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Welcome to the website of the Hawaiian Palm
Welcome to the website of the Hawaiian Palm
The magnificent Hawaiian Palm – Brighamia insignis - once very common on the Islands of Hawaii, is now unfortunately on the verge of extinction in the wild. It is thought that only approximately seven individuals still survive on the Island of Kaua’i,
making this species one of the rarest in the world.
A group of scientists and enthusiasts collaborating with IUCN – The World Conservation Union, has started a rescue programme to save the plant.
IUCN is working together with Plant Planet a Dutch companie specialized in the breeding and marketing of house plants, to grow and sell the Hawaiian Palm.
For each plant sold, a donation will be made to IUCN to support its work and the conservation of Brighamia insignis and other threatened plant species in the Hawaiian Islands.
Scientists and enthusiasts concerned about the plight of Hawaii’s threatened plant species have formed the Hawaiian Plant Specialist Group as one of the 120 expert groups of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSC). Scaling the steep cliffs of Kaua’i, group members have been pollinating the remaining wild specimens of the Hawaiian Palm by hand and collecting seeds for propagation.
Successful germination of the seeds has enabled the creation of a reserve in which a large number of plants are being grown to be used in a replanting programme. The group is trying to restore the original natural balance on the island so that the Hawaiian Palm may be able to survive.
"The launch of the Hawaiian palm in Switzerland is being hosted by Schilliger Nurseries www.schilliger.com on 5 May 2005, in conjunction with IUCN/Species Survival Commission.
Please see the news release on the IUCN/Species Survival Commission homepage www.iucn.org/theses/ssc/ for further details on conservation of the palm"
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