Category Archives: Trees

Māmane

The flowers of the mamane tree in Hawaii.Mamane trees on the slopes of Mauna Kea.
Māmane (Sophora chrysophylla) is an endemic Hawaiian tree which grows in the dry forest on the sides of Mauna Kea. These māmane are in the recently-opened Palila Forest Discovery Trail at an elevation of around 7,000 feet.

Māmane is an important plant for several endemic Hawaiian birds including the endangered palila, which is found only in this area. Palila depend on māmane trees for 90% of their food, the most important item being immature māmane seeds. These seeds are poisonous to other wildlife, but not palila.

Palila Forest Discovery Trail is part of an ongoing effort to reestablish the high-elevation dry forest on Mauna Kea, which has been greatly impacted by non-native goats, sheep, and cattle.

For more information about Palila Forest Discovery Trail, go to dlnr.hawaii.gov/restoremaunakea/palila-forest-discovery-trail/.

Growth in the lava

Vegetation has reclaimed a section of the original 1969 fissure of the Mauna Ulu eruption of 1969.
In May of 1969, a series of earthquakes opened a large fissure alongside Chain of Craters Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This was the beginning of what is known as the Mauna Ulu eruption. For five years, lava poured forth in a series of eruptions. Chain of Craters Road, completed only a few years earlier, was buried for several miles. Landmarks along the road were destroyed or irrevocably altered. A swathe of forest disappeared in flame.

When the eruptions finally ceased, life soon began to reappear on the barren lava landscape. In this photo, vegetation has reclaimed a section of the original 1969 fissure. Roots are anchored in cool, moist cracks in the lava. The tree on the left is particularly striking. Having started out in a crack on a vertical face, it has reached up to the light and is going strong. I like to think it shows how resilient nature can be.

For more information about Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, go to nps.gov/havo/. For more information about Kilauea Volcano and it’s eruptions, go to hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/history/main.html.

Jackfruit

Jakfruits
I must have driven by this tree a hundred times, but one day, I was on foot and finally noticed the huge fruits of the jackfruit tree. Jackfruits are relatives of breadfruit and their fruit can grow as large as 3 feet in length and weigh up to 40 pounds. These weren’t that big, but still striking, once I finally noticed them.