山谷中的绿色传奇
1977年，加州商人丹·卢特肯豪斯（Dan Lutkenhouse Sr.）在夏威夷大岛度假时偶然发现了奥诺美亚山谷（Onomea Valley）这片被入侵物种和荆棘丛生的原始雨林。他与妻子波琳决定在此度过余生，买下了这片40英亩的土地。从此，卢特肯豪斯每天工作七个小时，用砍刀、锄头和电锯徒手清理丛林——不使用拖拉机，以保护珍贵的植物根系。1984年，夏威夷热带植物园正式向公众开放。
丹于2007年去世，妻子波琳于2017年去世。他们的子女丹·卢特肯豪斯 Jr.和黛比·卢特肯豪斯-弗罗斯特接手运营植物园，在董事会的指导下，致力于将这里打造为可持续发展教育和气候变化的综合中心。使命宣言写道：”我们存在的意义是教育，我们的热情在于植物、雨林、濒危物种、海洋以及适应不断变化的气候。”
自然奇观与植物天堂
植物园收集了超过2500种热带和亚热带植物，涵盖夏威夷本土物种及从马达加斯加等遥远国度引种的珍稀品种。其中100余种在原生地已濒临灭绝，植物园为它们保留了种子库。园内拥有五层瀑布——奥诺美亚瀑布（Onomea Falls），被誉为夏威夷最美的瀑布之一。游客沿曲线蜿蜒的步道穿越雨林，可欣赏壮观的海岸线景观，沿途设有超过20个休憩点。
植物园设有植物数据库，收录83个科1500余种植物信息，并提供虚拟游览功能。游客还可参与每周三的导览之旅，在专业向导带领下深入探索这座植物天堂。园内设有礼品店和餐厅（The Tram Bar），方便游客休憩用餐。2024年12月全新游客中心正式启用，进一步提升游览体验。
夏威夷的植物乐园
奥诺美亚山谷位于夏威夷大岛东侧，距离希洛（Hilo）约15分钟车程。植物园坐落在肥沃的火山口土壤上，海岸雨林与太平洋海岸在此交汇，形成独特的微气候环境。这里是摄影爱好者、园丁、植物学家和自然爱好者的天堂。
园区地势陡峭，入口处至出口海拔落差较大，建议穿着舒适徒步鞋，并携带雨衣以应对山区天气变化。植物园还开展濒危物种保护工作，已成功繁育多种夏威夷本土植物，为生物多样性保护做出重要贡献。
A Legacy Carved from Rainforest
In 1977, California businessman Dan Lutkenhouse Sr. discovered the overgrown Onomea Valley during a vacation on Hawaii’s Big Island. Purchasing the 40-acre parcel for its seclusion, he began the monumental task of clearing the jungle by hand—seven days a week, using only machetes and chainsaws—to preserve the valley’s natural beauty. Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden opened to the public in 1984. Following Dan’s passing in 2007 and Pauline’s in 2017, their children Dan Jr. and Debi Lutkenhouse-Frost took the helm, expanding the garden’s mission into sustainability education and climate change advocacy. Their mission: “We exist to educate. Our passion is plants, rainforests, endangered species, the ocean and adapting to our ever-changing climate.”
A Living Collection of Global Flora
The garden cultivates over 2,500 tropical and subtropical plant species, including rare specimens from Madagascar and other distant lands—over 100 species personally collected on international expeditions, many now extinct in the wild. Its crown jewel is the five-tier Onomea Falls, widely regarded as Hawaii’s most beautiful waterfall. Visitors follow winding, hand-hewn trails through coastal rainforest, rewarded with panoramic Pacific Ocean views. Over 20 sit spots invite guests to pause and immerse in nature. The on-site plant database catalogs 1,500+ species across 83 families, while Wednesday guided tours offer deeper exploration. A new visitor center opened December 2024, and the Tram Bar provides refreshments amid the lush setting.
Planning Your Visit
Located on the Hamakua Coast near Hilo (approximately 15 minutes’ drive), the garden occupies a unique coastal rainforest ecosystem where jungle meets sea. Admission is $32–$35 per person with complimentary parking. Trails are steep—visitors with mobility concerns should plan accordingly and bring rain gear, as the area receives significant rainfall. The garden serves as an active seed bank for endangered species and participates in native Hawaiian plant conservation programs, making it both a living museum and a vital conservation resource.
