Foster Botanical Garden is Honolulu’s largest botanical garden, where over 10,000 species of tropical plants are in full bloom.
It’s an urban oasis in the downtown area where you can enjoy the stunning power of nature.
You can pick up an English brochure at the entrance. Having it with you will help you understand more details and make your visit even more enjoyable!
The garden features a vast collection of plants, including native Hawaiian species, endangered species, and rare plants that no longer exist in the wild.
Although the grounds aren’t vast, the garden is beautifully maintained, creating a wonderful atmosphere that will soothe your soul!
Popular Plants at Foster Botanical Garden
One of the defining features of Foster Botanical Garden is its overwhelmingly large number of plant species compared to other botanical gardens in Hawaii.
I’d like to introduce a few of my recommendations, focusing on the plants featured in the brochure and popular areas within the garden!
The Impressive Cannonball Tree
First up is the Cannonball Tree, which leaves an unforgettable impression once you see it.
In Japanese, it’s called “Hogan-no-ki,” which means “cannonball tree.”
True to its name, the tree bears numerous heavy fruits about the size of cannonballs.
It’s a mysterious tree, making you wonder why it produces so many large fruits!
By the way, if you crack open the fruit, you’ll find another hard shell inside.
Inside that is a green, avocado-like flesh with a very strong smell.
Believe it or not, the fruit is actually edible!
The Caribbean Royal Palm, the World’s Tallest Palm Tree
This is the Caribbean Royal Palm, a species said to be the tallest in the world.
It stands between 50 to 60 meters (about 164 to 197 feet) tall and is still growing.
They stretch so high that you might get a sore neck looking up to the top, and they’re so slender you might worry they’ll snap in the wind.
Many people associate Hawaii with palm trees, so be sure to enjoy the sight of the world’s tallest palm species!
By the way, Hawaii is home to many different types of palm trees, each with its own unique appearance.
At Foster Botanical Garden, you can see the endangered Double Coconut, which produces the world’s largest seed (some weighing up to 22 kg / 48 lbs); the Loulu, an endangered palm native to Hawaii; and the Doum Palm, an African native that is the largest of its kind in the United States!
Other Must-See Plants
It’s quite a task to see every plant in the garden, so here are a few other impressive ones you won’t want to miss.
- The Bodhi Tree, revered as the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment
- The giant Queensland Kauri, which can grow over 45 meters (148 feet) tall and is used for shipbuilding
- The Sausage Tree, which bears long fruits weighing up to 9 kg (20 lbs)
- Popular food plants like Macadamia Nut, Sweet Potato, Breadfruit, Black Pepper, and Jackfruit
- The Rainbow Eucalyptus, known for its colorful, smooth bark
- The massive Baobab Tree, some of which can live for over 2,000 years
These are all unique plants you can only see here and plants characteristic of Hawaii, so be sure to check them out.
History of Foster Botanical Garden
Foster Botanical Garden has a long history, said to have begun in 1853 when a German physician purchased the estate of Queen Kalama, wife of King Kamehameha III, and began planting trees.
But interestingly, this physician’s name was not Foster.
About 30 years later, in 1884, the property was purchased by an American couple, the Fosters. After the wife passed away, it was bequeathed to the City of Honolulu, and it was named Foster Botanical Garden in their honor.
It’s incredibly vast when you think of it as a garden for a single home, isn’t it?
Since then, trees were collected from around the world and planted, and the garden was expanded to its current form.
By the way, the large Buddha statue here is a replica of the Great Buddha of Kamakura, donated by Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan in 1968 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii!
Foster Botanical Garden: General Information
| Name | Foster Botanical Garden |
| Address | 180 N. Vineyard Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96817 |
| Map | |
| Hours | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Admission | Adults (13+): $5 Children (6-12): $1 Children (5 and under): Free |
| Closed | None |
| Recommended Time | Approx. 1 hour |
| Restrooms | Available |
| Parking | Available (Free) |
Recommended Ways to Get to Foster Botanical Garden
TheBus – The Most Affordable Public Transportation Covering All of Hawaii
Taxis & Uber – Ideal Chartered Vehicles for Small Groups in Hawaii
Areas Near Foster Botanical Garden
The Ultimate Guide to Popular Tourist Spots in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii