BNSullivan.jpg "Native Hawaiian flowering tree, 'Ohi'a Lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha)")
'Ohi'a Lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha)
Location: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii
If you have not been to Hawaii, you probably never have seen this native blossom. The 'Ohi'a Lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is a Hawaiian endemic plant. Here is a brief description from the University of Hawaii's Botany Department:
This extremely variable species may be mature and flower when only a few inches tall in bogs but may reach towering heights in other habitats. Leaves range from thick and very pubescent to thin and glabrous. Flowers may be either red, or less frequently, yellow. The species is the most pervasive native forest tree in Hawaii, found on all the major islands and in a variety of habitats. It is an important food plant for native birds.I photographed this one along a hiking trail in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on Hawaii's Big Island.
27 comments:
Holy Smokes!! What a beauty... really lovely shot :)
http://zoliofrope.blogspot.com/
It has fingers! Lovely.
I am Here.
What an interesting flower. Beautiful shot. I love the angle and the detail you captured.
Great shot! The flower looks almost like a spider or some other little creature... Very interesting shot!
I enjoy looking at your pictures, especially when you always give an introduction to them :) Enlightens me :P
That's a beauty! It does look like it has fingers!
That is one crazy looking plant. Thanks for telling what it is and all the other info, I am actually learning something when I visit your blog!
Beautiful, I have never seen such a flower !
Exciting flower. Great details.
Hi Bobbie,
I looked at all of the pictures you had taken in your beautiful garden. I live in Puna on the Big Island surrounded by Ohia trees. Sometimes there are so many lehua flower spindly petals that fall off that they lightly carpet the ground. I love living surrounded by these indegenous trees.
What an interesting flower
This is a great shot. Interestingly, since this was taken at a volcanic park, the flower appears to be erupting red lava...like the mount.
Quite a capture!
Very pretty. I love the vibrant color.
Beautiful shot. Happy Ruby to you...
That flower looks like fireworks exploding. Happy Ruby Tuesday!
Tink *~*~*
My Mobile Adventures *~*~*
LOL @ Mimi's comment
It does have fingers!
It's beautiful
Oh thank you! When I photographed this plant, my UH@M Botanist/Oceanographer could not tell me it's name and was too busy to look it up for me.
When viewing your beautiful red flower post I immediately thought of Sundew, female Mergansers and Bee Balm all at the same time. Its all to do with red spikes. Your flower phto is lovely!
Each time my husband and I hiked Volcanoes National Park we never saw one flower...just a lot of lava - cold and hardened and hot and smooth. We just love Big Island and have been there several times. :) Happy Ruby Tuesday! A truly beautiful flower! :)
Verrrrrrry pretty!
Hawaii has always been on my "to see" list. One day I'll be able to save enough money and go :o)
Thank you for stopping by and leaving me your Blogger opinion. I think I'll stick with it for now ;o)
Hi Bobbie, this is a really pretty picture of a really pretty flower!
I'm glad you are showing it.
Thank you for your visit to my RED stuff, just life, not pretty (except the non-RED Adi Beagle Dog).
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BTW, it was nice to get to see this blog, before I had always gone to BLUE for WW Day.
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The great thing about flowers and blooms is that there is such an endless arrange of shapes, sizes, colors and types. I've never seen one like this. Great shot!
Dear Bobbie,
I have never been to Hawaii, nor am I likely to come, but I love traveling on the internet, and from you I am learning about the most beautiful species of flowers.
Thank you for sharing this rare part of your fauna.
From Felisol
What a gorgeous flower.
This is a perfect photo for Ruby Tuesday ~
Very unique! Looking at the larger pic shows all the details - what a beauty!
Thanks, everyone, for visiting and leaving your comments. I appreciate it.
@ HVG - Lucky you, to be surrounded by Ohia trees over there in Puna.
@ Quilly - You're welcome. Next time you can't identify a flower here in Hawaii, do check out the UH Botany Dept. website. They have a lot of info on line, and plenty of photos to help you figure things out.
@ Mary (the teach) - This tree was beside the trail to Kilauea Iki, not out on the fresher lava flows. You won't find much on the newer lava flows except lichens, and then only if the lava flow is at least a couple of years old.
@ Jim - Welcome -- but I hope you don't stop visiting The Right Blue for WW now!
@ Felisol - I think we all are internet travelers these days. It's a great time to be alive.
Bobbie
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