We drove to the summit of Haleakala at 10 000 feet, then hiked down into the crater, a drop of 3000 feet.   We continued on a loop route through the crater, then back up to the rim lower on the mountain.

We encountered a few silverswords in the rocks and cinders.   “The silvery hairs, fleshy leaves, and low-growing rosette form of the Haleakala silversword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum) allow it to survive in hot, dry climates like the aeolian desert cinder slopes of the crater. Silverswords live between 3 and 90 years or more. They flower once, sending up a spectacular flowering stalk, and then die soon afterward, scattering drying seeds to the wind.” (National Parks)

In the cinder area (the Sliding Sands), fragrant evening primrose flowers (Oenothera stricta) were observed in various spots.

In the wetter end of the crater were a number of varieties of shrubs, including varnishleaf (hopbush).  “Dodonaea viscosa is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, that has a cosmopolitan distribution in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions.”

An isolated imperiled variety of aster (Tetramolopium humile ssp. haleakalae) was blooming on the north side of the crater.

In the same area we came upon a nene (branta sandvicensis), the state bird of Hawai’i.   It is the world’s most rare goose.

The lower slopes of the crater rim on the north side had many ferns like the ama’u fern/

The hike was a longer one and had a long climb out of the crater, but one we would choose to do every time we visit Maui.