#ohia tree

[a-disaster-piece]

Pele, Laka, ʻŌhiʻa, Lehua, & Kūkaʻōhiʻalaka really out in full force lately...

(P.S. Can you spot the pollinators in each photo? Hint: 🐜🐝)

[vyskala]

Undying Tales Day 11 'Ohi'a Tree

One of the rare and important qualities of the ‘Ohi‘a Tree is that it can grow in proximity to the toxic gases of volcanic lava flows. It is one of the first plants that begin the colonization process after a new lava flow has hardened.

This affinity for the tree to the landscape of volcanoes ties the tree to the lore of Pele, goddess of volcanoes. In one tale, Pele fell in love with a youth named ‘Ohi‘a, but he loved a woman, Lehua. In a fit of jealousy and anger at the rejection, Pele turned him into a tree. The other gods took pity upon Lehua for her loss, and transformed her into a flower for the ‘Ohi‘a tree.

[angelnumber27]

Metrosideros polymorpha, the ʻōhiʻa lehua

[earthstory]

Heart shaped lava tree

This is an image from 1968, taken looking down on top of a lava flow from Kilauea.

When the lava flow drains away, these chilled cylinders of lava still stand tall as lava trees. This photo looks down the heart of one that happened to leave a heart-shaped impression in the center, with lava still flowing underneath.

-JBB

Image credit: USGS/Don Swanson https://www.flickr.com/photos/usgeologicalsurvey/14057394848/in/photostream/

[thebitchymermaid]

seahorsies