We are continuing to build and reorganize our website to better serve the needs of our customers and research collaborators. With our current staffing shortages this work may extend well into 2025. If you encounter broken links or are unable to find the information you are looking for please contact us. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
ALOHA!
Welcome to Sustainable Bioresources, LLC™
We are a service disabled, veteran owned small business located in the Discovery Harbour area near the south tip of the Big Island of Hawaiʻi.
Our primary onsite activities are focused on research and development of plant cultivars for use in sustainable agriculture and new, science based applications for materials derived from these plants. These applications include foods, flavorings, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and biopesticides.
In 2021 we began a project to acquire specimen plants and develop methods for mass propagation and cultivation of certain African species of Euphorbia as a new domestic source for production of resiniferatoxin (RTX). This is a very promising n investigational drug for treatment of intractable pain from chronic conditions such as cancer, osteoarthritis and other diseases. In mid-2023 land for conducting field trials of these plants was acquired and by December several hundred specimens were transferred to the site and planted.
Divisions. Our company has three operating divisions focused on our primary business activities. The two active divisions relating to agricultural research and development are Hawaiian Hoodia,™ producing plants and products for anorectic (appetite suppression) purposes and Moringa Research Products,™ operating an international seed bank, producing moringa tree seedlings for local farms and investigating new uses of moringa plant materials as pharmaceuticals and biopesticides. Our Sustainable Purchasing Systems™ Division, currently inactive, was developing innovative applications for selecting less toxic, more sustainable products using electronic purchasing systems.
Facilities. Our facility located in Discovery Harbour includes a research greenhouse and outdoor propagation tables with areas certified by Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture. The nursery is also endorsed by the Plant Pono Program, reflecting our commitments to not sell or introduce potentially invasive plant species in Hawaiʻi. We also have ongoing offsite research activities with domestic collaborators in Hawaiʻi, Arizona and Texas and internationally in several African countries, Australia, Cambodia and the European Union.
Moana Experimental Farm. We are currently developing this farm at site at Ocean View, Hawai`i. It will be primarily used for field trials of African euphorbia, hoodia and moringa species selected for cultivation in xeric environments.
Website. The primary intent of the website is to disseminate information from our research activities. It also has a storefront for online sales of plants from these activities and seeds from our International Moringa Seed Bank.
Other Services. We also have expertise in general environmental health practice with specialization in hazardous materials management. This includes development of innovative approaches for integrating sustainability, health and substance related risk reduction objectives in purchasing decisions and systems. These activities were organized under our Sustainable Purchasing Systems™ Division. We may offer future research and consulting services relating to these areas of expertise and are registered as a contractor with the federal government and State of Hawaiʻi.
Our Vision
Our mission and kuleana (responsibility, right and privilege) is expressed in this Hawaiian proverb:
He ali’i ka ʻāina, he kauwā wale ke kanaka.
(When you see to the life of the land, you are ensuring the life of the people).
Community Outreach. We support several community organizations and are an active Business Partner with the Ka’ū High & Pahala Elementary School (KHPES) in a new, innovative initiative called the Ka’ū Global Learning Lab (KGLL), Academy for Agri-Preneurship. The KGLL is a comprehensive and holistic Community Resilience Model with the vision of a vibrant, thriving, and sustainable Ka’ū District; based on the belief that the foundation of any successful community is learning. The Academy prepares students to be environmentally responsible and successful agricultural entrepreneurs. Students can also complete several certificate programs and obtain college credits prior to high school graduation.
Products Available from Our Online Store
STORE STATUS:
Our nursery and online store is open for business.
Hoodia Seeds. We now offer the largest assortment of seeds of improved varieties of hoodia available in the world. These are the product of 18 years of research that is still ongoing. All of our seeds are from plants sustainably grown in artificial cultivation here in Hawaiʻi. They are grown to meet the organic standards, are Plant Pono (non-invasive) and carry the prestigious Hawaiʻi Seal of Quality.
 Our New Hoodia parviflora Cultivar “Marvelle” |
 FRESH HOODIA FROM HAWAII |
 Seeds of Improved Hoodia Cultivars |
Moringa Seeds. Our International Moringa Seed Bank now holds the largest known collection of moringa seeds from over 40 growing areas around the world. Seeds from specific sources are available for research and field trials. We also offer seeds, seedlings and customized assortments for starting new farms, projects with nongovernmental organizations and general consumer use. Field trials with international research partners to compare the performance of various species and varieties of moringa are in progress or planned in Australia, Cambodia, Mali, Malawi, Senegal Zambia and Zimbabwe.
 Seeds of Moringa stenopetala from Molokai |
 Seeds of Moringa oleifera from India |
 Seeds of Moringa peregrina from Saudi Arabia |
Nitrogen Fixing Corn (Zea mays) from Hawai`i. Several landraces of corn, mostly from southern Mexico, have retained their ability to fix nitrogen from the air. Seeds of these have been difficult to obtain, are costly and cannot be shipped to most international locations because they originate from areas where corn wilt disease is present. There has been great interest in these seeds and we have been conducting small field trials with them in efforts to produce the seeds in Hawai`i, which is free of the disease. We are very pleased to report that seeds from the first harvest of significant size have been produced from a research partner’s farm in Hilo and are now available from our ONLINE STORE . Please refer to this webpage for additional information about this corn.
 Ears of Blue Black Nitrogen Fixing Corn |
 Ears of Red Nitrogen Fixing Corn |
 Ears of Multicolored Nitrogen Fixing Corn |
Socotra Island Roses (Bottle Trees). Several years ago we acquired young seedlings of Adenium socotranum, also known as Socotra Island Roses or bottle trees for a past research project. These grew very slowly to a good size for use as specimen plants for bonsai and a large inventory of these was available for sale. In August 2022 these were sold. We do not expect to have new plants in stock.
 Adenium socotranum Bonsai Specimen |
 Caudex of Adenium socotranum |
 Flower of Adenium socotranum |
Other Nursery Stock. We occasionally offer a small inventory of other plants from our research projects. Some of these are very rare and sought after by collectors of exotic plants. Potted herbs and and ornamental plants are also produced for retail sale by local nurseries and food stores.
Sesbania tomentosa (ʻŌhai)
An endangered Hawaiian plant species we have grown
Disclaimers:
This website and its contents are provided by Sustainable Bioresources, LLC “as is” and without any warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, any warranties relating to quality, merchantability or suitability for any purpose.
No statements on this website and none of our products are intended for use in diagnosing, treating, curing or preventing any diseases of humans, animals or plants. None of these statements or products have been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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Content updated August 25, 2024.