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I've been trying to find all I can about the Ohia tree. So far all I come up with is it is a hard wood tree can grow tall has various colored flowers mostly red.
How tall, do they live long, how often do they flower, insect proned? maybe someone has a web site that tells all about the Ohia tree thanks HADave & Peggy
Aloha HADave & Mz P
Hawaiian Acres
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Check out http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/OF-11.pdf
I found that (and much more) by going to www.hawaii.edu and searching for "ohia".
John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
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Aloha HADave and Peggy, Ohia's botanical name is metrosideros, a member of the myrtle family, a hardwood (very hard wood) rot resistant, can live hundreds of years. It can get 80'+ tall, 2-3 feet thick at the base, mostly pest free except for a type of leaf curl, can bloom all year with heavier flushes of blooms in spring and after droughts end. It is used as a street tree in San Francisco and other mild climates. The flower (lehua) makes for excellent honey.
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Hutch, John Thanks it was exactly what we were hoping to find. Our lot has many and some are quite large, we've been very intrigued by them but have not seen one in bloom yet.
Aloha HADave & Peggy
Aloha HADave & Mz P
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Dave, Up in Hawaiian Acres, the Metrosideros polymorpha (the ohia species most common on Hawaii) has a red 'shaving brush' flower, they lack petals, just have stamen & pestals making it easy for wind or bird pollination. Your 'ohi'a trees may have orange or yellow flowers ('ohi'a-lehua mamo). The species name for the red blossomed 'ohi'a-lehua tree is based on the fact that the one species can have many forms - some staying bush like, others tall trees. Some 'ohi'a-lehua have very small silver grey round leaves, other trees may have oval, small- medium sized leaves that are glossier & greener, some even have burgandy highlights. The fruits are large pea sized with a bunch of thin small yellow seeds (for excellant wind dispersal) You may be able to find a few of the different forms on your lot. Traditionally the 'ohi'a-lehua blossoms were used in lei, with the yellow & orange highly prized. The nectar honeycreepers favor the ohia, and some of the endagered birds are found up in the 'ohi'a-lehua forests up Hwy 11, (esp. since there is some evidence that they are getting immunity to avian malaria. Good luck on your wonder filled adventure!
Aloha, Carey
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Ohia trees are to be treasured. All you folks out there planning to build should consider siting your houses and driveways to maximize preservation of the native trees. It really makes me sad to see all the clear-cut lots awaiting construction. Even with our plentiful rainfall and lack of winter, it takes many years for trees to reach big size, and even then, they won't be the same as native forest. Some bulldozer operators are more willing than others to save trees, so you may have to talk to a number of them to find one to do it the "greenest" way.
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Amen Jerry, Everyone, please try to save as many trees as possible, and try not to disturb the ground in the dripline. My malahini neighbor dumped tons of cinder around his old growth Ohia's to make planting beds in the A'a and most have suffocated. (It also costs a small fortune to have these huge dead trees removed)
Edited by - leilaniguy on 03/02/2006 19:13:01
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Aloha Dave and all,
The ohia is certainly one Hawai'i's beautiful native trees. There is a legend about it too. Pele met a handsome young man named Ohia and, as Pele often does, wanted him for her lover. Ohia was already in love with a beautiful young girl, Lehua, and refused Pele's offer to make him her lover. This made Pele angry and she used her powers to turn Ohia into an ugly gray tree. Lehua was heartbroken and begged Pele to return Ohia back to human form. Pele refused so Lehua asked the other gods to help her be reunited with Ohia. Instead of changing Ohia back to a human, the gods transformed Lehua into a lovely red blossom on the Ohia tree. It is said if you pick a Lehua blossom, it will rain (tears) because the lovers have been separated.
Linda in CO
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I understood the ohia was not a native tree to Hawaii at all, but that it was imported to provide a food source for birds.
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Brad,
My botanical reference books list the ohi'a, along with koa, as natives, the dominant canopy trees of the true Hawaiian rainforest. The tree can be a bush-size pioneer species on new lava flows, or a straight and tall forest giant. The native forests in Hawaii tend to be 'species poor' since few plants could survive the journey to such an isolated spot. Some nice pix and info at
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/car...ideros.htm
Linda in CO
Edited by - lkrider on 03/04/2006 00:27:30
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