Natural History

Orchid Trees
(Bauhinia spp.)

There are more than 500 species in the Bauhinia genus, but none are as lovely as the Orchid trees. Although Orchid tree flowers suggest a small orchid flower, the plant is not related to the orchid at all. In fact, it is a tropical legume. In its native India, the bark is used for tanning and dyeing while its leaves and flower buds are used as a vegetable.

Two widely-grown tree varieties that are popular in gardens from their native India to Florida (as well as Hawaii) are B. variegata, with its exquisite pure white or lavender flowers and B. purpurea, which run to deeper shades of purple. The trees look very much alike except that the petals of B. variegata tend to overlap while those of B. purpurea are narrower and separated. The pink bauhinia, or St. Thomas tree (B. monarda) has long been planted as specimen trees in Hawaii, especially in coastal leeward areas. Its main pink petal is dotted with crimson. One hybrid, Bauhinia x blakeana, produces brilliant rose-magenta flowers that are the emblem of Hong Kong. This hybrid was discovered in Hong Kong in 1908 and can only be reproduced by grafting since it never sets seed pods.

The five-petaled flowers, which bloom profusely during the winter months and peak in the spring, are arranged like an orchid, with four petals of similar size and a fifth that is larger and broader. The fifth petal is broadly stained with a deeper purplish rose than the others. Four white stamens grow from the center. A projecting green pistil develops into a pod after the flowers fade on most orchid trees. These pods hang on the tree for a long time.

The tree grows to a height of about twenty feet. Its leaves are a distinctive feature. They have curious double, rounded lobes and suggest a green moth or butterfly. Prominent veins radiate from the point where the stem joins the blade. Insects apparently find the leaves very succulent so they are often full of holes.

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Arts & Culture

Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area

Located at the 6,200 feet elevation on the southwestern slopes of Haleakala in the Kula Forest Reserve, a special state park is a celebration of the vision of Hawaii's first territorial forester, Ralph Sheldon Hosmer. The 10-acre park, called Hosmer's Grove, is within the Kula and Kahikinui Forest Reserves and is reached by driving over a steep dirt road with many switchbacks and poor visibility at the end of the pavement of the Waipoli Road access that wends its way up from the Kekaulike Highway. When conditions are cloudy, visibility is measured in inches.

By the turn of the century, the native forests had declined greatly. It was recognized that the watersheds, and therefore, the forests of the island needed to be protected. Denuded forests, like the one at the Polipoli spring, were the focus of replanting efforts by both the government and by private businesses and individuals. The original forest at Polipoli fell victim to the depredations of imported cows and goats that were allowed to roam free through the area. They were set loose in the early 1800s, and by the early 1900s, they had eaten the area bare.

When Hosmer was the territory's head forester, between 1904 to 1914, he planned many of the present forest-reserve boundaries in the islands. It was his contention that the primary importance of the forests was as a watershed, so his efforts were not particularly pointed towards preserving the integrity of the native forests. Native trees took so long to grow and often succumbed to the tough competitiveness of other, faster-growing imported trees, and Hosmer and his supporters felt it was better to introduce as many species as possible into the badly affected native forests.

He encouraged the importation of hundreds of species of trees to Hawaii from all over the world. Some of these species had no commercial value; others were valuable for ornamentation, wood, windbreaks, fruit or erosion control. Many of these trees were planted in the area around Polipoli spring. Among the trees used were redwood, Monterey cypress, sugi, ash, tropical ash, Mexican pine, red alder, Port Oxford cedar, eucalyptus, swamp mahogany, and blackwood. (The park is known for delicious Methley plums that ripen in early June.)

The result of Hosmer's reforestation experiments at Polipoli is a mysterious, very quiet forest that is composed entirely of trees from someplace else. As the mists from the mountain creep through the stands of trees, the understory of delicate ferns and mosses add to the enchantment.

Trails lead through massive groves of redwoods, cedar, ash and other trees, each grove with its own personality. Hikers, cyclists and hunters venture through these areas, but, mostly, the miles-long network of trails that crisscross the park and lead up to the summit are not commonly used. It is very peaceful.

After his stint as the territorial forester for Hawaii, Hosmer left in 1914 to become professor of forestry at Cornell University. Meanwhile, reforestation efforts like the ones he began continued until the 1940s.

The campground at the park, a grassy clearing surrounded by trees, is pretty basic. It has a covered pavilion with two picnic tables and two grills, and restrooms, and running water but no showers. It can be a damp, cold, and desolate place to pitch a tent and fellow campers are likely to be pig hunters.

An easy, half-mile loop nature trail begins at one end of the parking lot.
 

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Braddah-Nics Lexicon

STANDARD: He is such a wimp!
BRADDAH-NICS: Ho! Some panty, him....

* * * * * * * *

STANDARD: I don't understand why she's acting that way.
BRADDAH-NICS: I dunno why she gotta be li' dat for.

* * * * * * * *

STANDARD: What a delusion!
BRADDAH-NICS: Ja-like real!

 

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Local Grinds

Somen Salad and Crab Won Ton

Somen Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 packages Somen Noodles

• 1 head lettuce

• 3 eggs

• 1 tray pre-cooked Char Siu Pork

• 1 tray of Kamaboko (Fish Cake)

• ½ cup of chopped green onion

• Oriental Salad Dressing

Procedure:

• Boil a pot of water on high, cook the somen noodles for about 2-3 minutes. Be sure to not overcook. When it has finished, strain and rinse under cold water. Strain and put on the side.

• Chop the lettuce, Char Siu, Kamaboko and green onion thinly.

• Scramble the 3 eggs in a bowl and fry it making thin omeletes. This should make about 2-3.

• Cut the omeletes into long thin strips, place in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes.

• Refry the Char Siu for 5 minutes on high, no oil is needed.

• Each plate is layered with a bed of lettuce first, then somen noodles.

• Place the eggs, then the Char Siu and Kamaboko on top.

• Finish it off with green onions and the dressing.

Crab Won Ton

Ingredients:

• 1 package won ton square wrappers

• 1 package imitation crab

• 1 round onion

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• ½ cup chopped green onions

• 1 egg whisked in a bowl

• ½ cup oil

Procedure:

• Finely chop the crab meat and the round onion.

• Mix it well with the mayonnaise and green onion.

• Season with black pepper.

• Grab a won ton square and fill it with a small spoonful of mixture.

• Use the egg to seal the wrapper by applying a small amount along the inner edge that you want sealed.

• Make sure that all edges are tightly sealed.

• Heat up a frying pan with oil on medium to high heat. Oil must be very hot to cook, test it by dipping a corner of a won ton in. If it immediately starts sizzling around it then it's ready.

• Fry each won ton for about 1-2 minutes to prevent burning, you can turn the heat down to medium if the heat is to hot for the won tons. They should look golden brown on each side.

• Place on paper towels to drain excess oil.

• This goes well with sweet chili sauce.

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