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This plant is growing in our front garden. It looks similar to a Guava in many respects though the symmetry, dark green veins and rib in the lower older leaves compared to the lighter green of the blade and the fact they are fuzzy tends to make believe this is not a guava tree/shrub.
It's about 3' tall in the pictures. The newer leaves are uniform in green color but the leaf on the lower branches are not uniform in their shade of green. Also... all the leaves are fuzzy to the touch bottom and top of the leaf.
It doesn't appear to be any of the common weed plants/trees around here.
Does anyone recognize this plant/tree?
http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/ROADPL...eshow/Tree
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Hmmm maybe I found it... spathodea campanulata (African tulip tree)?
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I searched google images and found a perfect match for the stem; spathodea campanulata (African tulip tree)
hats off to Wao nahele kane!
><(((*< ... ><(("< ... ><('< ... >o>
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I spent about six hours trying to find out what that damn thing was, on Google. :-) Next question... problematic on other islands. How about here? I've seen a few in Hilo but I have yet to see it causing issues out here.
We don't have any of these nearby that I've seen but I suspect a neighbor who has expressed a liking for them and had recommended we plant one MAY be the reason for this trees perfect positioning in our front garden.
Opinions... yank it or keep it?
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The African Tulip tree is very pretty and comes in either red or orange. It is listed as invasive - though not as invasive as, say, miconia.
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It's a huge problem!
I'm currently working on a team to develop a sterile version because of its invasive potential.
Please kill it before it seeds.
Drilling a hole at 45 degrees in the base and applying some weed killer / bleach will do nicely, alternatively girdling should suffice.
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It is a major problem, albeit 'slightly' less so in Puna than north of Hilo. If you ever drive up towards Onomea Bay and across the various bridges on the way to Laupahoehoe, they are everywhere. You cannot just cut them up and throw them in a mulch pile - they will grow back from the cuttings. As Rainyjim suggests, drill in a hole at a 45 degree angle and add a couple drops of Milestone - that's the only thing that has worked for me on killing these.
Leilani Estates, 2011 to Present
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If you keep your Tulip Tree, it may grow others by root suckers.... Its invasive but not as bad as others in Puna... real bad in both Hilo districts and Hamakua
very fast grower if in the right spot, ie can get 1 foot wide base and over 30' tall in under 5 years, in a moist place next to a cesspool
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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
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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
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Oh they are all over Panaewa.....I wouldn't let it live if it were me.
To kill the African Tulip you can chop and treat the stump or treat the tree. Drill with a 1/2" augur bit about 2-3 inches, doing at least 3 holes, and squirt a strong Ortho Max Poison Ivy solution. I like to treat again 3 weeks later - make sure you drill FRESH HOLES. For smaller trees, you don't have to drill holes -- just chop and tree the stump, maybe stripping some of the bark to hit more living tissue. You can use Milestone if you have deep pockets. As someone mentioned, don't leave African Tulip cuttings on the ground because they will root.
