Scientific Name: Saccharum officinale
Also Known As: Sugar cane, ko
How It Came To Hawai‘i :
Sugarcane first came from Southeast Asia and New Guinea and was brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian settlers. Early Hawaiians had several varieties of cane, some survived into the 1900s. Other varieties were introduced as sugar processing went from a small operation to a major industry during the 1800s.
Impact Since Its Arrival:
The sugar industry had a great impact on land and labor resources in Hawai‘i . As the industry grew, thousands of acres were devoted to plantations. Sugar plantations required a large labor force and workers came from Asia, Europe and the South Pacific. Sugar changed the landscape, economy and culture of the Islands in a way that no other crop has.
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