Description
The pink chandelier-like flowers of a large shrub native to the Philippines grow all over Hawaii with light pink to lavender and dark purple blossoms cascading downward with delicate petals and dangling bunches of “dingleberries”. Also known as showy Medinilla or rose grape, this stunning shrub is highly sought out by plant collectors even though it is invasive outside the Philippines. It spreads rapidly in rainforests like the Wao Kele where I reside. As the leaves age they turn brilliant orange and add pops of color with calamansi limes. The marble-size limes are light orange (skin and flesh) with an acidic floral-fruity taste that add an acidic kick to creamy coconut curries and noodle soups in Southeast Asia. The Latin name is Citrus microcarpa and the fruit is a hybrid between a mandarin orange and kumquat. If you can’t access these exotic fruits you can admire them framed in your kitchen.
