In a follow up to yesterday’s post, a few close up photos of the flowers, which were very popular with the bees.
Bee in cannonball tree flower
Tag Archives: Cannonball Tree
Cannonball tree flowers
The last time I visited Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, the Cannonball Trees (Couroupita guianensis) were flowering more abundantly than I’d ever seen them before. The flowers appear on the tree trunk, but these went all the way to the top and seemed to be blooming on some of the high branches. It was an impressive sight, especially in one instance where a heavily blooming tree was backed by a second tree loaded with cannonball fruits.
After the bloom is over, the petals litter the ground, a final splash of color in the dappled light.
For more information about Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, go to htbg.com.
Cannonball tree
My final post for Becky’s July Squares challenge theme of ‘Trees’ (more responses here) features the flowers and fruit of the cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis). These grow out of the trunk of the tree and make for a rather splendid view when looking up. Best to do this from not too close to the trunk!
Cannonball tree
I have posted photos of the flower of the cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis) before (here, here, and here). But the flowers aren’t what gives the tree its name. It’s the woody cannonballs that are its fruit.
In these photos, a cannonball tree is loaded with fruit. The flowers, and subsequent fruits, grow directly off the trunk. And the fruit itself, well it’s not hard to see why it gets its name. When the fruit falls from the tree it usually breaks open. The pulp and seeds are eaten by animals which go on to disperse the seeds.
Cannonball tree flower and bee
A bee forages in one of the splendid flowers of a cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis).
Cannonball tree flowers
I’ve posted a photo of a cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis) before, here. That one focused on the cannonballs that give the tree its name. On this occasion I was taken by the flowers which can vary in color from pink to deep red. These flowers were on the pink end of the scale. The flowers are also fragrant, especially in the early morning and evening.
The flowers grow directly off the tree trunk and all the way up, but it takes a closer look to really appreciate how beautiful they are.
Cannonball tree
The cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis) is pretty distinctive. It sprouts pink or red flowers the length of its trunk and follows them with woody, round fruits that give the tree its name. This one was at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
Graham's Island 