Red pineapple (Ananas bracteatus) is an ornamental that originates in South America. It looks like a spiny red plant, but it really has three things going on. The red spiny parts are bracts. Between them are the equally red, but rounded inflorescences. Finally, from the inflorescences emerge small purple flowers.
The long green leaves are also spiny, so it’s no surprise to learn that these plants, which can grow up to four feet tall, are often grown as security hedges.
The bright red to magenta flowers of the ornamental ground cover Aptenia cordifolia stand out against its green leaves. The plant is also known as heartleaf iceplant, baby sun rose, and rock rose. Adding further contrast is a black and white leafcutter bee.
A black witch moth blends in on a large branch of what I think is a kiawe tree. I would never have noticed it if I hadn’t seen it land there.
Let’s face it, anthuriums are a little bit strange. But I’ve grown to appreciate them more, living in Hawaii, and they certainly are a richly tropical flower.
These were at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. For more information go to htbg.com.
A final response to the last edition of the WordPress photo challenge with a theme of ‘All time favorites.’
I headed back to Pu’u Wa’awa’a last week, because this is the time of year when several kinds of trees are in bloom. One of those trees is the jacaranda, which blooms from April to June, and produces masses of blue to lavender flowers. Jacarandas prefer cooler elevations so the lower areas of Pu’u Wa’awa’a are right in their zone.
I wasn’t disappointed. Several trees were covered with these delicate flowers, which somewhat made up for the fact that the entire hill was shrouded in thick vog, exacerbated by the ongoing eruption down in Puna.
This is the last edition of the WordPress photo challenge with a theme of ‘All time favorites.’ Since I don’t want to rerun photos I’ve used previously, I’ve decided to interpret this challenge as favorites among photos I haven’t yet used. I’m also throwing in a touch of favorite subject matters or, basically, whatever strikes my fancy.
First up is a favorite subject – bees. These photos were taken in the front yard when I noticed a lot of activity around the many patches of clover there. One aspect of a decent photo is being in the right place at the right time. That was very true in this case. The bees were urgently buzzing from flower to flower collecting. I was, just as urgently, down on my knees taking photos. And all the time, the sound of the lawn mower got louder and louder …
The gently twisting flower of a hibiscus tiliaceus.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Twisted.’
The twisted remains of a dead tree lie, under heavy skies, on an old lava field at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
For more information about Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, go to nps.gov/havo/.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Twisted.’
Graham's Island 