Maui Flora

Flowers

everywhere on Maui! Blooming trees and bushes. Orchids, Birds of Paradise. Purples, reds, oranges, white, yellows, pinks. Even folks wearing flowers around their necks, in their hair.

We were expecting to see beautiful flowers abloom on Maui. What we didn't expect was discovering a farm growing fields of lavender (above picture) on the lower slopes of the Haleakula Crater...or that it also was the fertile ground for growing protea - a plant native to South Africa.

Keep in mind that these flowers can be as large as dinner plates. You might want to click on them to get even closer views, especially on the one below where you can see little black "fur" peeking out of the lower pink flower on the left. Truly exotic, if you want my opinion!

So, the next time flowers are to be given, think of giving a bouquet of protea! On the island of Maui, it will only set you back about $10, but elsewhere expect to pay about $95.00 for a large bouquet. Just my luck...