The Conifer Collection
The Mauna kea Cloudforest Bioreserve boasts the largest conifer collection in the Central Pacific. With hundreds of species and cultivars, the collection spans many countries and climates and includes a unique blend of tropical and temperate conifers. A subset of disease resistant conifer species and cultivars have also been selected to make up the Bioreserve forest because they are non-invasive and blend well with native flora and fauna. Coast redwoods, Taiwania, cunninghamia cryptomeria and taxodium makeup the backbone of the forest. Pictured on the right is the beautiful Sekkan Sugi, an old Japanese cultivar of cryptomeria Japonica selected for its bright yellow new foliage.
The Palm Collection
The Cloudforest conditions at the Bioreserve are ideal for a number of palm species. Our collection focuses on Madagascar and New Caledonia Palms, many of which are close to extinction. We hope that the bioreserve can serve as a genetic repository so valuable global biodiversity is saved for future generations. To the right is a picture of a bismarckia nobilis, a spectacular bright silver palm from Madagascar.
Deciduous Hardwoods
Traditionally, there aren't a lot of deciduous hardwoods grown in Hawaii. At the Bioreserve, we grow a variety of maples, liquidambar, alders and tulpedos amongst other trees that are normally more common in temperate climates. To the right is a picture of one of the many red maples (Acer rubrum) growing on the Biorerve.
Native Hawaiian Plants
Hawaii boasts some of the most unique biodiversity in the world. Every day we strive to find and plant unique native Hawaiian plants that thrive in our cool and misty cloudforest climate. Pictured on the left is the State flower of Hawaii, hibiscus brackenridgei which is planted copiously on the Bioreserve.
Herbs & Tropical Fruit
Jackfruit, Marang, Pedalai, passion fruit, cacao, cupuacu. surinam cherries, grumichama, mountain apples and many other fruit along with traditional tea, mamaki tea and coffee are amongst the many fruits and herbs that thrive at the Mauna Kea Cloudforest Bioreserve. Pictured to the right is one of the many passion fruit vines (passiflora edulis flavicarpa) on the Bioreserve.
Tropical ornamentals
Tropical plants that thrive at our elevation come in many shapes and colors. Heliconia, anthuriums, aroids and Orchids along with vireya, azaela and tropical agave, colorful copper leaf plants all add a dazzling display of bold colors and shape to the tropical forest. On the left is the dazzling orchid "Eternal Wind" also known as "Summer Wind" (Bracdiana x Rex).
Biomass Generators
Most people don't know that the majority of biomass comes from the atmosphere, not the ground. The main ingredients for plant matter are carbon and nitrogen, both come from the air we breathe. Plants that are capable of assimilating large amounts of nitrogen from the atmosphere are called Nitrogen fixers. We focus on integrating as many nitrogen fixers as possible into the forest to accelerate the forest biomass production. Pictured to the left is the Andean Alder (Alnus acuminata) which we use for nitrogen fixing using Frankie bacteria.