I planted 100 koa seedlings 4.5 years ago...

[TheYogi]

I left the island about 4.5 years ago and planted 100 koa seedlings before I did so. Today I revisited my old land for the first time and the following is what I found:

http://imgur.com/IF8k7vQ


For scale, I am 6'2". Of the 100 seedlings I planted, about 25 are still alive with the pictured one being the largest. It feels nice to have left something decent behind These trees are on the way up to Volcano.

[csgray]

Nice trees!


Carol

[Rob Tucker]

Way to go! Nice to have a bit of a legacy so quickly.

[unknownjulie]

That is awesome!

[Kelena]

Mahalo nui for planting koa. It is a beautiful legacy of your time on the island and I am so glad you got back to see them!

I am a little disturbed that these trees are on the way up to Volcano. Why don't they just stay where you planted them? Does every dang inanimate object on the island have to be so animated?

[HI_Someday]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelena

Mahalo nui for planting koa. It is a beautiful legacy of your time on the island and I am so glad you got back to see them!

I am a little disturbed that these trees are on the way up to Volcano. Why don't they just stay where you planted them? Does every dang inanimate object on the island have to be so animated?

---

[]. Nice! Needed a good laugh!

[bananahead]

FYI, Koa WILL grow at very low elevations as long as it isnt too hot and dry... The place in photo will work good... dont move them, they have trouble adjusting to soils they are not used to.

If anyone is interested in growing them below Orchidland, Id recommend growing the rarer Koai'a,.... they like it lower and a bit drier. There are wild Koai'a near 4 corners/Kapoho areas and along the coast in Kau next to the 'Great Crack' (8 mile long crack), but if you are looking for seeds the easiest is getting seeds from the large one right next to the Pahoa Library parking lot, or from the couple large trees next to the bathroom at '4 Mile' beach (Kealoha Beach Park) in Hilo.

Koa..... thicker more curved 'leaves', taller, softer straighter wood, a creamy light yellow powderpuff flower (2nd most common Hawaiian tree)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_koa

Koai'a.... narrower almost straight 'leaves', shorter, harder more twisted wood, and a bright yellow powderpuff flower (scarce, threatened species list)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_koaia
(PS most of the Koai'a Ive seen wild in Puna and Kau have much straighter/narrower 'leaves' than in pics on wiki)



******************************************************************
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

[dmbwest]

Dear Bananahead,

One day, will you show my son ( and I ) all the neat stuff you know ?

mahalo, edit > in advance
pog

[dmbwest]

Oh and AWESOME YOGI !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Carey]

Nice Koa planting!