Daisies - the “friendliest flower”

“Friendly” Daisies, up close / Anacortes, WA / August 2016

In the title, the description  of Daisies comes from one of my favorite movies, "You’ve Got Mail." That line so readily brings to mind Meg Ryan’s movie character and also embodies the wonderful “enchanting” roles for which I love Meg Ryan. 

I have always viewed Daisies as such an ordinary flower so I embrace them as the “friendliest flower” to reframe my mind’s image!

From my great college horticulture class, I know the Daisy is in the Compositae (Asteraceae) family. The family Compositae gets its name from its flower which is a “composite” of a group of tiny flowers or a “compound inflorescence." Many flowers, beyond the flower in the movie, are considered to be Daisies. I believe most people envision an Oxeye Daisy when they picture one. 

Ground cover / Aiea Heights, HI / November 2016

I have not personally seen Daisies growing in Hawai’i. But we do have a few low lowing Compositae family members. One is a very familiar ground cover.

Flowers, up close / Aiea Heights, HI / November 2016

Yellow flowers, ornamental / Aiea Heights, HI / October 2016 

Another yellow flower looks very similar but it is a different species as the leaves are quite different and delicate. Even the petals around the inflorescence are quite different.

In a yard in Hawai’i, I was pleased to see a Gerbera bed. They are so beautiful, and “friendly,” in a yard.

Gerbera daisies, up close / Aiea Heights, HI / November 2016

Gerbera daisies/ Aiea Heights, HI / November 2016

In college, I remember also learning that a study was being done to try to improve, and then popularize, this flower as a cut flower.  

Yellow flowered weed / Guemes Channel Trail, WA / August 2016 

Yellow flowered weed, up close / Guemes Channel Trail, WA / August 2016

This summer in Washington state, I found a number of Compositae flowers. 

Two of them, both “weeds,” look like our yellow flowered Compositae plants found in Hawai’i. 

Dandelion? / Guemes Channel Trail, WA / August 2016

One very possibly could be the very familiar Dandelion. It is hard to believe that the puffy white inflorescence that blows in the wind begins as a simple yellow flower. Again although the two look similar if you look at the center, they are not the same flower or plant.

Dandelion? / Guemes Channel Trail, WA / August 2016

Large Daisy family flowers / Anacortes, WA / August 2016

The rest of the photos are of variations on the Oxeye Daisy. I believe one may be a Shasta Daisy because of the large size of the flowers. I love the very fluffy ones!

Fluffy Daisy family flowers, up close / Anacortes, WA / August 2016

Fluffy Daisy family flowers / Anacortes, WA / August 2016

Coneflower, up close / Anacortes, WA / August 2016 

I would identify the final one as a Coneflower due to the appearance and the location of the “head” of the flower. I am not able to tell which one but I did learn that Coneflowers are Echinacea. These ornamentals were outside commercial venues and certainly highlighted the walkways in a lovely way!

Keep “watching out for nature!” See if you can find some other Compositae flowers and maybe even the “friendliest flower.”

Lizards Lounging (and other activities!)

Brown Anole with gecko prey / Aiea Heights, HI / October 2015

I don’t really like lizards, perhaps because of their similarity to dinosaurs, but they are very interesting to observe. ( I do know there is debate whether dinosaurs were reptiles or not. )


In a much earlier post (on a page accessed on the side of my blog [NATURE - AT HOME October 29, 2015 Brown Anole]), I wrote about how I have recently noticed more Brown Anoles than Green Anoles around my yard. I much prefer the Green Anole as the Brown Anoles are bold and even aggressive. 

Brown Anole with gecko prey / Aiea Heights, HI / October 2015

These photographs from that post show the Brown Anole aggression. I recently read an article that made me think twice about the lizard’s aggressive behaviors; it is in the construction of their brain!

The Brown Anole are so bold, once I found a small Brown Anole on my side porch and when I tried to chase it away, it jumped closer to me onto shoes that were there! 

Brown Anoles / Aiea library fence, HI / November 2016

There are also great numbers of Brown Anoles. They are on the plants, rocks, pathways, benches, grass, and even symmetrically on a fence! (This shows evidence of their territoriality.)

Brown Anole / Aiea library fence, HI / November 2016

Brown Anoles / Aiea Heights, HI / February 2016

Here are some "mini-dinosaurs" (Brown Anoles) ready to battle. I guess I was too close as the fight did not ever occur. 

Brown Anoles / Aiea Heights, HI / February 2016

Or perhaps the lizards were too evenly matched so they just displayed and parted in a “draw.” Animals do have certain “rules” about fighting. Source on fighting 1 & Source on fighting 2

Brown Anole / Aiea Heights, HI / February 2016

Brown Anole / Aiea Heights, HI / February 2016

Lizards primarily attract my attention due to their interesting coloring and how the coloring can change! These photos were taken a few minutes apart - after some rain!

Lizards also walk in a unique way as their legs are so flat to the ground and at near right angles to their body. Lizards also behave in extremes. A lizard could be very still in a pose on a rock or plant. Or as you approach, a lizard could scuttle across the path in front of you or swiftly disappear to the other side of a leaf or branch. 

Green Anole / Aiea Heights, HI / February 2016

Green Anole / Aiea Heights, HI / February 2016

Green Anole / Aiea Heights, HI / April 2016

This year, I have been lucky to find some Green Anoles although further from my doorway and higher on plants. I am not sure why one of the Green Anoles was in “brown” coloring as opposed to green as it sits on the green leaves.

Gold dust Day Gecko / Waimea Falls Park, HI / February 2016

If you are lucky, you can also find some different types of Geckos ( Identification ) besides the simple, cheerful (but messy) House Gecko. So continue to "watch out for nature," and look for animals that you may not be especially happy to see!