In the final installment of Lāʻau Letters, author Jodie Rosam looks back on four and a half years of highlighting Kaʻū’s native plants. Celebrating 49 featured species, she honors the journey and shares a heartfelt call for our community to continue protecting our native ʻāina.

Explore the beauty and utility of Alaheʻe (Psydrax odorata) in this month’s Lāʻau Letters. Indigenous to Hawaiʻi, this hardy tree is famous for its fragrant winter blooms, glossy leaves, and incredibly strong wood historically used for heʻe spears.

Discover Pāpala, an endemic Hawaiian tree with striking red inflorescences and cultural significance, known for the ʻōahi firebrand practice. Though absent from Kaʻū today due to habitat loss, learn its ecological importance and conservation.

The "Lāʻau Letters" column returns to explore the native plants of Kaʻū, focusing this month on the ʻŌlapa tree. The article delves into the plant's moʻolelo, its connection to hula and the goddess Laka, and its traditional uses in medicine and dye.

Meet Kūkaenēnē (Coprosma ernodeoides), an endemic Kaʻū shrub known for its unique black fruits and importance to the Nēnē. Learn its intriguing etymology, ecological role as a lava flow colonizer, and how to easily grow this resilient native plant.

Discover ʻAlaʻalawainui (Peperomia cookiana), a beautiful, often-overlooked native succulent thriving in Kaʻū's wet forests. Learn about its unique characteristics, traditional Hawaiian medicinal uses, and how easily you can grow it.