Tipu Tipu Seed Farm

Tipu Tipu Restoration and Sustainability is addressing the growing deficit of restoration resources of native Hawaiian seeds on Maui and in Hawaii.
We are increasing capacity of seed collecting and seed  storing, native plant propagation, and native plant seedlings for restoration and fire recovery purposes.

Tipu Tipu was inspired by the Need for Seed seminar at the Hawaii Conservation Conference in June 2023. The August 8, 2023 horrific fires on Maui disrupted the entire island. The effects of the fire for Tipu Tipu was the inability to access the Wahikuli field site for many months, and damaged our greenhouse operation. We were immediately inspired to put as many native Hawaiian plants into the ground and start the Tipu Tipu seed farm in Maalaea.  A week post fire, on August 15, 2023 we established the Tipu Tipu seed farm.

Native Hawaiian plant seeds are at a deficit and the need to scale up resources is great.

Tipu Tipu’s seed farm currently has over 500 plants in the ground and includes A’ali’i, Ilima, Ma’o, Milo, Wili Wili, and Vetiver grass, a non-native grass used commonly in restoration.

Reach out to us if you would like to join us to volunteer and expand the seed farm. 

You can support our restoration capacity expansion by contributing with a monthly donation to help plant native Hawaiian species.

Row of Maʻo at Tipu Tipu Seed farm on Maui

Maʻo flower at Tipu Tipu seed farm in Maalaea