NATIVE PLANTS AND CULTURE

Plants, plants, native plantsJune 1, 2013

Native Plant Society at National Tropical Botanical Garden

            We didn’t have a huge turnout to weed the native plants at NTBG but it was fun, good people, very good people.  Weeding was interspersed with a very intimate and private tour of micro sections of the huge garden that lies between Poipu (public entrance) and Kalaheo (administrative entrance).

            We weeded a hillside, slightly steep just up from this shot.  Below us is a section of pili grass and native palms.  The palms (pritchardia) are each verified as to original location – mostly extremely remote from high valleys, cliff faces, and uninhabited islands

These pritchardia palms at NTBG are the largest collection of the rare Hawaiian trees

Stayin' alive, stayin' alive

           

            We were working uphill from here, a little steep!  Finished working, we walked and drove to sights Mike De Motta wanted to share.  Just for fun I thought I’d show some of the native hibiscus family.  One of the first things newbies about native plants in Hawaii is that none of the associated tropical flowers are native – plumeria, birds of paradise, gingers, most orchids, and even anthuriums were all imported.  And just when you think the hibiscus were too, you discover there are many hibiscus that are native, but they are far different than the ornamental landscape varieties.

            I’ve shown others in the past but just for today, these hibiscus caught my eye.

 Kokia kauaiensis, first collected in Kalalau Valley

The leaves are beautiful, and the flowers strangely wonderful: 

This is the kind of detailed documentation each plant has

Hau (how) is the Hawaiian name for hibiscus, 

They were excellent botanists who recognized related plants

The unopened flower bud is almost luminescent 

this was the only flower that had opened already, pretty high up in the tree

Hibiscus: St. Johnnyensis

 These are very sweet little 2" blossoms, very rich orange

Not as common this St. Johhnyensis is goldenrod

The two plants are near each other at the garden

           Back at my car I got some shots of the wiliwili I had parked under – so grateful there are a few left.  Some years ago, an unwanted gull-wasp was introduced among imported plants and they have devastated nearly all the wiliwili trees on the islands.  Lihue’s harbor was once lined with them, the name Na Wiliwili Harbor, na meaning plural.  Even ten years ago, they were city landscaping.  They stood along the street all along the Walmart parking lot.  No more, but this proud tree stands, so far.  Cross your fingers.

 Wiliwili tree

Usually pronounced like willy willy, it should really be veely-veely

Wiliwili blossoms up close

       

            Driving on, Mike led us to a new cultural section at the garden.  They have built a hula platform (mound in front will have grass) and a hale built in the ancient Hawaiian method.  With all of the pritchardia palms, they have an abundance of leaves for the roof.

 Following Mike DeMotta through the garden

 Hale (hall-eh) behind the hula mound not yet grassed

Thatched with loulu or pritchardia palm leaves

I look forward to whatever performances they hold here - beautiful location

Mike on left, then Amanda, her Mom and husband Craig, then Kim, and Keren

all major players in Native Plant Society 

  Kahaleo        

             After lunch with the plant guys, I met a friend who has returned to Kauai and is now living in Kalaheo; we went for a walk at Kukuiolono Park; the name means Light of Lono, one of the major Hawaiian gods.  The park is high above the panoramic ocean below and in addition to the small golf course, there is a Japanese Garden and several “legend stones.”  The stones were all collected from the surrounding area that were once the Wahiawa Ahupua’a land division and were later owned by the McBryde family who grew sugar cane.

While the others speak for themselves, this flat stone was not marked

Marion laid down and said it was like a hot stone massage, warm from the sun

We took turns

            In a small space history goes back to the large sugar plantation culture now giving way to housing developments, before that to the Hawaiian culture, and before to a time when lava was still freshly pouring new land that would become Kauai.

 

What an amazing place we live where we can just walk around and observe such spans of time,

at least this historian is impressed and grateful to be here

A hui ho!

LOCAL PLANTS, CRITTERS, SURF

Local Stuff

            We spent a long day in Poipu recently and snorkeled one beach and visited another.  We also went to see the grounds above the sinkhole in Mahaulepu where native plants are being grown.  Since I was there last, several kalo fields have been put in production.  We had a few minutes to kill before a dinner reservation at the Beach House so drove up the road to Spouting Horn.  It’s a long drive back home tired from the sun and water and full from delicious food.

 The parrot fish are always a treat - this is a big colorful male

 This female parrot looks like mosaic tile

Yellow-stripe Coris - Super Male 

            We had trouble figuring this guy out with Gil's photo, I didn't see it. The two-tone orange band surgeons are big and he was much bigger.  As juveniles they are black and white striped (with faint yellow between on the spine).  As they get bigger the white predominates with a little aqua at the pect fin.  When they shift to super male, like this guy has done, they turn aqua blue with spots, WOW!

