The Kula Botanical Garden sits at about 1,000 metres elevation on the slopes of Haleakalā, and the cooler upcountry air produces plants you would not expect on a tropical island. Proteas are the speciality — the upper slopes of Maui are one of very few places outside South Africa and Australia where they grow commercially, and the garden has the best display on the island.
The 3-hectare grounds also include a koi pond, a Hawaiian ethnobotanical section with taro and noni, a collection of bromeliads, and native Hawaiian plants. The views down into the central valley and across to the West Maui Mountains are excellent on clear days. Admission is modest; the garden is easy to combine with a drive up to Haleakalā.