Seaweeds (limu)
Native Hawaiian seaweeds, the unsung architects of every reef food web.
Seaweeds, called limu in Hawaiian, include a wide variety of marine algae — green, red, and brown. They are foundational to reef ecosystems, feed grazing fish like uhu, oxygenate the water, and have been a treasured part of Hawaiian cuisine, medicine, and ceremony for centuries. Traditional konohiki managed limu beds with the same care as fishponds.
5 species you'll meet.
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Green algaeLimu Wāwaeʻiole
Soft, finger-like green algae whose name means "rat's foot." Traditionally eaten fresh or salted.
Green algaeLimu Pālahalaha
Bright green "sea lettuce" with broad, translucent sheets that drape the intertidal.
Red algaeLimu Manauea
A reddish-brown branching limu and a star ingredient of traditional ʻahi poke.
Brown algaeLimu Līpoa
Aromatic brown algae with a strong, almost peppery flavor.
Red algaeLimu Kohu
Reddish-pink, soft and feathery — perhaps the most highly prized Hawaiian limu.