In the lush gardens of ʻOhi ʻOhi, medicine grows at every step. Imagine walking at sunrise through a garden of green: the air smells faintly of jasmine and wet earth. Wet tendrils of lilikoi (passionfruit) brush your face as you walk by.
You pause by a glossy-leaved shrub bearing bumpy green fruits — the noni tree. Noni (Morinda citrifolia), as it’s called in Hawai’i, has been treasured for centuries as a cure-all. At first whiff, the ripe fruit’s pungent aroma might make you wrinkle your nose, but that strong smell hints at its potency. Noni is rich in antioxidants and compounds that modern science has found to be anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and even anticancer. Traditional healers would eat the fruit raw, drink its juice or apply crushed noni fruit to the skin to treat wounds and joint pain. In fact, the entire plant — leaves, fruit, bark, and roots — were used for healing. Today, we continue that legacy. For instance, we make a tea with its fruit, and we use the leaves in all of our ethnobotanical face oils, promoting natural vitality for your skin. Noni leaf is rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory compounds. It helps calm irritation, support hydration, and ease breakouts. Traditionally used for wound care, it may also aid in scar healing and sunburn relief — making it a gentle yet effective ally for sensitive, aging, or acne-prone skin. We are excited to have this amazing plant thriving in our garden.
Our friends over at Real Noni transform this knobbly fruit into soothing topical potions and healing fruit leather.
When you use noni products, you’re tapping into an ancient Hawaiian remedy updated for the modern world. It’s noni’s anti-inflammatory properties doing their work — gently, naturally, and without synthetic chemicals. Such remedies exemplify how Hawaiian fruits and herbs bridge folk wisdom and wellness science.
Back to our garden. Strolling further, you spot heart-shaped kalo leaves, with shimmering droplets of water that bead up like quicksilver. These silvery orbs roll across the surface without soaking in, gliding along the waxy leaf like tiny liquid pearls — a mesmerizing dance of water and light. We eat kalo pretty regularly — its corms are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals like potassium and magnesium. It supports digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, and provides steady energy. In Hawaiian tradition, kalo is more than food; it’s an ancestor and a source of life, feeding both body and spirit.
A few steps on, a burst of citrusy scent greets you — here grows a clump of lemongrass. This herb isn’t just for cooking; a tea of lemongrass can help with digestion and is often sipped to relieve colds or stress. Next to it, other herbs thrive — pineapple sage, marjorum, parsley, and more. Notable in our garden, tulsi, a powerful adaptogen that helps the body manage stress, balance energy, and support the immune system, is known to aid digestion, reduce inflammation, and promote mental clarity — making it a beloved herb in both traditional and modern herbalism
Nearby, spikes of ‘ōlena (turmeric) rise from the soil. Their underground rhizomes hide bright orange flesh. Hawaiians incorporated ‘ōlena into their healing practices as well; when pounded and brewed, turmeric becomes a golden tonic for sore throats, respiratory infections, and overall anti-inflammatory support. It’s no surprise that turmeric has become a star in contemporary wellness worldwide, prized for curcumin (its active compound) which research links to reduced inflammation and improved immunity.
Another stop on our garden tour reveals clusters of ʻawa (kava) with its broad leaves. Though not every visitor will recognize it, kava root has a well-known calming effect, used traditionally in Polynesian ceremonies and as a natural anxiety reliever. A tincture made from ʻawa can relax the mind without dulling it, a plant-based stress remedy that doesn’t rely on pharmaceuticals.
Another step and you’ll find fresh peppers of varying heat. One of our favorites, nioi, decorates our garden with green and red peppers that look like christmas lights. This “Hawaiian” chili pepper, supports circulation, digestion, and immunity with its anti-inflammatory heat and antioxidant-rich bite.
Walking through the garden, you will pass beneath the graceful leaves of mamaki trees, their broad, textured canopies filtering the sunlight into a gentle, dappled glow that dances across the path. We drink mamaki tea almost every day — it’s a cherished Hawaiian plant long used in lāʻau lapaʻau for its gentle yet powerful support of circulation, detox, and overall well-being. It’s one of our favorite daily rituals for staying grounded and nourished.
What makes all these plants in our garden truly special is not just their healing compounds, but the cultural respect and intention behind their use. At ʻOhi ʻOhi, when we harvest a medicinal plant, we do so with gratitude — often offering a quiet “mahalo” to acknowledge the gift. We then craft our teas, salves, and lotions in small batches to preserve the integrity of these ingredients.
By combining traditional knowledge with modern know-how (think quality control and contemporary formulations), we ensure that each remedy is safe, effective, and infused with aloha. Want to discover more of nature’s pharmacy? Try incorporating one of these Hawaiian healers into your routine — perhaps a noni lotion for that stubborn ache or a nightly cup of tulsi tea for calm. And remember, the true power of plant medicine lies in the relationship we cultivate with the natural world. (For more on Hawaiian herbs and DIY remedies, join our mailing list. We love sharing recipes and tips so you can create your own healing garden.)