Maui: Kula Botanical Garden, part 2

This is part 2 of my post about Kula Botanical Garden. Click here to read part 1.

Even though Kula Botanical Garden is “only” 8 acres, I spent the better part of three hours exploring—and taking hundreds of photos. The sky was overcast and there was a slight drizzle so I ended up using my tripod for most pictures. Of course that takes longer than simply walking around but I ended up getting sharp photos. Fortunately, there were very few other people around so I wasn’t blocking anybody’s way. As I mentioned before, I don’t know how a for-profit operation like Kula Botanical Garden can stay in business with so few visitors, but maybe I was simply there at the wrong time of year.

Let’s continue our walk through the garden. Part 1 of my post covered the upper portion; part 2 is about the middle and lower portion. The vegetation here is more lush and tropical because of a stream and pond.

Queen sago (Cycas circinalis), Leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’ and miscellaneous ferns

Queen sago (Cycas circinalis), Leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’

Queen sago (Cycas circinalis); the flower is from Leucospermum cordifolium (yellow form)

Paperbark tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia)

Giant bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai)

 

Another tiki! I wish I knew what the custom is behind leaving money in its mouth…

Gingers, ferns, and bamboo in the background

Allspice (Pimenta dioica). Yes, this is the tree that allspice comes from. I had never seen one before. What a beautiful tree, but unfortunately not hardy at all.

The tallest specimen of Kalanchoe beharensis I’ve ever seen; also one of the few succulents at Kula Botanical Garden

Green and black elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta)

Dragon tree (Dracaena draco) and bamboo

Red ti (Cordyline fruticosa) surrounded by a lovely unlabeled fern

Beautiful water feature

Koi pond; check out the large clump of Aloe arborescens behind it—what a startling, incongruous sight!

Inspired pairing: ʻAmaʻu (Sadleria cyatheoides), a fern native to Hawaii, and ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata), a caudiform native to Mexico and Central America

ʻAmaʻu (Sadleria cyatheoides)

ʻAmaʻu (Sadleria cyatheoides)

Hapu'u (Ciboteum splendens), a Hawaiian tree fern

Hapu'u (Ciboteum splendens) with paperbark tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia) in the background

Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) and Guzmania sanguinea, one of the most beautiful terrestrial bromeliads

 

Guzmania sanguinea

Guzmania sanguinea

Earlier I said that I didn’t see any king proteas (Protea cynaroides) in bloom in the garden. Imagine my surprise when I saw this right outside the gift shop as I was leaving:

King protea (Protea cynaroides)

The flowers of the king protea are so stunning that one photo simply won’t do:

I left Kula Botanical Garden on a high, so happy with all the beautiful things I’d seen.

It is amazing that an island like Maui, which really isn’t all that large, has close to a dozen public and private botanical gardens. Some, like Maui Sacred Garden, I didn’t even find out about until I got back home. Time to plan another trip!

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• Maui 2013 trip index