This week’s Travel Theme challenge from Ailsa at Wheresmybackpack? is Flowers.
As many beautiful gardens as there are in the world, nowhere are flowers more a part of the cultural fabric than they are in Hawaii.
From the moment you arrive in Hawaii, flowers are everywhere – in the airports, on the fabrics in clothing, and in the leis used to welcome visitors to the Islands.
The state flower of Hawaii is the hibiscus, specifically the Yellow Hibiscus…
… but the hibiscus in any color is beautiful – and seen everywhere!
Hawaii offers coastal, mountain, and rain forest environments, hosting a wonderful variety of tropical flowering plants. Here’s just a small selection of the beautiful flowers we enjoyed. (Click on a photo to enlarge it):
‘Ohi’a Lehua, Anthurium
Rose Grape, Allamanda
Sanchezia, African tulip tree
Lobster Claw, Macaw flower
Bougainvillea, Moon Flower (I think)
Birds of Paradise, Not sure, but think a member of the ginger family
Rattlesnake plant (yellow) and Red Ginger, Red Tower Ginger
As you can see, I was completely taken with the lush plant life everywhere when we visited! For other bloggers’ flowery responses to this challenge, click here.
The Retiring Sort 
Most of those grow in India, but somehow Hawaii seems to showcase them better 🙂 Lovely shots,
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The warmer climate seems to create such vibrant plants! Perhaps because there’s water everywhere in Hawaii, and few native animals, plants are a major part of their culture. 🙂
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Great post, amiga! Sorry I’ve been silent this week.. Am about to vanish from cyberspace for another few days. More soon, Lisa
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Thanks! Hope all is well…
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Pingback: Travel theme: FLOWERS « Pictures in living color
Lovely flowers, and lovely photographs.
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Thank you so much, Indira.
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Hawaii is really a flower lover’s paradise, isn’t it? Those lobster claws are really dramatic, they almost seem to be from a prehistoric era; they don’t look like they belong in the present. I think leis are the most perfect welcome gesture I’ve ever experienced.
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Yep, the flowering plants are so varied and amazing – and the Hawaiians include them everywhere! Paradise, indeed!
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I loved that about Hawaii too, the fact that the beauty of flowers is appreciated and reflected throughout their culture. xx
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I have hibiscus in my outdoor garden area. In fact, I just went to a hibiscus show in May. Unfortunately, my camera battery died and none of my photos came out. I did purchase some double hibiscus plants to add to the others. They are so delicate and seem to float when the wind blows through the petals of the flowers. Thanks for making me aware of the fact that it’s the state flower. This has been a very intersting post. I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for posting this unusual take on the challenge. You never disappoint.
Isadora
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You’re very kind. Flowers are a wonderful subject, aren’t they? I agree, the hibiscus blooms are so lovely and delicate – sort of romantic!
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thank you sharing the images of the rare flowers 🙂
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You’re welcome – and thanks for stopping by! Although they’re rare for us, the rain forests are full of these strange and colorful plants! Our visit was an eye-opener!
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Beautiful… I love flowers.:-)
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Thanks – and thank you for your visit to my blog, Elizabeth!
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Beautiful post! I love hibiscus!
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Thanks – they are a lovely flower!
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Lovely photos – the flowers remind me of where I grew up on the east coast of Africa
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Interesting! I hadn’t thought of that, but if the climate is tropical, I guess that would make sense!
Thanks for your kind comment! 😉
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Gorgeous! But African Tulip Tree? GET OUT!!!
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No kidding – big orange trumpet flowers the size of lilies, growing out of the tops of the trees. After a strong wind, blossoms were all over the ground! We saw those on the big island, and I couldn’t believe it either!
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Just beautiful!
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Thanks – flowers are such a nice subject, aren’t they?
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Beautiful flowers 😀
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Thanks! What struck me is how different many of them are from ours here in the more temperate climates! 🙂
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Fabulous photos for the theme! I love Hawaii. My son and his family are there right now for a wedding. 😉
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Thanks so much!
I hope your family has a wonderful time – the wedding will no doubt display wonderful flowers! 😉
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Hi Retiring….Your post is so colorful and uplifting. It is no wonder Hawaii is one of my favorite spots on the planet. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Thanks! And thanks for visiting 🙂
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Beautiful and thanks for sharing the names of some flowers. I like to take pictures of flowers but sometimes didn’t know their names. 😀
Thanks for this beautiful post! 🙂
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Thanks, Inge – I had to look many of them up – hope I got the names right!!! 😉
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Very beautiful selections of images of flowers for the challenge.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
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Thanks so much, Francine! 🙂
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