Tag Archives: Heliconias

Plant collectors

A bromeliad filled with water

Many people collect plants, but some plants are collectors, too. On my last visit to Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden it had recently rained. This bromeliad (above) and heliconia (below) had collected, not only water, but also an assortment of vegetation. There might even be a fish in there somewhere!

For more information about Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, go to htbg.com.

Posted for Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).

A red heliconia filled with water

Plant shapes

Lily pads in Hawaii

The current Friendly Friday challenge theme is ‘Shapes.’ See more responses here. Since I just paid another visit to Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, I thought some flower and foliage shapes would be appropriate. In the top photo, round lily pads float in the garden’s pond.

The squares show the coils within coils of a Hapu’u fern, a distinctly-shaped anthurium, the familiar curves of an orchid against a large, angular leaf, and the geometric precision of a Guzmania ‘Limones’ bromeliad.

The rectangles start with the distinctive shape of beehive gingers, then large, tropical, heart-shaped leaves, and the sinuous shape of a colorful heliconia.

The bottom photo shows feather-shaped leaves that even look like feathers!

For more information about Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, go to htbg.com.

Tropical leaves in Hawaii

Tropical leaves

The bright red bracts of a tree poinsettia (Warszewiczia Coccinea) contrast with the mass of green leaves around it.

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

This gave me an excuse to post more photos from Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, which is still closed at this time. For more information about Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, go to htbg.com.

Tropical foliage

A riot of tropical foliage frames a view towards the ocean.
A single purple orchid is a spot of color against the green and brown background.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Plant Life.’ See more offerings here.

The east side of the Big Island is the place for plant life thanks to good soils, warmth, and abundant rainfall. These photos were taken on my last visit to Hawai’i Tropical Botanical Garden, before it closed because of the Covid-19 virus.

This doesn’t mean they’ve been slacking during the closure. Instead they appear to have launched a new name and new website. The new name is Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden and, I think reflects more of the purpose behind the garden. The new name, conveniently, means they didn’t have to change their website. It’s still htbg.com.

The new website is definitely a spiffier looking production, but it comes with a drawback. They used to have a plant database that I found very useful in identifying what I saw there. I can’t find it on the new website. Hopefully, this is just an issue with transitioning the information. Otherwise, I’ll be in a bit of difficulty.

Early Yellow beehive ginger makes colorful focal points against a backdrop of green foliage.
On the left, a deep red heliconia against large green leaves. On the right, the purple bract of anthurium schlechtendalii or pheasant’s tail.
Not all leaves are green as these colorful ti plants attest.

Flowers at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

This week’s Friendly Friday challenge theme is ‘Floral.’ (See more responses here.) I thought a few photos from my last visit to Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (with Terri from Second Wind Leisure Perspectives) would fit the bill.

The top photo is an orchid, Catatante ‘Pacific Sunspots.’ In the middle is another orchid, Wilsonara Aloha Sparks ‘Halloween.’ Below is a heliconia against a backdrop of tropical foliage.

For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.