One of the things I like to do while I am on vacation is to take photos of interesting, or unique, plants that I don’t normally see in my everyday life, here in the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s always when I least expect it which my iPhone 8 Plus definitely comes in handy.
On my last two trips to Hawaii to the island of Kauai last year, I saw, by chance, some gorgeous, eye-catching flowers and foliage that I literally had to stop and snap their photos. Local Guides Connect Moderator @ermest calls these “5-petals beauties.”
Because it gets so much rain, Kauai is known as the “Garden Isle” for its lush green, tropical landscapes. It’s the oldest island of the Hawaiian island chain. The island’s dirt is very fertile because the island is volcanic in origin. It rains at some point per day while also getting sun. You can literally stick a plant cutting into the ground and it will grow without much help because of the amount of rain, sun, and tropical humidity.
Hawaii officially became the 50th state, and the last to join statehood in the United States, on August 21, 1959. It is one of the smallest U.S. states, and it is the only state made up entirely of islands. Located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the islands are the tops of volcanoes, some of them still active.
Depending on the weather and the jet stream, it can be a 5 to 6-hour nonstop flight from the West Coast (or what Hawaiians called “The Mainland”).
Wish you could smell these!
Some of most fragrant blossoms that are grown in Hawaii are also grown to make Hawaiian leis and fragrant oils for perfumes, lotions, and natural room deodorizers. Pua keni keni (Fagraea berteriana) is used in lei making. The flower turns from white to orange or a golden yellow as it ages. Very fragrant.
The 7-petals white flower, called Juhi (Jasminum auriculatum), has an incredibly strong fragrant jasmine smell. It smells divine.
Some of the different varieties of Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
__Some of the different varieties of Double Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-__sinensis**)**
Some of the different varieties of Bicolor Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Did you know some types of orchids can be grown literally in trees with just air and rainwater?
Grown for their showy leaves. These grow like weeds outdoors in Hawaii.
These blossoms made me immediately stop to take their photos. I don’t know their common plant names. Do you?
Do you also enjoy taking photos of plants while on vacation too?____Have you visited Hawaii?
Cheers,
Karen
See more of my tropical flowers photos in my Flowers of Hawaii Google Photos album
