Sept. 4, 2011-Flowers of Hawaii
Read MoreIn early May, on our way home from New Zealand, Diana and I stopped on the Big Island of Hawaii for a few days. Here are some of the flowers we saw.
This is a Bird of Paradise flower. The plant is native to South Africa but seems to do exceptionally well in Hawaii. The plant grows to 3 – 4 feet tall. The flowers appear on separate stalks that are just as tall as the rest of the plant. You might be surprised to learn it is closely related to the banana plant.Nanahonua, the Hawaiian name for the Angel’s Trumpet plant, means “gazing downward.” That’s an appropriate name because all of the 10-inch flowers on this fast growing shrub hang with the open end down. The flowers produce a sweet-smelling perfume at night. However, all parts of the plant are poisonous if eaten. Angel’s Trumpet is a native of South America and was brought to Hawaii as early as 1825
The Ohi’a Lehua is the official flower of the Big Island of Hawaii. The Ohi’a tree is the dominant species in a true Hawaiian rainforest. It is the first tree to appear after a lava flow. The flowers produce honey which is a favorite food of the I’iwi bird, the bright red bird with the curved bill. This bird is one of the most sought after species for birders who go to Hawaii. Here’s a link to an I’iwi photo on my web site. http://www.earlorfphotos.com/Hawaii-Trip-Oct-Nov-2009/Hawaii-Trip-Birds/10441241_BGQTGC#724115181_zTum2
Carol
on September 6, 2011Your Jade vine looks a bit like Bougainvillea to me.
earlorfphotos
on September 5, 2011Hi Shawn, The scientific name for Angel's Trumpet is Brugmansia candida. Earl
Shawn
on September 5, 2011Is that Angel's Trumpet from the genus Datura? It looks an awful lot like jimsonweed....also poisonous. Except, jimsonweed smells terrible, in my opinion.