Banyan Tree

There is some pretty amazing and beautiful plant life here in Hawaii.  The subtropical climate and fertile volcanic soil provide ideal conditions for a huge variety of flowers, shrubs, and trees.  The colors, textures, and sweet smells are a playground for your senses.

One of my favorite trees here in Hawaii is the Banyan Tree.  They fascinate me and I never get tired of spotting these wherever I go.  As Banyan Trees grow, roots drop down from the underside of the branches.  When these roots reach the ground, they thicken and grow into the dirt.  It's sometimes impossible to see what and where the original trunk of the tree is.

I found a huge Banyan tree on Ford Island that has a rope swing and tire swing attached to its high branches.  There is a nearby housing community that was built in the 1930's, making me wonder how many kids have enjoyed climbing on and swinging from this tree.  Swinging is one of my simple pleasures in life, something I've never outgrown.  This giant tree reminds me of something out of a story and makes me feel like a kid again :)

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"Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches,

letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights."

~Pauline R. Kezer