Sugarcane Overview
Sugarcane is a large grass and the source of sugar. Early Polynesians brought sugarcane with them when they traveled to Hawaii by canoe. Their general name for the plant was ko, and they had names for 40 different varieties.
This long history makes sugarcane more than a plantation crop. In old Hawaii, it was one of the useful plants carried across the Pacific and kept for daily life. Later, sugarcane became one of the major crops that changed Hawaii's economy and land use.
Plantation History and Harvesting
The first commercial sugarcane plantations in Hawaii began on Kauai in 1835. By the end of the 19th century, sugar was considered “king” in Hawaii. About a century later, the sugar industry declined as land and labor costs increased.
Sugarcane is usually grown for about two years before harvest. It is cut just before it blooms. Traditionally, fields were burned first, then the stems were cut, crushed in a sugar mill and cooked to process the juice.
Sugarcane connects Polynesian plant history, Kauai agriculture and Hawaii's plantation era. Related Hawaii plant pages include pineapple, taro, coffee and banana blossom.
