On the same path as the above picture in Palisades Park along the cliffs, I saw this tree-plant that I was sure was the same as the ohia lehui from the lava beds of the Big Island, and I think it IS the same, the picture on the left being from the Big Island and on the right from Palisades Park.
The Legend of Ohia and Lehui from the internet: “The legend says that one day Pele met a handsome warrior named Ohia and Pele asked him to marry her. Ohia, however, had already pledged his love to Lehua. Pele was furious when Ohia turned down her marriage proposal, so she turned Ohia into a twisted tree. Lehua was heartbroken, of course. The gods took pity on Lehua and decided it was an injustice to have Ohia and Lehua separated. So, they turned Lehua into a flower on the Ohia tree so that the two lovers would be forever joined together. So remember, Hawaiian folklore says that if you pluck this flower you are separating the lovers, and that day it will rain.”
If we could make it rain so easily that would be awesome.