Flowers in My Tahiti world

[Ken Jackson]

This was shot in mydaughters back yard, I call it "Pretty Red Hibiscus" I have hundreds of flower shots. In Tahiti, flowers are a part of every day life, we all wear on behind an ear or a crown of them or a garland. When I first went back to the States to take care of my mom I used to pick a small flower an place it behind my right ear, I sure got some strange looks for that, but when it is a part of your life, you might as well go for the gusto.....

 

[Ken Jackson]

A few more flowers from home

Waiting For The Morrow

After The Rain

​

The Magic Of Light

Early Bird Of Paradise

 

[Asher Kelman]

Ken,

If you happen to know the names, that would be helpful. Others here might very well know them all, so this might be just for a few souls like me! The 3rd flower looks as if it must be poisonous, it's so richly colored!

Asher

 

[Ken Jackson]

Sorry 'bout that!

The First is a Lotus Flower Bud

The Second is a Hibiscus Flower right after a rain squall passed through

The Third is a Monette Flower (that is what it called here in Tahiti) I don't know if it is poison or not, but It was shot late in the afternoon with the sun almost to the horizon and the rays were coming through the branches of the bush and the throat of the monette flower normally white was this deep gold color and I grabbed the camera... That is the reason for the name, the purple at the bottom petal was another ray of sunlight causing the change in color... That is the reason for the name "The Magic Of Light"

The Fourth is a wild "Bird Of Paradise" flower the small orange ones, This is the bud of a new flower that hasn't opened yet... I liked it for the contrast to the green... I will shoot some more in fact I have some of the birds of paradise that are fully opened...

Don't shoot I'm the Piano Player!!!!! <grin>

I keep fergittin that you don't live down here and what I think is ordinary, you think is exotic..

Tell you a little story, the 12 years I was back in the states living in Oregon taking care of mom, I used to wake up in the middle of the night hearing the surf break on the reef and smelling the vanilla drying in the sun... Now that I am home again, I quickly forget just how exotic it is. Even though I wouldn't trade here for anywhere else in the world.

 

[Ken Jackson]

Asher,

Here is a Heliconia (locally called Bird Of Paradise Flower) that is fully opened, We have many varieties of them down here, from the small little ones like this one that I am posting here to the great big honkin ones that are multi colored monsters.. I will get into those laters for all of you.


Heliconia (locally called Bird Of Paradise)

Here is a shot of the little one that is opened and turned into a real bird (as far as flowers go). But, it ain't as purdy as the first one, so there!!! <grin>

 

[Ken Jackson]

Now you are making me dig a bit...

I wanted to get out and do some shooting today and rebuild or add to my photo stash a bit. But waiting for emails, and messages from both the USA and Papeete spoiled that idea. So I am digging through my old files and a bunch of old drives. This first flower I am posting today comes from the Purau tree, the tree is one of the most useful plants in the South Pacific, the wood is very light and fiberous, the leaves are quite large and round.


Purau Flower

This plant was used to make mats for the Hima'a (the above ground oven) to toilet paper, wrappers for food and for drying of other plant fruits. The inner bark was used in making cords, beaten into a fiberous mat that is called Tapa and used for matting or cloth to this day. The wood is used in many construction projects, the older heavier wood tht is really fiberous and strong is used to make ribs in boats or moldings etc where you might be worried about breakage or splitting. The fibers make this wood almost unbreakable, and if it is used intelligently and protected, it will last longer than most hardwoods. The young trees are very light in weight and the wood is almost like balsa so it makes very good outrigger floats.

 

[Ken Jackson]

Tiare Tahiti

This is the Tahitian Gardenia, It is the flower of Tahiti and it is worn by men and women alike every day. The flower is used to perfume the Monoi (coconut oil) that we all use for lotion, daily. The flower has a very short shaft about an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half long. The scent is very light and very fragrant.

Tiare Tahiti

​

This is a very close relative of the above flower, it also is a gardenia. But this one is from Fiji and we call it Tiare Fiji This one has a very long shaft and is even lighter in scent than ours, but this one starts out white and in just a couple of days turns a light eggshell tan, then turns yellow, and finally orange before the flower drops off. Both of thes flowers are from my daughters garden..

Tiare Fiji

​

If I get a good sunrise in the morning, It'll be like the old Navy Cook sez "Standby for heavy rolls."

 

[Asher Kelman]

Ken,

This is an amazing catalog of flowers your are developing.

 

[Ken Jackson]

Unknown Liane

Here is an unknown climbing vine that my daughter planted along the back wall of her yard. She planted it from a slip she received and now it is covering the top of the block wall and blooms prolifically. At present there are no blooms but it has been covered twice since I have been home and it is spectacular when it is in full bloom. When it blooms again, I will get a good shot of the bracts of flowers along with the leaves and the climing vine. BTW I have seeds from it, and dunno what I am gonna do with them For sure I will photograph the pods and the seeds inside the pods, but if anyone there might like to plant a couple in a pot and have a little bit of Tahiti in their home. PM me.

Unknown Liane

 

[Anil Mungal]

Asher,

Here is a Bird Of Paradise Flower ...

Hi Ken,

I believe this flower is a Heliconia.

 

[Ken Jackson]

Hi Ken,

I believe this flower is a Heliconia.

You're correct Anil, and thank you. I really don't know flowers and plants that well, I follow the islanders and they call the Heliconias, Birds of Paradise. I for one am glad to know the difference and will now change the name.. When it comes to flowers I am sure that this will not be my last mistake <grin>

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

You're correct Anil, and thank you. I really don't know flowers and plants that well, I follow the islanders and they call the Heliconias, Birds of Paradise. I for one am glad to know the difference and will now change the name.. When it comes to flowers I am sure that this will not be my last mistake <grin>

Hi Ken,

In OPF one cannot edit one's own posts after a period of time has passed from the posting. This we do to prevent the discussions from being distorted by endless edits. So on your behalf, I have edited the name to Heliconia.

Cheers,