Koa and Strawberry Guava
On a hike at the top of a ridge we call Saint Louis Heights, there is a rather dense forest of trees we call strawberry guava. They are beautiful trees. Smooth bark, small rounded leaves. They even have small (slightly tart) yellow/red fruit which are much like the regular guava. The fruit is great for making jams. Unfortunately the strawberry guava is also a non-native (alien) invasive plant and when left to its own devices forms dense thickets where nothing else grows. The alien birds and pigs are also great fans of the fruit and transport the seeds of the fruit wherever they go and leave their droppings. If the seeds reach the ground, they are likely to start new trees readily.
Here on the left you can see an old Koa tree. A native Hawaiian tree that has probably survived here much longer than the guavas. It is holding its own. But some day, when this koa dies, there will likely be no more koa here... just more guava...unless something is done.
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/psca1.htm
On a hike at the top of a ridge we call Saint Louis Heights, there is a rather dense forest of trees we call strawberry guava. They are beautiful trees. Smooth bark, small rounded leaves. They even have small (slightly tart) yellow/red fruit which are much like the regular guava. The fruit is great for making jams. Unfortunately the strawberry guava is also a non-native (alien) invasive plant and when left to its own devices forms dense thickets where nothing else grows. The alien birds and pigs are also great fans of the fruit and transport the seeds of the fruit wherever they go and leave their droppings. If the seeds reach the ground, they are likely to start new trees readily.
Here on the left you can see an old Koa tree. A native Hawaiian tree that has probably survived here much longer than the guavas. It is holding its own. But some day, when this koa dies, there will likely be no more koa here... just more guava...unless something is done.
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/psca1.htm
Comments
 | 7:45am July 17 2006Lowryn said: Oh dear that sounds worrying, alien invasion is never an easy thing to solve.
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 | 8:16pm July 17 2006yellville said: Sad thing is that it might already be to late |
 | 11:49pm July 19 2006pueo said: (reply to comment #12838) for this part of the island, it probably would take a herculean effort to return it to a native forest. In other places it isn't so bad but in this forest the guavas have all but won. |
 | 2:38pm July 23 2006Minz said: I like this photograph very much!
I love trees. |
| 4:15am July 24 2006pueo said: (reply to comment #13332) Trees are pretty fascinating life forms. Beautiful and dramatic. Here, even a battle of epic proportions! Invaders! |
