A new NoID Vanda invasive.

[voyager]

Haven't been by for quite a while.
Orchids have kind'a been sidelined for other things.
I've still been picking up a few and adding them around the yard, but nothing that has excited me, until today.

I've posted pics of my Invasive Vandas in other threads.
Here is another pic just for contrast with the new one:

I have many young yet to bloom Vandas scattered around the trees on our 1 acre wooded lot.

Now, a new disease has been attacking the Ohia trees here on Big Island.
I've had several killed by it so far.
I have been cutting the dead Ohias down, but decided to leave about 15' of this one standing because of the young Vanda growing on it.
I almost didn't keep it because there are so many scattered around the lot.

I'm glad I did:


It is so much prettier than the other invasive Vanda.

I picked up several more orchids yesterday from a local grower.
I mentioned to him about and described my brown invasive Vandas.
He said that they were probably an old Hawaiian hybrid that has been running wild and spreading for quite a while.
Now, I have two of them.

The brown ones really didn't impress me all that much other than the fact that they are propagating on their own.
Now there is this one.

Does anyone by any chance recognize these hybrids and know their names?

[No-Pro-mwa]

I do not, but you are so lucky that you get to have such lovely intruders.

[Leafmite]

That is gorgeous! I wish we had invasive Vandas here. :|

[DeaC]

Any new info on the disease that's killing your trees and/or a preventative?Seems that vanda has not been bothered tho and such a beauty!Glad you're back.

[voyager]

Originally Posted by DeaC

Any new info on the disease that's killing your trees and/or a preventative?Seems that vanda has not been bothered tho and such a beauty!Glad you're back.

It is called Rapid Ohia Death, or Wilt.
Info here:
Hawai'i Forestry Extension: Rapid

The vascular systems of the Ohias are being clogged-up by a new never before seen in Hawai'i fungus, a type of Ceratocystis fimbriata.
It plugs up the tree's vascular system and the trees die in a matter of days to weeks. I'm not being hit nearly as bad as some are.
Some people have lost almost all of the Ohias on their property.
My area is Ground Zero for the disease, like it was for Little Fire Ants, Coqui Frogs, and a few other things that don't come to mind right now.

Ohias are the ubiquitous forest canopy tree. They are everywhere around here.
Even the forests are beginning to be affected.
large patches are beginning to die out.

It is almost like the Black Plague moving through Medieval Europe, except it is trees not people dieing.

There is no cure yet.
Probably only genetics will find a cure.
The resistant survivors will repopulate the island in time.

I'm looking for a good native replacement canopy tree.
I'm thinking of planting a lot of Ohe Mauka [Polyscias oahuensis] on our property.
They are a good choice for a native canopy tree that's well suited to our elevation here.
The problem is that I can't find any being sold anywhere.
I'll need to gather seed and start some myself, it looks like.
If it isn't one thing, it's another.

[estación seca]

Looked at the link. Wow, that's going to make big changes. Good luck.