MM.Rogers Photographs: Allerton Garden (Kauai)

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

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Remember those giant trees in the movie Jurassic Park? Now popularly called "Jurassic Trees", they can be found on Kauai's National Tropical Botanical Garden - Allerton Garden. Without a doubt one of the most photographed attraction on Kauai, they bring more and more tourists to the garden everyday to complete a very interesting 2-hour botanical garden tour.

Experience Allerton Garden tour for yourself. To visit, call (808) 7422623. Reservation is required for the tour. Cost per person: $45 adult; $20 children 10 years and above. Kamaaina (Kauai residents) rates are also offered with free entrance on Sundays.

READ! Wear comfy shoes and long-sleeved shirts and pants for your protection against mosquitoes. Don't forget to carry insect repellant with you at all times when touring around Kauai.

See Kauai and NTBG's most distinct plant collections through my Sony camera.

Note: I researched the taxonomy and species the best I could. For more information on these plants, go to NTBG website.


Moreton Bay Fig Trees are well-known on Kauai as Jurassic Trees. They can grow to 50 meters with roots as tall as 6 feet. This tree produces sweet figs up to 2.5 cm in diameter. This is 5'6 tall me.


Cacao trees grow to about 12-15 feet high, beans are mainly used as food by drying them out in the sun and then processed to become our most-loved heavenly chocolates.


Pachypodium Lamerei or Bontaka is a very interesting cactus-like tree from Madagascar. It has thick trunks and scary spikes all over that can grow leaves and white flowers . Our guide also warned us that this is poisonous.

Indian Mulberry or Noni is a shrub less than 10 feet high used for medicinal purposes such as treating sores, infections, cuts, sore throats and toothaches. Read more here.

Red Ginger (also called Eileen MacDonald) is a very attractive plant with large leaves and oblong petals very common in Hawaii used mostly as decorative or ornamental. They can grow very long and surprise you in a place like this (see below).

Our guide called this lily on a tree (almost resembles a Jamaican Poinsettia). It's a tall shrub with green, long pointy leaves and orange flowers. I couldn't find its taxonomy so feel free to comment and give information on this beautiful plant.

Ever-blooming Ixora is a common tropical plant, a native of Asia, this species bloom in colors red, pink, yellow, white and orange. It grows ball-shaped flower clusters with sweet nectar that bees love.