The origin of trees in the subtropical climate of Hawaii is a very interesting study. There were Hawaiian volcanoes which rose from the sea and had no trees on them. Seeds had to be transported to this barren island. Some of those seeds floated, some drifted in the ocean currents, and some were transported to this island by hurricanes while most were dropped by birds.
Hawaii is an isolated land mass. It has a unique ecosystem with some native tree species. However, many today are endangered and nearing extinction. There are a number of native trees here. But the majority of tress has been transported by migrants. These had been bought to the island as a food crop while some had been grown just for ornamentation. Hawaii today spends millions of dollars to try and keep the invasive species of foreign tress away as they destroy the native trees of Hawaii.
The Hawaiian island is known for a large variety of tress. There are more trees here than anywhere else in the whole world. Today, however a number of organisations that are trying their best to grow native trees in the soils of the Hawaiian island. Koa, black-wattle acacia and Blackwood acacia are some of the native trees of Hawaii. Malunggay, horseradish tree and wild olive are few of the foreign trees are some of the foreign trees on the Hawaiian soil.
The native trees in Hawaii have arrived on the island by natural means. The wind, the ocean currents and the birds have played the major role in transporting the seeds to the Hawaiian soil and thus giving the tree a favourable climatic condition to grow. Some of the native trees are indigenous which means that they occur naturally in Hawaii. On the other hand some of these tree varieties are endemic. These can be spotted only in the Hawaiian island. It is interesting to note that the vast number of species of trees found in Hawaii is endemic
The culture of Hawaii is very well depicted by the native trees on this island. These trees help to study the cultural past of Hawaii.
Land development and the invasion of foreign species have made the trees of Hawaii subject to a lot of danger. They are almost on the verge of extinction. There are a number of studies being conducted to learn about these native trees and every step is being taken to help grow them on the Hawaiian island. Growing native plants are beneficial. They grow in their own zones and are able to survive with much less water as compared to the foreign trees. This saves a lot on the usage of water. They also require very less maintenance. Fertilising and pruning these trees are far less cumbersome than the foreign trees.
The inhabitants of Hawaii are finding ways to find their own identity. The uniqueness of these rare trees has attracted a lot of tree lovers to this island to study these species. They come here for a deeper understanding of the culture and history of Hawaii.
There are strict state laws to protect the native trees. Steps are being taken to make the locals more aware and educating them before planting trees in Hawaii. Wild trees are kept separate from the native ones. Seeds or plants are not allowed to be collected from the wild. These only decrease the wild population. Selling native trees requires you to have a special permit.