“Our Plants” is a digital catalogue from Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a Hawai‘i-based native plant nursery, featuring profiles of hundreds of indigenous and endemic Hawaiian plant species—including groundcovers, shrubs, trees, ferns, and more. Each entry includes the common and scientific names (e.g., Bacopa monnieri, Canavalia hawaiiensis, Scaevola chamissoniana), along with descriptions of growth habits and uses. This garden-to-‘āina resource serves educational programs, habitat restoration, and cultural plant knowledge.
Plant profile research: Assign students to explore a species page (e.g., ʻAeʻae [Bacopa monnieri] or Pualoalo hibiscus), then summarize its habitat, morphology, and cultural/ecological role.
Habitat matching: Match plants to Hawai‘i’s zones (coastal, wet forest, dry forest, alpine), using descriptions like “sprawling shrub with silvery leaves” (pōhinahina) or “mountain naupaka” (Scaevola chamissoniana).
Restoration project planning: Using Advent panels, students propose planting plans for a degraded site, selecting appropriate native species from the catalogue.
Cultural uses exploration: Research traditional uses (e.g., weaving with hala leaves, medicine from popolo, lei-making with ma‘o hau hele).
Field ID practice: Use nursery plant material to learn leaf shapes, flowers, and habitat needs—mirroring in-the-field observations.
Botanical identification: scientific vs. common names, growth forms (groundcover, shrub, tree, fern, vine)
Habitat ecology: matching species to environment zones and understanding ecological niches
Cultural connections: traditional use and stories tied to native species
Conservation and restoration: selecting native plants for ecological restoration, erosion control, and habitat creation
