Getting rid of a single albizia tree

[EightFingers]

I have a small-ish (trunk is about 12" in diameter) albizia tree on one of my lots in HPP. It's right in the middle of the lot, so it's possible to just cut it and let it fall. What I'm worried about is will it produce a million keiki after it lays awhile on the ground? I know I should put something on the stump, but what about the rest of it?

[Rene Siracusa]

Before you cut it, I suggest that you girdle it and apply an herbicide like garlon 4 or Ortho poison ivy killer on the girdled area. Girdle it within 18" of soil level, and the herbicide will work its way through the tree's system and render any seeds non-viable. After about 2 weeks you can cut your tree. However, if your tree has already dropped seeds then of course you will also have to spend considerable time in eliminating them as they sprout. Sooner is better (and cheaper and less labor intensive) than later. Good luck.

[ericlp]

I cleared my lot and had thousands of Abizia sprouts coming up from all the abizia trees on the lots behind me. I thought I was gonna be in for it. But after I mowed them down with a weed eater they all died ... If you don't let them get established they are super easy to kill and they won't servive once you whack them down (seedlings) with a mower/trimmer.

But the advice of killing the tree before cutting makes good sense. As far as new trees sprouting from the trunk, I wouldn't know about it. But I'd get some good stump root killer to inject into it after cutting. Someone had some good video's about how to properly kill them do a search in the puna talk side.

[EightFingers]

Makes sense, that's what I'll do.
Thanks!

[bananahead]

yes girdle, I also have a smaller Albizia about 8" wide Im ready to kill, its the only one Ive ever found on my 3 acres I was watching it to see how fast it grew, and they do take off... height and thickness of base, same time

my problem weed trees, besides Waiwi... are the Gunpowder Trees with their falling dead branches

save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[csgray]

Drilling holes in the roots and injecting with a tree killing herbicide is effective when you can let it die in place. The small ones tend to break up in place from the tips down, rather than dropping big branches like the mature trees.

Carol

[jonopa]

Can anyone tell me how long it takes a dead albezia to fall once it has defoliated?
There is a stand in the jungle obliterating my view, grown up over the past 20 years, and before I go kill 'em I wonder how long I will likely be looking at big, dead trees.
Appreciate any advice! Mahalo.

[Rene Siracusa]

That depends on how large a tree, how strong a dose of herbicide you used and how much. With a week or 2 you should note leaf drop. That will tell you that the herbicide is working. Falling branches will be the next step. But it can take a long time before the tree finally topples over, although you can help that along by using a come-along. Plan to look at dead trees for a while, unless you want to plant some lilikoi at the base to camoflage them and produce a crop at the same time. When you have too many lemons, make lemonade.

[csgray]

Sometimes they will re sprout and require a second dose. On my drive home through HPP there was an albizia that was to all appearances DEAD for two years, includng dropping big branches, and then it sprouted new leaves this fall! They may be one of those trees that can graft their roots together so each tree "feeds" others in the stand.

Carol