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Does removing all the vegetative cover, notably uluhe fern, harm ohia trees ?
I personally don’t like uluhe fern and it harbors a bunch of pests (fire ants, coqui, slugs, etc.) that I really don’t like. But I notice that uluhe is commonly found surrounding ohia trees in lower Puna.
Thanks for your replies.
Ccat
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Best thing about uluhe is that it keeps the weeds at bay and it's easy to pull out. I've never seen snails or slugs on ours. Before you pull it, think about what will come up in its place. And Ohia's don't like their roots disturbed so be careful if you pull it.
Certainty will be the death of us.
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The only way I can imagine this would hurt ohia is by possibly making it easier for ROD to find the tree.
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I had ferns about 4 to 5 feet high. When we removed them the lower 5 feet of the ohia's were bare. Within a short period new branches started growing and within 2 years the branches were several feet long and they were flowering.
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(01-02-2023, 11:36 PM)Obie Wrote: I had ferns about 4 to 5 feet high. When we removed them the lower 5 feet of the ohia's were bare. Within a short period new branches started growing and within 2 years the branches were several feet long and they were flowering.
Yep, that’s what I was thinking. Some plants, maybe uluhe, are just opportunistic. I also want to attach orchids to more ohia but with the uluhe in the way, I can’t reach the trees.
I also found many fire ant paths beneath the uluhe.
ccat
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KEEP all native plants! period!
if you have less than 2 feet of dirt.... Ohia natural need the Uluhe fern to keep the ground cooler and damper. most of Puna has only inches of dirt, if you remove the NATIVE indigenous Uluhe ferns the ground will get baked more often and the Ohia will die during droughts, especially in lower Puna ie HPP etc.
and it keeps the weeds down too..
I have electric (fire) ants, but they dont like the native Uluhe...
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in lower Puna if you remove the indigenous Uluhe it will kill the endemic Ohia trees after a couple good droughts because the soil is so thin and will get baked day after day eventually killing the tree roots...
In Fern Acres you have same thin soil prob but you will get 15 feet rain /yr, and less sun baking days like closer to coast.
best to just cut a wiggly driveway and a small housepad, and nothing else except trails....
Its best to leave you endemic and indigenous native plants alone and they will stay the same, if you disturb them you will get the worst invasive species take over eventually... a BIG Mistake many in Puna make, both upper and lower.. aroha
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(05-26-2023, 10:50 PM)Olohana 1790 Wrote: in lower Puna if you remove the indigenous Uluhe it will kill the endemic Ohia trees after a couple good droughts because the soil is so thin and will get baked day after day eventually killing the tree roots...
In Fern Acres you have same thin soil prob but you will get 15 feet rain /yr, and less sun baking days like closer to coast.
best to just cut a wiggly driveway and a small housepad, and nothing else except trails....
Its best to leave you endemic and indigenous native plants alone and they will stay the same, if you disturb them you will get the worst invasive species take over eventually... a BIG Mistake many in Puna make, both upper and lower.. aroha
You sure about that? Ohia is a very tough tree. It's seen growing in wet or dry areas in spots with nothing but a crack in the lava rock.
