Mauna Kea Silverswords

A Mauna Kea Silversword plsnt growing near the visitor center

Next door the Mauna Kea Visitor Center is an enclosed area where Mauna Kea Silverswords (Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. sandwicense) grow. These silverswords are closely related to species found on Mauna Loa and Haleakala on Maui. All silverswords are at risk of extinction. The reasons are the usual suspects: humans, feral sheep and goats, climate change. They also suffer from a lack of genetic diversity. The current burgeoning population of more than 8,000 has been produced from only six wild plants.

Silverswords can grow for 30 years or more, but once they bloom, they die. I haven’t seen a Mauna Kea Silversword blooming, but I was lucky enough to see Mauna Loa Silverswords blooming not long after I moved to the island (here). The second photo shows one of those plants in bloom. It was over six feet tall!

A silversword blooms on Mauna Loa.

Posted for Becky’s Squares: Move Forward, Reconstruct, Renew, and/or are Burgeoning. See more responses here.

17 thoughts on “Mauna Kea Silverswords”

    1. Graham's avatarGraham Post author

      The visitor center is the only place I can think of where you can see these plants. The rest are in areas not open to the public, which is a good thing for their survival chances.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Graham's avatarGraham Post author

      They’re not useful to humans, except for their value as an unusual plant. They are, however, a fascinating study into how plants adapt to challenging conditions.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Graham's avatarGraham Post author

      I was very lucky to see the ones in bloom and they were extraordinary. These days, the visitor center is the only places to see these plants. The rest are protected in areas not open to the public, which is a good thing!

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