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.
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.