Category Archives: Plants

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

A lava breakout from the Kilauea lava flow.
A lava breakout in a flow from Pu’u O’o covers the old coast road, which is now a trail (here).

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Parks.’ See more responses here.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is the best known park on the island. It covers 354,461 acres, which includes, not just the Kilauea area, but up to the summit of Mauna Loa and down the southwest rift zone of that volcano. The park contains 106 miles of roads and 155 miles of marked trails, many of them well off the beaten track.

I’ve hiked a lot in the park, though I doubt I’ll ever cover all the trails, but these photos are from ones I’ve done with links to the original posts for those interested.

On the Pu‘u Loa Petroglyphs Trail (here).
View from Hilina Pali Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Great views on the Hilina Pali Trail, but this one nearly did me in! (here).
The Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent from the Nāpau Crater overlook.
Puʻu ʻŌʻō from the end of the Nāpau Trail (here and here).
A low section of Puapo'o lava tube
Puapo’o lava tube is only accessible on a guided tour (here).
The interior of Thurston Lava Tube at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Nahuku lava tube is one of the most popular stops in the park (here).
Kilauea Iki is another popular trail, across the floor of an old vent (here).
Steam rises alongside the Steam Vents trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Steaming Bluff on the Crater Rim Trail (here).
Daybreak reveals the onlookers gathered at the Jaggar Museum viewing point.
The Jaggar Museum viewing point. The museum has gone but the viewing point just reopened (here).
Sulphur Banks Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Sulphur Banks Trail (here).
A mossy path in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Halemauma Trail passes through the woods (here).
The Puna Coast Trail features colorful lava (here)…
Colored lava on the Ka'u Desert Trail, Hawaii
…As does the Ka’u Desert Trail (here).
Hiking in Kahuku
A lush valley in the Kahuku section of the park (here).

Also posted for Jo’s Monday Walk. See more responses here.

Hawaiian Crown Flowers

White Hawaiian Crown Flowers
A Hawaiian Crown Flower bush

Hawaiian Crown Flowers (Calotropis gigantea) came from India originally, and became popular here because they were favored by Queen Liliuokalani, the last ruler of the Hawaiian monarchy. The purple flower was the one first introduced here, back in the 1880s, with this white variety arriving some 30 years later.

The plant gets its name from the shape of the flowers, which are used in making leis. As members of the milkweed family, they also host Hawaii’s Monarch Butterflies. The plant has a milky sap that is toxic, but that Monarchs, and their caterpillars, are immune to. The caterpillars are voracious eaters, decimating the Crown Flower leaves, but the plant will bounce back after the caterpillars pupate. The plant is drought tolerant and does well on the dry side of the island here.

Hawaiian Crown Flower seeds

Palms and a view

Agricultural land with a view of the ocean in North Kohala, Hawaii

This house has a view of the ocean and a couple of palm trees nearby. What’s not to like? The view, however, does face northeast, which is where the trade winds blow from. If those winds carry driving rain, the view would likely be gone and the preferred side of the house would be the opposite one, which faces inland and into the trees.

Conifer Mazegill

A Conifer Mazegill fungi growing in Hawaii

Conifer Mazegill is a fungi that grows on dead wood and lumber, such as the treated post in this photo. While its preferred wood is conifers, it will grow on other kinds of wood.

The Numbers Game #73

This Gold Dust Day Gecko snagged a moth for lunch.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 194. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Rust on a water tank
A rusty water tank.
A cow alongside the road.
The Ala Kahakai Trail sign at Kohanaiki In Hawaii
The Ala Kahakai Trail near Kohanaiki.
Too heavy to drink?
A Bird Wrasse.
An Hawaii Amakihi taking a break.

The Numbers Game #72

Lava fountaining in the summit caldera of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
Lava fountaining during the 21st episode of the current eruption at Kilauea Volcano.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 193. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

The top photo is from two days ago, when I finally made it down to Kilauea Volcano to see the latest in a string of eruptions. Hopefully, I will get my photos sorted for a longer post about that in the next day or two.

A bee in a cannonball tree flower in Hawaii
A bee in the flower of a Cannonball Tree.
A Phalaenopsis violacea orchid.
A Pinktail Triggerfish.
Hapu’u Ferns.
Kahili Ginger and raindrops.
An old propellor on shore near the boat lauch at South Point.