This rich photographic collection celebrates the majestic beauty that some of the most vital members of our natural environment—the trees—have brought to the diverse habitats and landscapes of the Hawaiian Islands. Through stunning scenic shots and close-ups, author and photographer Jim Wageman introduces readers to the extraordinary variety of trees that may be found within Hawaiʻi’s unique ecological system. Experience exquisite endemic and indigenous species that journeyed to the islands on the wind or ocean currents or with migrating birds. These are the trees that first faced the need to adapt to a harsh new environment and the subsequent arrival of man, yet they have been able to survive and endure, if often perilously, in today’s world.

Learn about the Polynesian-introduced species, the so-called “canoe plants” brought to the islands by the first settlers over a millenium and a half ago and embraced by those ancient Hawaiians as essential physical and spiritual components of their daily lives. Delight in the grandeur of some of the post-contact species that have brought a broad diversity to the flora of these islands. Whether highlighting the radiant play of light on the leaves of a meleau tree or capturing a breathtaking view of the rain forest, the images of Sublime Beauty showcase these magnificent trees—both native and alien—that continue to play crucial roles within Hawaiʻi’s delicate balance of nature even as they enhance the islands with their considerable beauty.

Writing and photography by Jim Wageman
Foreword by Chipper Wichman
Date of Publication: 2008
Size: 9 x 12 in.
Pages: 320
Binding: cloth
ISBN: 9781581780680