Harold L. Lyon Arboretum Hummingbird Guide

Honolulu, Honolulu CountyUniversity ArboretumAdmission: Free

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No boiling, no dye
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Overview

The only university-run botanical garden in the United States located in a tropical rainforest, Lyon Arboretum is tucked at the back of lush Mānoa Valley on Oʻahu, receiving an average of 165 inches of rain per year. Founded in 1918 and covering 200 acres, it holds more than 5,000 tropical plant species. Its Hawaiian Rare Plant Program — the only micropropagation lab of its kind — has conserved over 300 Hawaiian plant taxa and maintains 16,000+ individual plants of 160 native species. The ʻApapane is occasionally observed flying above the arboretum's ʻōhiʻa trees.

Hummingbirds to Watch For

• ʻApapane

Most Common Hummingbird

The most commonly sighted hummingbird at Harold L. Lyon Arboretum is the ʻApapane.

Special Guest Hummingbird

Watch for the Japanese White. eye (nectar visitor in garden)

Best Time to Visit

Plan your visit during January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December for the highest chance of hummingbird sightings. Early morning and late afternoon are typically the most active feeding times.

Plants and Habitat

• ʻŌhiʻa lehua (*Metrosideros polymorpha*) — spectacular bloom stages; ʻApapane observed above canopy
• Koa (*Acacia koa*) — Hawaii's most important native tree
• Hawaiian lobelioids — co-evolved curved-bill/curved-flower story
• Native gingers / ʻAwapuhi — traditional Hawaiian ginger with nectar-rich blooms
• Tree ferns / Hāpuʻu (*Cibotium* spp.) — endemic Hawaiian tree ferns
• ʻUlu / Breadfruit (*Artocarpus altilis*) — Polynesian canoe plant

NectarBloom Tip

Lyon Arboretum requires advance reservations — walk-in visits are not permitted. The 3-mile roundtrip hike to the back of the valley reaches the most mature native forest sections where ʻApapane are most likely to be heard. Wear waterproof footwear — the trails become muddy quickly. The arboretum's Ethnobotanical Garden near the entrance is the best starting point for visitors interested in how native Hawaiian plants co-evolved with native birds.

Visitor Notes

Advance reservations required through the website; no walk-ins. Open Monday–Saturday. Wear closed-toe waterproof shoes — rainforest conditions. ADA accessible in lower garden areas only.

Map

ʻApapane near ʻŌhiʻa lehua (*Metrosideros polymorpha*) — spectacular bloom stages; ʻApapane observed above canopy at Harold L. Lyon Arboretum in Hawaii

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Reviews and Sightings

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Sources

Nearby gardens in Hawaii

Hummingbirds at Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu, Hawaii

Map

Honolulu County

Foster Botanical Garden

Honolulu

The oldest of the five Honolulu Botanical Gardens, Foster Botanical Garden was established on land gifted by Queen Kamamalu in 1850 and developed by German botanist William Hillebrand. It occupies 13.5 acres in downtown Honolulu and displays a mature, magnificent collection of tropical plants including rare palms, an outdoor butterfly garden, a Prehistoric Glen of cycads, and 20+ City-designated "Exceptional Trees" — some of the largest specimens of their kind in the United States. As a gateway garden in the heart of Honolulu, it showcases native Hawaiian flora including the loulu fan palm (*Pritchardia* spp.) — the only palm native to Hawaii.

Botanical GardenʻApapaneJapanese White-eye

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Hummingbirds at Waimea Valley in Haleiwa, Hawaii

Map

Honolulu County

Waimea Valley

Haleiwa

A 1,875-acre ahupuaʻa (traditional Hawaiian land division from mountain to sea) on Oʻahu's North Shore, Waimea Valley is both a world-class botanical garden and a living cultural landscape. The botanical garden spreads across 300 acres featuring over 50 plant collections across 60 themed gardens, with more than 3,000 documented species from 930 genera. The conservation team actively restores native forest on the valley's ridges, planting koa and ʻōhiʻa lehua. The valley is also home to an endangered population of approximately 15 ʻAlae ʻUla (Hawaiian Moorhen) in the wetland estuary — one of only ~500 remaining.

Nature PreserveʻAlae ʻUla / Hawaiian Moorhen

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