Let’s face it, heliconias are weird looking. Long hanging flowers, bit sticking out all over, neon colors. This heliconia is Heliconia caribaea X Bihai ‘bubblegum’ and it’s notable, not just for the bright pink, yellow and orange, but for the soft, downy texture on the flower.
I took these photos on a recent visit to Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. The plant looked somewhat familiar to me, but I couldn’t put a name to it. After rummaging through the garden’s plant database, I finally identified it as billbergia nutans. That name sounded even more familiar and a quick check revealed it was a plant I grew in my (tropical) garden in Washington State. There, it was an annual or one to be overwintered indoors. Here, it grows year-round.
Billbergia nutans is native to South America. It’s commonly known as queens tears or friendship plant, the latter because it is an easy plant to split and share. It’s an epiphytic bromeliad, meaning it is shallow rooted and gets most of its moisture and nutrients from the air and from rainfall through the leaves and flowers.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Thankful.’ (See more responses here.) I mulled a few options but decided to plump for this photo. It’s a vireya rhododendron at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden and I chose this for two reasons. First is that I’m thankful to be able to visit the gardens on a regular basis. There’s always something new to see there. I can happily spend an hour or two wandering around, peering into flowers, and snapping photos of geckos clambering over this, that, and the other.
The second reason is that I feel fortunate to see gorgeous flowers, such as this vireya rhododendron, on a frequent basis. Some I find in a garden setting and some are just blooming roadside. There’s so much variety on the Big Island that a drive of just a few miles can take me to a different climate zone and a whole new world of plants and animals.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
Phalaenopsis orchids are also known as moth orchids because the flower shape resembles a moth in flight. They’re very popular with growers because they’re relatively easy to care for and bloom for a long time. This popularity has also resulted in growers producing numerous hybrids of this orchid.
These blooms were at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, near Hilo. For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
These yellow walking iris (Trimezia martinicensis) were growing at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, near Hilo.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
This week’s Sunday Stills theme is ‘Orange.’ (See more responses here.) Usually I pick one subject for these challenges, but I had two recent subjects that fit the bill and I couldn’t make up my mind, so I’m including both.
The flower photos are of a dendrobium secundum orchid, which is also known as a toothbrush orchid. The flower color can vary from pale pink to purple with an orange labellum at the tip. These flowers were soft and delicate looking, yet so lush.
The bottom photo is from the recent Ironman race on the island. I liked the pop of this cyclist’s outfit and how his water bottle matched his orange helmet.
What is there to say about the coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui)? How about KO-KEE, KO-KEE, KO-KEE, KO-KEE, KO-KEE, KO-KEE. And how about calling that out at around 100 decibels ALL NIGHT LONG.
Coquis came to the Big Island in the late 1980s, believed to be an accidental import on some plants. They hail from Puerto Rico where they’re a popular cultural symbol. But in Puerto Rico, the coqui has predators such as snakes and birds. In Hawaii, it has no predators and it’s thriving. Indeed, I recently read that supersized coquis have been found here, not the usual frogs the size of a quarter, but silver dollar sized – about 50% bigger. One theory for this is that the excellent conditions and lack of predators means the coquis live longer and thus eat more and grow bigger. Watch for ‘The Coqui That Stomped Hilo’ coming soon to a theater near you.
Suffice it to say that coquis are considered an unwanted invasive species here. Homeowners try to eradicate them because their noise is believed to lower property values. Even businesses are affected, with tourists considered less likely to want to stay in areas infested with coquis. (Ironically, while Hawaii tries to battle this mostly-loathed frog, in its native Puerto Rico this much-loved frog is threatened by a fungus called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and coqui numbers there are in decline.)
The east side of the island, with its greater rainfall and abundant vegetation, is prime coqui habitat. The northern part of the island, where I live, is considered coqui free. What that means is that the frog is not established here and coordinated efforts are made to find and eliminate those that are heard. It’s an uphill battle. I know I hear them at night. A few weeks ago it was just one, but now that one’s call is being answered by others.
And what about that call? Well, as usual, it’s the males making all the ruckus. The call is both a warning to other males (the KO part) and an alluring come hither to females (the KEE part). With the males, one will make the call to establish his territory and then another might respond to challenge this. They keep up this call and response until one gives up, a process that can last many minutes. The loser will move on while the winning male will start over until another challenger chimes in.
I’ve heard plenty of coquis, but the one above is the first I’ve actually seen. I was visiting Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens and taking photos of a gold dust day gecko that I saw on a red ginger (Alpinia purpurata). The gecko was poking its nose into the plant looking for moisture or nectar, when there was a sudden flurry. If you look at the photo below, the reason can be seen toward the top left corner, lurking deep in the bloom. The coqui hadn’t appreciated being disturbed and seemed to nip the gecko causing it to jump back. Then the frog came out a bit farther to check the coast was clear, before returning to its hideaway.
For more information about coqui frogs in Hawaii, go to https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/coqui/index.asp.
This rich, green moss, growing on large bamboo canes, oozes softness.
Posted in response to this week’s Sunday Stills challenge on the theme of ‘Texture.’ See more responses here.
Graham's Island 