Plumeria rubra, otherwise known as frangipani, is similar in appearance to plumeria obtusa, otherwise known as Singapore plumeria. But where plumeria obtusa is evergreen, plumeria rubra is deciduous.
This is the time of year when plumeria rubra begins blooming again. The flowers appear before the leaves, starting in January around here. This photo, taken in spring of last year, shows the flowers well established with a few green leaves also showing.
Agave attenuata is native to Mexico, but is commonly seen in Hawaii. It’s also known as lion’s tail agave, swan’s neck agave, or fox tail agave. These names stem from its long flower stalk which rises from the center of the leaves and arches over. Most agaves bloom and die, but agave attenuata blooms annually without dying. Also, unlike many other agaves, agave attenuata leaves don’t have leaves with sharp points or spiky edges.
The progression of the flowering process can be seen on one agave attenuata plant. In the second photo, starting at the base of the flowering stalk, there is a bare section where the flowering process has finished. Above that is a brownish section where small brown pods have been set. Some of these, that remain attached to the stem, will turn into green fruits. Near the end is the portion of the stalk that is currently flowering and at the end are buds that have yet to flower.
I was drawn to these plants, not just because of their striking flower stalks, but because in the mornings, bees were all over the plant. The top photo shows a bee clambering through a tangle of stamens and pistils. In the third photo, there were lots of bees working along the flowering portion of the inflorescence. Below, sometimes it’s hard work getting to grips with the task in hand.
A bee forages on a thistle flower.
Erythrina crista-galli is also known as the coral tree or cockspur coral tree. It hails from southern South America and is the national tree of Argentina and Uruguay. A member of the pea family, it grows 15 to 20 feet high. The unopened flowers make me think of toucans.
There are many varieties of phalaenopsis orchids on show at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. This one is Phalaenopsis (ChianXen Queen x Diamond Beauty).
There are so many orchid hybrids, with subtle variations, that it can be difficult to identify them. However, at the garden, I’ve found that if I root around at the base of the plant I often find a name tag sticking out of the dirt, and when it comes to identification I’ll take all the help I can get.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
Costus curvibracteatus is also known as orange tulip ginger and hails from Costa Rica and Panama. In these photos, the overlapping red parts are the bracts and the longer orange tubular forms, emerging from between the bracts, are the flowers. However the bracts can also be orange, and the flowers a similar length as the bracts.
The plant was being explored by a gold dust day gecko, which was likely searching for something sweet or possibly seeking water trapped in the bracts.
This one was at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
This Hawaii ‘amakihi, one of Hawaii’s native honeycreepers, was feeding on mamane flowers near the top of Pu’u Wa’awa’a.
Graham's Island 