Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden

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Medicinal Plants That Can and Should Be Grown Commercially in Hawai`i, Part 1

The sugar cane industry in Hawai`i is gone. So is the pineapple business. On the land left vacant by these agricultural endeavors, many people are beginning to plant Noni, `awa (kava kava), and other crops that have healing properties. This is looking in the correct direction because retail sales for herbal dietary supplements amount to around $600 million each year. Although it is a good sign that Hawaiian growers are beginning to understand the commercial potential for medicinal plants, it is only a small beginning because there are many more medicinal plants that can be grown more easily and harvested in a far shorter period of time than the Noni trees and `awa that are beginning to sprout on the Hamakua coast and other areas of Hawai`i.

Here is a list of plants that are among the 20 top-selling herbs and whether I've had success growing them or not:

Gingko: no. It's a tree and takes time before a harvest can occur.

Ginseng: no. It requires three years before its roots can be harvested, like `awa. Desirable varieties such as Asian ginseng require a winter chill.

Garlic: no. It's not easily grown in Hawai`i unless you have a lot of large greenhouses. Why try to compete against Gilroy, CA, the "Garlic Capital of the World"?

Echinacea: maybe. It's being grown commercially on Kauai, but it takes three years for the root to mature. I have not had good success growing it in my dry microclimate.

St. John's wort: no. I do NOT recommend growing it in Hawai`i because it could become an invasive pest if it ever flowers and sets seed, as mine has failed to do in three years of growth.

Saw palmetto: maybe. It grows well in Florida, but I'm having trouble getting it to take hold in my environment. I would love to see others attempt to grow it in other microclimates because it's an important medicine for men with benign prostate disease. Contact me if you'd like a source for young plants.

Soy: yes. Sales are increasing at over 100% per year and I predict that as the baby boom generation ages and discovers in even greater numbers the benefits that soy foods have in alleviating the symptoms of menopause and other conditions, the market for soy-based products will continue to skyrocket. It's being grown here as a food crop, but is it being marketed to the herbal supplement industry?

Valerian: yes. Sales are increasing at a rate of about 70% per year. The root is prized as the strongest cerebral sedative.

'Awa: yes. However, it showed a 16% decrease in sales in 2000 and bad press lately has had a disastrous effect on sales.

Milk thistle: no. It's excellent for liver and kidney health. I do not recommend growing it because of the danger of it becoming a highly invasive noxious weed.

Green tea: yes. Its sales are increasing by 40% a year, probably due to studies that have demonstrated that it is effective against the formation of cancerous cells.

Ginger: yes. It's already a large cash crop here, but is it being marketed to the herbal products industry or only being grown as a food crop?

Which Medicinal Plants Should Be Grown in Hawai`i?

I say that the plants that can and should be grown in Hawai`i are those that are easy-- plants that are natural for our environment. Why spend a lot of money creating an environment that is conducive for a particular plant when there are plenty of plants that need no special care? Here are the traits that I believe medicinal cash crops should have:

*    They require very little fertilization and irrigation.
*    They will not escape cultivation and become another invasive species.
*    They have no significant insect pests.
*    They have a short harvest so you can realize a quick return on your
      investment.
*    They have a good market in the herbal supplement industry.

Based on these criteria, market statistics and my own success growing medicinals, here's my list of the medicinal plants that I believe should be grown commercially in Hawai`i:

10. Mints (Mentha sp., peppermint, spearmint, etc.): used by companies such as Celestial seasonings in many of their tea blends.

9. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile): calming herb used in tea blends such as "Sleepytime."

8. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): delicious lemony herb used in tea blends. It's mildly sedative, good for stomach aches, and helpful when you have a cold.

7. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana): a natural sweetener, which is quickly increasing in popularity as health-conscious consumers discover this delicious substitute for sugar and calorie-laden honey.

6. Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris): used in Chinese medicine for nervous conditions and the lung. This is the exact species used in moxibustion.

5. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis): a sedative, the root is prized as medicine.

4. Fo-ti (Polygonium multiflorum): Known as Ho shou wu in Chinese medicine, the root of this attractive, spreading plant is a "rejuvenating tonic that will restore energy, increase fertility and maintain strength and vigor," according to Michael Tierra in his book, "The Way of Herbs."

3. Soy beans (Glycine soja): The demand for soy-based products and the market for them are growing rapidly, as I mentioned earlier.

2. Siberian motherwort (Leonurus Sibericus): used in Chinese medicine. It's an excellent heart tonic and is helpful for women's health concerns such as pre-menstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms. It's also used in moxibustion.

And the number one medicinal plant that can and should be grown commercially in Hawai`i is:

1. Green tea (Camellia sinensis): sales continue to increase, partly due to its anti-cancer properties. It's delicious and refreshing and is a staple of life in Asian countries. It should become a staple of life in the United States as well.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT MONTH. My entire column will be about green tea--how easy it is to grow, market statistics, and a couple of recipes for delicious, healthful teas you can make from fresh herbs in your own yard.