Sunflowers Brighten Up Hawaii

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Hawaii Aloha Travel > Blog > Sunflowers Brighten Up Hawaii

The North Shore of Oahu will soon get even sunnier. Within the next few months, a field of sunflowers should be in full bloom and put a boost in color to the usually barren frontier lands of Waialua. Who would of thought? A hidden sunflower field in Hawaii that brightens up the North Shore.

The golden and yellow hues can easily be spotted from afar when driving down the winding road that leads into the quiet, little town of Waialua. Otherwise, it’s pretty much hidden away, only a few people aware of its existence – including some Oahu locals who grew up here. I only just got the chance last year to see the sunnies myself after hearing about them for years. I’m not much of a flower-loving-kind-of-girl, but if I had to pick, sunflowers have always been a go-to for me. And for obvious reasons – bright, sunny and possessing an uncanny ability to incite instant cheer wherever they go.

My sister and I ventured out to find the mystery crop one gloomy day last year. We followed the directions I scribbled down on a napkin and sure enough, there they were – easier to find than we anticipated. Actually, there’s no way we could have missed something so vibrantly yellow, no matter how gray the skies that day.

We were lucky enough to talk story with one of the workers. A real down-to-earth woman, who was definitely shorter than the giant sunflowers she stood next to but no doubt beamed with just as much sunshine in her every step. She worked for Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a commercial production that specializes in plant breeding and seed multiplication for corn, soybeans and sunflowers. Good to finally know where these sunflowers come from. They aren’t actually used for decorating purposes but rather for cooking oil.

The sunnies offer a beautiful backdrop for picture taking.

And not to mention that it’s also used as an unofficial tourist attraction. At least 10 people came by during my quick conversation with the woman. Each one of them eagerly jumping out of their cars, camera in hand, to get a quick pic of the natural beauties. As long as you don’t take any flowers with you or walk through the fields, the staff at Pioneer Hi-Bred seemed pretty cool with people taking a peak.

I couldn’t believe how huge they were; some at least twice as wide as my head, standing six or seven feet tall. And if they had a fragrance at all, I’m sure everyone there would’ve stayed just a little bit longer than we were supposed to. Ahh, the sweet scents of another Hawaii crop for locals and visitors to enjoy.

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