Convict tangs with a Lavender Tang in the mix

These are always fun  especially the ones with freckles on their nose

            We wandered down to Shipwrecks to watch for whales.  We were out of luck on that but there was plenty of activity.  

This rocky projection is a popular place for jumping off in the summer

            We didn't expect anyone to do it in these waves so I didn't have my camera ready when this guy (at bottom) did a fancy back flip off the top.  He got out of there OK but an instant longer would have been bloody.

            The whole beach has a shore break that is popular with surfers.  They are fun to watch now and then.  

             We drove along the rough dirt road toward Mahaulepu and turned in at David Burney's compound.  We thought his wife Lyda would still be there but we missed her.

            Kalo or taro is not native but has been produced in the islands since the very first Polynesians arrived.  Restoring these fields is in keeping with trying to restore the more native plants.

            The nursery across from the kalo is doing very well.  This is native cotton, Mao (front) Naio (left) Pritchardia Palm and Hala behind it, with Koa in right rear.

Their experimental project of using land tortoises as weed whackers seems to be helpful

Here are two napping in the afternoon heat.

            Even after getting locked in the compound by mistake, we headed to Spouting Horn.  The shops were closed and the pink afternoon light was beautiful.

 Spouting Horn in evening light

 Classic Poipu lava and water

             Walking back to the car through the closed market this was a funny sight.  Obviously someone feeds and waters the kitty but the two roosters are very interested.  My guess, this scene repeats every night.

            Since I put a couple south shore surfers in I though I'd add a couple recent north shore wave riders, too.

 This was at Lumahai and he was the only one out there.

Hanalei Bay: small stuff for beginners

 The new roof for the pier is nearly complete here

I just looked over and caught the whole mountain out of its cloud cover

Namolokama mountain with one of its many threads flowing

            Gil took on the concept of having the canoe club offer storage for one-man outriggers.  It was finally approved, an architect drew up plans (so he has a place to store his boat when he is away).  People groused about rent in addition to dues but not everyone has a one-man so rental space should be additional  Once the first rack was completed, there was a clamor for more so here are two racks in place.  Yesterday Gil picked up the materials for a third rack.  Not a bad idea after all.  The club is paying for materials, the work is volunteered and the rents will be on-going revenue.

Club racks 

OC-1s are stored nose to nose, 

People keep their outriggers, amas, and seats in their trucks

  

            Water conditions weren’t so good for snorkeling on the north shore last month but I so badly needed water I went several times to Anini, without my camera.  I saw some fun stuff:  a couple of flying gurnards that look like puffer fish with wings, a few peacock flounders, a pair of crabs mating – all strange guys I don’t usually see because Anini is a sand bottom.  

          

            Another day I noticed a big section there were little green leaves coming up through the sand like underwater sprouts.   I saw about 7 green sea turtles, two taking naps below rocks and the rest munching on the leaves. 

 I usually see them along the rocks in the surge eating seaweed.  

Everything is different at Anini.

            Recently I mentioned the golden plovers tuxedo.  It is fun to watch their new coats come in.  So far I have only seen one bird that elected to stay for the summer.  Even the new young guy to claim our back yard last winter went back to the arctic.

Golden Plover in his tuxedo and eating pupus

MOTHER'S DAY 2013

Wainiha for Mother's Day

           I spent the last two Mother's Days in Colorado with my Mom who just passed away in April this year.  This year we were invited to spend it with friends who have purchased a property in Wainiha Valley.  It is gorgeous, and the food was exceptional - this gang is the best with potlucks.  We had a lovely time.

 This is one of two streams that meet on the property - both considered Wainiha Stream

Cacao trees in white wind shields

 More cacao starts and even more sprouting on the lanai

Some of the gang near the game field - 

we played Portuguese horseshoes but were too full for Bocci ball

Aloha Mom

            Mom's passing was not unexpected.  I spent several quiet times since going to places she really liked.  We kayaked up Lumahai Stream here a couple times and then enjoyed the beach.

 Panoramas always distort a little but to the left is a bridge, 

past that it becomes almost an estuary

The beach here is very dynamic

Mouth of Lumahai stream

            Where we went more often for her to swim was Lydgate State Park so I gathered up some plumeria flowers and went for a splash in the shallow lagoon she enjoyed many times.

Lydgate State Park has this great man-made lagoon, 

safe for children and anyone unsure of the water

Mom loved it, sometimes I pulled her around on a boogie-board!

 I swam out to the rocks and let my plumeria go

there was enough surge from the waves beyond the rocks, they stayed there

 She would have loved it

This guy came by to say hi

It's all good

             With all of the hullabaloo at the Lighthouse, I stopped frequently to look at the brick Mom insisted on buying.  She wanted a permanent marker to honor the years she and my dad spent in Hawaii.  Terribly thrifty by nature, I knew if she was paying for this it was very important to her.

Now that they are both gone, I'm really happy she did it.