Indian Subcontinent. It is also called sissoo, sisu, sheesham, tahli and sometimes referred to as Indian Rosewood. It is state tree of Punjab state and provincial tree of Punjab province...
), Iroko (Chlorophora excelsa), Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum officinale
Guaiacum officinale
Guaiacum officinale, commonly known as Roughbark Lignum-vitae, is a species of tree in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae, that is native to the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America.-Description:...
), West Indian Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni
Swietenia mahagoni
Swietenia mahagoni, commonly known as the West Indies Mahogany, is a species of Swietenia native to southern Florida, USA, The Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola. It is the species from which the original mahogany wood was produced....
), Moreton Bay Chestnut (Castanospermum
Castanospermum
Castanospermum australe , the only species in the genus Castanospermum, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to the east coast of Australia in Queensland and New South Wales, and to the Pacific islands of Vanuatu and New Caledonia.-Growth:It is a large evergreen tree growing to ...
australe), Narra (Pterocarpus indicus), Palu (Manilkara hexandra
Manilkara hexandra
Manilkara hexandra is a species in the tribe Sapoteae, in the Sapotaceae family that is native to much of south Asia Manilkara hexandra is a species in the tribe Sapoteae, in the Sapotaceae family that is native to much of south Asia Manilkara hexandra is a species in the tribe Sapoteae, in the...
), Brazilwood
Brazilwood
Caesalpinia echinata is a species of Brazilian timber tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. Common names include Brazilwood, Pau-Brasil, Pau de Pernambuco and Ibirapitanga . This plant has a dense, orange-red heartwood that takes a high shine, and it is the premier wood used for making bows for...
(Caesalpinia
Caesalpinia
Caesalpinia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. Membership within the genus is controversial, with different publications including anywhere from 70 to 165 species, depending largely on the inclusion or exclusion of species alternately listed under genera such as...
echinata), Pheasant Wood (Andira inermis
Andira inermis
Andira inermis is a nitrogen-fixing tree native to the area from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America ; it has been introduced to the Caribbean, the Antilles, Florida, and Africa...
), Queensland Maple (Flindersia brayleyana
Flindersia brayleyana
Flindersia brayleyana or Queensland maple is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in northern Queensland in Australia...
), Rainbowbark (Eucalyptus deglupta
Eucalyptus deglupta
Eucalyptus deglupta is a tall tree, commonly known as the Rainbow Eucalyptus, the Mindanao Gum, or the Rainbow Gum. It is the only Eucalyptus species found naturally in the Northern Hemisphere. Its natural distribution spans New Britain, New Guinea, Ceram, Sulawesi and Mindanao.The unique...
), Sandalwood (Santalum album
Santalum album
Santalum album or Indian sandalwood is a small tropical tree, the most commonly known source of sandalwood. This species has been utilised, cultivated and traded for many years, some cultures placing great significance on its fragrant and medicinal qualities. For these reasons it has been...
), Teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
(Tectona grandis), West Indian Cedar (Cedrela odorata
Cedrela odorata
Cedrela odorata . The genus Cedrela has undergone two major systematic revisions since 1960. The most recent revision reduced the number of species in the genus to seven . The common cedro, Cedrela odorata L., embraces 28 other named species, including C. mexicana M. J...
), and Zebra Wood (Astronium graveolens
Astronium graveolens
Astronium graveolens is a species of flowering tree in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to Yucatán in Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Bolivia. Common names include Glassywood, Ronrón , and Aroeira...
)