Aloha nui! My name is Taylor Jenkins and I've been working with BIISC through the Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science (PIPES) program to investigate the distribution, establishment, and fungal interactions of a non-native epiphytic orchid (Epidendrum nocturnum) across … [Read more...] about Tracking Non-Native Epiphytic Orchids Across Puna – PIPES Project 2026
invasive plants
Acacia mangium: A Fast-Growing Forestry Tree Turned Invasive in Hawaiʻi
Acacia mangium, commonly known as mangium, salwood, or black wattle, is a fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing tree in the pea family (Fabaceae). Native to northeastern Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Moluccan Islands, and Indonesia, this tropical evergreen was introduced to Hawaiʻi in the 1970s for … [Read more...] about Acacia mangium: A Fast-Growing Forestry Tree Turned Invasive in Hawaiʻi
Identify Plants Like A Pro: Evaluating and Ranking Plant ID Apps
Accurate and timely identification of unfamiliar plant species plays an integral part in the early detection of spreading or newly emerging invasive weeds. After all, it's crucial to know the species, especially when control measures are needed. A plant ID app is any app that takes a picture of a … [Read more...] about Identify Plants Like A Pro: Evaluating and Ranking Plant ID Apps
A new weed in potted plants
A menace for Hawai'i: A newly established weed promises to add even more burden to gardeners and plant lovers. Hairy crabweed (Fatoua villosa) was recently found invading a Hilo garden. Just a few weeks after planting a locally purchased Samoan gardenia, an unsuspecting gardener found hairy … [Read more...] about A new weed in potted plants
Is Medinilla invasive in Hawaii?
Betrayed by beauty - Invasive Medinilla: Medinilla magnifica and Medinilla cumminigii are invasive species in Hawaii. Yet, some garden stores continue to promote and sell them as prized horticultural specimens. Profusely blooming and fruiting, the plant blooms with showy pink or purple flowers that … [Read more...] about Is Medinilla invasive in Hawaii?
