What better way to keep the Hawaii eruptions in mind than to enjoy the splendor that is one of the Canary Islands most striking flowering plants (and the Canary Islands has many striking flowering plants) -the 'Tower of Jewels' (Echium wildpretii). E. wildpretii can be found on the clinkery lava plains of mount Teide; a still active volcano that is responsible for forming the island of Tenerife.
Below is a picture of Echium before it bloomed. Notice the silvery, linear pointed leaves. The silver sheen is created by hairs that reflect the heat coming off of the black, heat radiating lava that is common around the volcano. Here is a picture of the plant growing in its native habitat.
The plant in bloom looks quite similar (except for the pink blooms) to the Silversword (Argyroziphium sandwicense), an unrelated plant that grows on the Hawaiian island of Maui. This is a phenomenon known as convergent evolution. It is not known if the Silversword attracts hummingbirds.
Echium wildpretii does attract hummingbirds (and bees), so scroll down and enjoy the show. These E. wildpretii are located next to the south parking lot gate inside the Arboretum. Here's a map.
