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My friend Noel Morata posted some beautiful photos in his A Plant Fanatic In Hawaii blog of the exuberantly blooming Cassia fistula x javanica or as they are commonly called, the Rainbow Shower trees at this time in downtown Hilo.

The trees are not really very old...it wasn't so long ago they were planted, and even though they have bloomed in the past, this is the first year the blazingly gorgeous trees have outdone themselves.

I wish the camera lense could capture and do justice to the beauty surrounding Hilo right now...it is breathtaking!

I had wanted to stop last Sunday morning on the way back through Hilo from my visit to the Volcano Farmers Market and take pictures, but rain and a headache made me breeze through and decide to come back another day.....

.....then I saw Noel's photos and of course, had to make sure that on my next trip to town I stopped to enjoy the spectacle and record it for myself...and to share with you!

The clusters of flowers start blooming sedately in pale yellow.....then start turning pink....then on to darker shocking pink before exploding into flaming orange and hot corals...

The sidewalks and grass under the trees look like they're covered in multihued 'snow petals'...
Hilo's Kamehameha Avenue can now rival Washington's Basin and even Kyoto during Cherry Blossom Time (IMMHO but then, I'm not prejudiced!)
Mahalo, Noel, for giving me the little kick I needed.... I just wish the clouds had parted....I so wanted to take a photo with Mauna Kea looming in the background!
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Comments: 28
In fact, I couldn't even get lilacs to grow for me when I tried several times while living in SC....I guess they need more wintering than they got there....
Thanks, Richard!