Corteva plants plum trees in Koke‘e

KOKE‘E — Last year, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced the annual plum harvest starting July 3 at the Koke‘e State Park.

This year, there has been no notice or announcements from the DLNR on when the plums will be ready for harvest.

The Koke‘e plum harvest season is described by the DLNR as a cultural staple on Kaua‘i, states the 2021 announcement.

For years, the crop has been on the decline due to weather, over-harvesting and damage to trees, the DLNR said.

“Optimum harveting hasn’t happened since the 1950s, and in 2014, DLNR Division of State Parks personnel reported that Kaua‘i hadn’t seen a good crop in more than five years,” the 2021 DLNR announcement said.

In response to this situation, Corteva Hawai‘i Research Center has been working collaboratively and in partnership with Hui o Laka, the nonprofit that manages the historic Civilian Conservation Corps camp in Koke‘e State Park, to restore this valuable community resource.

Since Nov. 2019, Corteva teams have been propagating plum trees.

The stone fruits are not native to the island, the DLNR said.

“The Hawaiian Journal of History notes plums were brought to Kaua‘i in the 1930s and planted on lands that later became the Koke‘e State Park.

“The unique plum variety called ‘Methley’ comes from South Africa and requires very little cool seasonal weather to flower and self-pollinate,” said Laurie Yoshida of Corteva Agriscience. “This works well for the unique growing area in Hawai‘i.”

Yoshida said the trees represent a valued community resource for local families, who gather plums in the fall for both eating out of hand and making a pickled delicacy known as umeboshi.

“Methley plums are not only nutritious, they are not invasive, and has been part of Koke‘e’s rich history and culture for a century,” Yoshida said “The trees had been declining for years so the propagation of more plants is critical to maintain this resource.”

Following two and a half years since Corteva started propagating the trees (Prunus Domestica), the Corteva Hawai‘i team on Kaua‘i planted more than 100 of these saplings into the ground at Koke‘e State Park on two separate outings last month.

“Some of the young trees had fruit on them,” Yoshida said. “They were ready to be put into the ground. Earlier in January, the Corteva team also propagated 450 new plum cuttings, and hopes to plant another 100-plus trees at the Koke‘e State Park. Corteva Hawai‘i hopes to make this an annual project, as these plums have been part of Koke‘e’s rich history and culture for a century. Corteva Hawai‘i is proud to help in this reforestation effort and to engage with the communities in which we live and operate.”

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.