Category Archives: Plants

Trees and cloud

Trees and clouds on the slopes of Mauna Kea, Hawaii

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

I couldn’t think of too many eerie things amongst my photos. This image of trees on the lower slopes of Mauna Kea, shrouded in cloud, is as close as it gets. This is a fairly common occurrence as clouds tend to build up during the day and often reach this area in the afternoons.

Also posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – Sky’ (See more responses here), and to the current Friendly Friday challenge theme of ‘Weather’ (See more responses here).

Balloon plant

A prickly balloon plant

I’ve seen balloon plants (Gomphocarpus physocarpus) in local pastures before, but not up close like this. The balloons are the fruit of the plants. The long hairy spines become stiffer and spiky-looking when the balloons inflate prior to releasing their seeds.

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – Spiky.’ See more responses here.

Prickly heart

A heart shaped prickly pear cactus in Hawaii.

I saw this prickly pear cactus alongside Old Saddle Road and thought it a good illustration that affairs of the heart are not always smooth. I also thought this would make a good album cover for a country band whose biggest hit was a song titled ‘Prickly Heart.’ There must be one out there surely!

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – Spiky.’ See more responses here.

Pink flowers

A Leafcutter bee on a zinnia violacea flower

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘The Pink Side of Life.’ See more responses here.

The top photo shows a leaf cutter bee on what I think is a zinnia violacea flower. Next we have a ball of Egyptian starcluster (Pentas lanceolata) flowers and Pinkfringe (Arthrostemma ciliatum) flowers.

  • A ball of Pentas lanceolata flowers
  • Arthrostemma ciliatum flowers

Next comes the lovely marking of a shell ginger flower and the puffy blooms of a sensitive plant.

  • Shell ginger flowers
  • Sensitive plant flowers

Finally, there’s a pink banana hosting a visitor, a gold dust day gecko after a little something to drink.

  • A gold dust day gecko on a pink banana flower
  • A gold dust day gecko on a pink banana flower

Also posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – In the Pink/Flowers.’ See more responses here.

Vriesea splendens

Bromeliad Vriesea splendens at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Monthly Color Challenge: Burnt orange or blood orange.’ See more responses here.

Vriesea splendens is a bromeliad with long green leaves strongly marked with dark brown bands. But the show stopper here is the sword-like red-orange inflorescence which can be 2 feet long.

Also posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – Flowers.’ See more responses here.

Java sparrows in a plumeria

A pair of java sparrows in a plumeria tree
A pair of java sparrows in a plumeria tree

This pair of Java sparrows was easy to see flitting about in the bare branches of a plumeria tree. Plumerias start out this way before flowers bud and bloom. Leaves are the last to show.

Java sparrows are a favorite of mine, for their perky nature, bold marking, and those pink legs and beak.

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – In the Pink.’ See more responses here.

Calathea ice blue

A Calathea Ice Blue flowers and bracts
A Calathea Ice Blue seen from above

Calathea ice blue (Calathea burle-marxii) is native to Brazil. The blue and white elements of these plants are floral bracts. The white and purple flowers emerge between the bracts and only last for a day.

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – Blue/Flowers.’ See more responses here.

A spiky passion vine butterfly caterpillar

A Passion vine butterfly caterpillar on a passion vine in Hawaii
A Passion vine butterfly caterpillar on a passion vine in Hawaii

This is a caterpillar with a message and the message is ‘Back off.’ This is illustrated by the orange and black coloring and black spikes, which in this case conveys that these caterpillars are poisonous. Fortunately, I wasn’t hungry at the time so no harm done. Passion vine butterfly caterpillars, on the other hand, seem to be permanently hungry. Whenever I see them they’re munching leaves like old time video game characters.

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – Spiky.’ See more responses here.