Coconut trees (niu) are not native to Hawai'i. They were introduced by Polynesian voyagers around 1,000-1,200 years ago. These voyagers intentionally carried coconuts on long canoe journeys as coconuts float, and survive long sea voyages. Coconuts (cocos nucifera) provide food, water, fiber, and materials. They thrive in coastal sandy soils. This coconut was found bobbling in the warm waters of A Bay Big Island. In traditional Hawaiian society, the coconut was known as the canoe plant, a survival resource essential to daily life.
