Kaua'i Vanilla

Kalihiwai Vista Farms

On the property you will find an orchid farm, growing vanilla orchids (vanilla planifolia). Vanilla is a species of orchid that grows as a vine. It produces a short-lived celadon colored flower. When hand pollinated (it is natural pollinated only in Mexico where it originated) it produces the vanilla bean. From pollination to dried beans takes over 18 months.

Kalihiwai Vista Farms is in the process of developing a Kauai vanilla co-operative to grow and produce and market Kauai grown vanilla. I hope to make the Kauai grown vanilla one of the world’s finest.

A portion of the property has been dedicated to tropical hardwood reforestation. This is a small effort to try and save the rainforests. The area behind the Jungle Cottage was planted with more than 1000 tropical hardwoods seedlings, which such species as mahogany, pheasantwood, rainbow eucalyptus, and Norfolk pine, and timber quality bamboo. Harvesting will take place over 20 years from now and the wood will be milled on island.

The farm also has over 100 tropical fruit trees, several of each variety. The farm is starting to produce macadamia nuts, cashews, avocados, soursops, pomegranates, papaya, lilikoi (passion fruit), breadfruit, lychee, longan, Haitian Star Apple, bananas; and several varieties of citrus- lemons, limes, oranges, tangelos, tangerines and pommelos.