A blog of my botanical misdeeds and potentially interesting floral photos. All Photos Copyright Ross Kouzes

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This is a blog dedicated to interesting flora and the yard projects I undertake to make their cultivation possible.

2010/12/17

2010-12-17 Lyon Arboretum again

Last time we were rushed through the arboretum because it closes at 4pm...

There were lots of various ginger things. These were about 18in tall.
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My favorite native Hawaiian plant: Metrosideros polymorpha.
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Emphasis on the poly: the lemon yellow form.
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Tacca chantrieri. Black Bat flower.
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Something tropicalesque.
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The plant this was on looked a lot like a Podocarpus... it obviously isn't... Don't know what the heck it is, though.
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Hey, I have one of those... not quite that big, but close.
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2010/12/15

2010-12-15 Cactus Garden and Manoa Falls

The Kapi'olani Community College dedicates copious land to its ever expanding cactus and succulent garden. They also have an awesome farmers market which was a bit touristy, sadly. But, that didn't stop their jam from being voraciously devoured by me and others related to me.
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Kalanchoe in bloom.
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Check out these Pachipodiums!
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So cute! They were crawling all over the Aloe licking the nectar.
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We went for a leisurely hike up to Manoa falls. By leisurely, I mean sweaty. And by hike I mean up a jogging up a rocky hillside in 80F weather. Can we perhaps be less used to this? Absolutely! Just make the humidity 103.2% and you're set! It turned out we had too much blood and we had to sweat it out.
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Occasionally, I would have a few seconds to take a picture. Some sort of Neomarica.
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After the hike, we went to the neighboring Lyon Arboretum. Lachnalia was opening up.
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Another Albizia. I think this is the one that's coming in the mail.
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Gloriosa superba.
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Could be a Jacaranda, but whatever it is, it's over 200ft tall and well over 10ft in diameter. Notice the tiny swing set to the left.
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Last, we went for a short hike along the top of the ridge. Way cooler up there amongst the Araucaria.
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2010/12/14

2010-12-14 Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden

On the East coast of Oahu. Water deemed acceptably stunning. No snorkeling of which to speak.
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We traded water things for their dry-land counterparts. This is Hawaii's showy native Hibiscus.
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Hawaii has about 4 plants that are native to the islands. Everything else is brought over. These are some amazingly huge 4ft tall non-native Bromeliads.
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Lisa under a Ficus. Shortly after having her dreams dashed as she learned that there in fact ARE mosquitoes on Hawaii. Many, as it turns out.
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Albizia. I could not get enough of them. Enormous. I'm expecting one the mail any day. Those flat rate boxes can hold a surprising quantity.
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Brownea macrophylla. Winter is Not the blooming season in Hawaii, but a couple flowers were open.
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The hillside.
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Hey! It's that field from "Lost" where they drove the Dharma Truck around after Hurley had a win for once... you know... So we ran around in circles for a while.
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