3/24/09

Tropical Topics, Big Island Edition; Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Gardens

A place of true botanical wonderment. A boardwalk leads you down to a garden by the sea. Check it out sometime.

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Heliconia rostrata; Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Hibiscus 'Blue Bayou' Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Eucharis grandiflora

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Dracaena marginata, Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

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Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

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Lots of tree ferns. Hawaiians don't plant nearly enough of them.

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This one, Angiopteris evecta, was bigger than my house.

Angiopteris evecta, Marratiaceae

Heliconia longissima; Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Heliconia longissima. The pendant racemes range in length from approximately 5 to 8 feet.

Heliconia longissima

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Tropicals compete for light. The Garden's sheer verticality reminded me of a redwood forest.

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10 comments:

Christopher C. NC said...

Is touring this garden still the same where you park at one place and they drive you by van to the garden? It is a wonderful garden that could be several acres bigger IM not so humble O.

Unknown said...

This is absolutely beautiful. I've always felt ok that I've never seen Hawaii and now this!

Unknown said...

Wow! Just incredible! My mother always want to visit Hawaii! I should show her these pictures. Simply beautiful! Thank you for sharing with us the joy!

I recognised Anthurium and Hibiscus in two photos.

Gail said...

Incredibly beautiful and lush! It always tickles me to see tropicals in a actual tropical garden! gail

Unknown said...

Oh my stars this is some magical place!

Abigail Rose said...

Oooo, ferns and flowers! Love them.

Michelle said...

Oh my gosh! Absolutely stunning. I couldn't stop oohing and aaahing as I scrolled through.

Les said...

I just want to thank you for all of the Hawaiian pics. The whole series has been a real treat. That Heliconia longissima is outstanding. My guess would be that the year round growing conditions of the tropics account for such bizarre forms - more time to evolve.

Anonymous said...

These are wonderful pictures. I will be visiting Hawaii in May, but I won't have enough time on the "Big Island" to visit this garden. I'll be seeing some others though.
Thanks for sharing your pictures!

lisa said...

Thank you so much for sharing these amazing pictures! I never would have imagined the real height of the gardens there, you demonstrated the perspective very well. Makes me feel like a tarantula on the jungle floor! ;-)