To be honest, I think I was too distracted at first by all the magnificent palm trees, plumerias, and all the other tropical gems that I lost sight of one of my clear objectives... hunting down some good Hawaii agaves. Besides the odd agave attenuata, I actually started to give up. I was quite perplexed to tell you the truth. It wasn't until another one of my morning walks from Waikiki beach to the summit of Diamond Head that I passed by the University of Hawaii Kapi'Olani Community College and discovered something epic!
More than anything I believe the Furcaea was what first sent my plant lust radar into overdrive. It was one of the moments in life where you know its just meant to be...
my morning walk/ hike to diamond head turned into a full on plant safari! What's best is that it came as a huge surprise.
I wish I could name all these treasures but it is far beyond my scope. All I know is that I probably can't grow any of them at home and I wish I could have them all!!!!
And then... (cue the jaws music!) Could it be?!! agave ovatifolia? All I know is that it took the breath right out of me! now this, this is what I had been searching for!
And there were more...
and more!
Forever hiking Diamond Head will conjure up memories of the veritable agave heaven otherwise known as the University of Hawaii Kapi'Olani.
All that is to say, yes, they do indeed grow agaves in Hawaii!!!!
And they are beautiful ones too!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was pretty darn excited! The side story to all this was that they had a market going on when we walked over there and were serving all sorts of delicious foods and fresh roasted coffee from Kona. It was divine!
DeleteOh my...and no danger of freeze damage! Makes you want to give up on the mainland, and move to paradise. Though each one of us can make our own version of paradise where we are, too. The photos of dueling spiky plants are simply amazing, and that clear, warm light...it rivals here in the desert, but no dust, either.
ReplyDeleteoh the idea ... no freeze damage! It is a wonderful thought! It is so very tempting to pick up and move off the mainland. For me up in Canada, it would have to be to either the southern Gulf Islands or Vancouver Island. I think I would prefer Salt Spring Island to tell you the truth. Solid zone 9a locations near the water and half if not less the annual rainfall of metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.... oh it gets me dreaming. You are right though, we can make our own paradise right where we are. I guess I'm suffering from PPSD - post paradise stress disorder!
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