Island Life: Bountiful blooms

A vanilla orchid blooms prolifically in Holualoa. Each flower must be hand-pollinated by a human who assumes the role of “pollinator” in the absence of a specialized bee not found in Hawaii. (Mark Chesler/Community contributor)
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A vanilla orchid’s flower cluster blooms prolifically in Holualoa. Each flower must be individually hand-pollinated (daily) by a human who assumes the role of “pollinator” in the absence of a specialized bee that is not found in the Hawaiian Islands. (Mark Chesler/Community contributor)