Canoe plants, or Polynesian introductions, are plants taken from ancient Polynesia and transplanted to other Pacific Islands
The term is particularly used to refer to plants brought to Hawaiʻi 1,700 years ago by Polynesian explorers.
The following species are generally considered to be canoe plants in Hawaiʻi:
Aleurites moluccana (kukui or candlenut)
Alocasia macrorrhiza (`ape, giant taro or elephant ear)
Artocarpus altilis (`ulu or breadfruit)
Bambusa vulgaris (`ohe or giant bamboo)
Broussonetia papyrifera (wauke or paper mulberry)
Calophyllum inophyllum (ballnut or kamani)
Cocos nucifera (niu or coconut)
Colocasia esculenta (taro or kalo)
Cordia subcordata (tou or kou)
Cordyline fruticosa (ti or kī)
Curcuma domestica (`olena or turmeric)
Dioscorea alata (ufi or uhi)
Hibiscus tiliaceus (hau)
Ipomoea batatas (`uala or sweet potato)
Lageneria siceraria (calabash)
Morinda citrifolia (noni)
Musa spp. (mai`a or banana)
Pandanus tectorius (hala)
Piper methysticum (kava)
Saccharum officinarum (ko or sugarcane)
Schizostachyum glaucifolium (bamboo)
Syzygium malaccense (ʻōhiʻa ʻai or Malacca Apple)
Tacca leontopetaloides (Polynesian arrowroot)
Thespesia populnea (milo)
Zingiber zerumbet (ʻawapuhi)
Seed and pollen samples taken from Kauaʻi's Makauwahi Cave indicate that Pandanus tectorius and Cordia subcordata actually predate human arrival, while fossilized coconut pollen has been discovered in a salt lake on Laysan. However, similar or additional varieties could also have been transported by Polynesians.
