Princess Flower


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(Tibouchina urvilleanar )
What is that BEAUTIFUL purple flower growing in Volcano?

Many tourists can't get over the beauty of this plant... and what a surprise when they find out... to us Volcano residents... it is a weed, a pest,... that "we" would love to get rid off.  However, in other places of the U.S., this flower is highly appreciated for its larger wonderful purple blossoms.  Sometimes the "princess flower" is also referred to as the "Glory Bush"

Yes, it is true, the Princess flower is beautiful, that is why someone brought it here a long time ago.  But then, the weather conditions in our tropical rainforest were so perfect for it that it started to take over.  It is growing wild almost everywhere in Volcano now, and it is killing our plants and trees that are native to Hawaii.

Princess flower "pops" its seed out of the seed bud which help to spread it rapidly, and even little cuttings from trimming it will grow immediately when left on the ground.  It is growing faster then we can cut it...(At least in this authors yard..:-)....)

And they say it is an upright bush that grows only to three feet!...Here 12 feet is still short!..and still growing...

In Volcano it grows in sun..it grows in shade...it grows everywhere... So, next time when you ask a "local"... "what is that beautiful plant?"... don't be surprised you get a wired look ! :-)..