Pwunso botanic garden


The Japanese agriculture station in the 1930s.

At least 433 new plants were introduced to Pohnpei in the past 150 years via the Pohnpei Agricultural Station by the Spanish, Germans, Japanese, and Americans.

Pre-Western contact period
50 species of food, fiber, medicinal plants including coconut, breadfruit, taro, bananas, sugarcane, were introduced.

Early European contact 1830 – 1886 Spanish vessels, whaling ships introduced diseases (smallpox, etc.) also plants: tobacco, mango, soursop, chili pepper, cassava, citrus, bamboo, new varieties of traditional crops like sugarcane, bananas, yams.

Spanish period 1886 - 1899 American tropics: cacao, sweet potato, pumpkin, papaya, pineapple, guava, corn. Africa: watermelon, coffee. Philippines: Manila hemp, abaca (Musa textilis).

German Period  1899 - 1914 69 documented plants, 27 unique introductions: Including: mangosteen, avocado, litchi, durian, figs, grapes, peaches, custard apple, Japanese wax tree, Formosan lacquer tree, cucumbers, pumpkins, beans, onions, peanuts, lettuce, carrots, taro, rice, yams, cajeput oil, ylang-ylang, lantana. Lantana is said to have been introduced by Henry Nanpei.

Japanese Period  1914 - 1945 233 documented plant species, varieties, hybrids. Rice, pineapples, cassava, vanilla,vegetable crops. Performed agricultural research on rice (failed due to mice, birds, lack of fertilizer), cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes, pineapple, cotton, sisal fiber, Manila hemp fiber, medicinals including quinine (malaria), derris (insecticide), ipecac (dysentery), senna, kava, benzion, coca, spices including black pepper, nutmeg

American Period  1945 - 1986 74 documented plant species, varieties, hybrids, etc.
More than 100 different plants were growing at the station in 1953-1954.

Angiosperm: Ficus prolixa. Banyan, aiau, auu, aw, kohnyah, leaves as hair conditioner

Angiosperm: Syzygium aromaticum. Clove tree.

Gymnosperm: Araucaria columnaris. Cook Island Pine. Family: Araucariaceae. The "leaves" are referred to as "awl" shaped for their short, spike like appearance. Marissa next to the trunk of the tree.

Angiosperm: Cinnamomum verum. Cinnamon tree.

Gymnosperm: Cycas spp. (male). Cycad with cone. Maybe C. circinalis or C. rumphii.

Angiosperm: Coffea robusta. Coffee.

Angiosperm: Myristica fragrans. Nutmeg and the spice mace.


Angiosperm: Garcinia xanthochymus, yellow mangosteen. Also in this area: Averrhoa bilimbi, 

Angiosperm: Eucalyptus deglupta, Painted eucalyptus.

Angiosperm: Pimenta dioica, Allspice.

Gymnosperm: Agathis lanceolata. Family: Araucariaceae. 

The back of the Japanese agriculture station


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