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Questions for those who have seen these trees eventually collapse after dying. How long after death do they eventually start disintegrating, and in what manner do they fall?
I have a few-don't we all? Haven't seen any collapse though, as of now. I would imagine that the smaller branches may come down first. Trying to assess hazards of leaving these trees standing. Thanks
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They are very hard wood. I have some large ones that have been dead for many years and are still standing. Occasionally one falls not from the tree itself "disintegrating" but from the roots loosening and wind due to little room for the roots to take hold on top of pahoe'hoe lava.
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Amrita, spot on! I have at least 14 dead, most recent with some leaves still attached. None of them fell down in the big windstorm, however, we lost 6 beautiful living ohias, all knocked down from the roots over pahoehoe lava. Cut two off head high and the stumps, with attached orchids, righted themselves.
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Carpenter bees love dead ohia!
Puna: Our roosters crow first!
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Watch out they turn into widow makers fairly quickly. They will break off somewhere up high enough that you don't see the rotten spot.
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Also, the tops can break off during windy days and become projectiles. I was trying to push a dead one down with my tractor and the top broke off and came down like a spear to the ground right next to me. I'll never do that again.
One Thing I can always be sure of is that things will never go as expected.
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Slightly off topic but... We went for a walk at the Bird Park off of Mauna Loa road last week. I was amazed at the size of some of the fallen Ohia. Some were a couple feet in diameter. I guess it's one of the few places where there is "old growth" Ohia.
I don't know if they died of ROD.
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I was reading about ROD and found out that Ohias are very sensitive to the fungus if they're even slightly damaged. A scrape on the bark is all it takes for the fungus to enter. It's like a wound that gets infected. I've pruned Some Ohias and I always spray the cuts with spectracide. So far it has worked. Also if the roots get damaged it can get in. My neighbor had a goat that killed a lot of their trees.
One Thing I can always be sure of is that things will never go as expected.
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I had some largeish Ohia logs on the ground after bulldozing. They seemed solid for years until one time I was standing on one and my foot went right through. I understand that a bunch of Ohia was sent to the west coast for railroad ties but that it was not well received. I am not sure what the problem with it was and how soon it was recognized. My experience with it is that it is amazingly dense and tough stuff right up until it rots before your eyes. This is in addition to the problems with it being shallow rooted. I have read that you should not build your house within reach of any Ohia trees and that includes live trees so just focusing on the dead ones I would not trust them.
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(01-11-2022, 02:53 AM)kimo wires Wrote: Also, the tops can break off during windy days and become projectiles. I was trying to push a dead one down with my tractor and the top broke off and came down like a spear to the ground right next to me. I'll never do that again.
Kimo, you just described what is known to loggers as the dreaded 'Widow Maker'.
In a dense forest with a crowded canopy, it can be difficult to see which trees have dead limbs or even a dead top.
Many chainsaw cowboys and even professional fallers have been maimed or killed in this way.
Please be careful everyone.
