Hau, Hibiscus tiliaceus,
by Lehua Pekelo-Stearns
Title
Hau, Hibiscus tiliaceus,
Artist
Lehua Pekelo-Stearns
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Hibiscus tiliaceus, hau, indigenous. Or some call the Hawaiian hibiscus! Hau trees are native to Hawaii. The hau grows here in my backyard on the Big Island of Hawaii The Hibiscus tiliaceus is part of the hibiscus family, but they grow much larger than a standard hibiscus plant – reaching up to thirty feet or more like here looking over the ocean. The flowers are bright yellow with a deep red center upon opening. Over the course of the day, the flowers deepen to orange and finally red before they fall. The branches of the tree often curve over time. The leaves are heart shaped and deep red. “One Hawai`i legend says that hau is a sister of the goddess Hina, changed into a tree. The people of Tahiti say hau is the grandchild of heaven and earth. Some people equate the brief span of the hau flower as representative of the transitory nature of human life.”
Uploaded
July 3rd, 2021
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