Kauai Information > Kauai Flowers and Plants

The National Botanical Garden has the following mission statement:
Under its Congressional charter, the privately-funded National Tropical Botanical Garden administers gardens of extraordinary beauty and historical significance, advancing scientific research, public education, and plant conservation.

The National Tropical Botanical Garden is dedicated to the conservation of tropical plant diversity, particularly rare and endangered species. Medicine, food, shelter - the potential uses of many plant species are not known. Yet they are becoming extinct at an alarming rate.
Located in the only tropical and sub-tropical regions in the United States, the gardens and preserves of the NTBG are "Noah's Arks" for this threatened plant life. NTBG's work in scientific research, plant exploration, propagation, and education is all supported by contributions from people like you.

Here a crusade exists to rescue endangered Hawaiian plant species. In the tropics, two-thirds of the earth’s plants reside. Of these, nearly 90% of Hawaii’s flowering plants are not found anyplace on earth. Of those plants, more than half are now considered extinct, or endangered.

Conservationists call Hawaii the United States endangered species capital. Although the Hawaiian Islands represent less than two-tenths of the total US land area, three quarters of the nation’s extinct plants and birds once lived in Hawaii. Introduced species are crowding out the islands’ endemic species. Since 1990, NTBG’s staff has discovered 28 new species and one new genus, and rediscovered 22 species thought to be extinct.

Daily guided tours of the Allerton Gardens lasting about two and a half hours are given daily except Sunday for $30 per person. Self-guided tours of the McBride Garden are $15. You need reservations but this is time well spent. 808-332-7361.

Limahuli Botanical Gardens are located on the far end of Kauai’s north shore is open Tues-Fri. and Sunday 9:30-4:30. There are self-guided tours for $10 and guided tours for $15. The guided tour, which tells not only of the plants, their history on Kauai, but also legends of the mountains and valley, is very interesting. The guided tour is worth the additional $5. Call 808-828-1053.