Rapid ohia death found at Kauai garden for first time

State officials announced Friday that the fungal disease known as rapid ohia death has been found for the first time in the Limahuli Garden and Preserve, which is part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

The ailing ohia tree, located 10 feet off the garden’s forest walk pathway, tested positive for Ceratocystis huliohia, the less aggressive of the two fungal pathogens that cause rapid ohia death. The more aggressive species is Ceratocystis lukuohia.

Within a day of learning the test results, a crew from the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife felled and tarped the tree to contain the spread of the disease, officials said.

The garden is now working with the Kauai Invasive Species Committee to implement a management plan that includes monitoring trees with drones, installing bio-sanitation stations and educating guests, among other activities.

Since the first case of rapid ohia death was detected on Kauai in 2018, 67 trees have tested positive for C. lukuohia and 50 for C. huli­ohia. One tree has tested positive for both, officials said.

The disease is now found across the island with the lone exception being the northwest.

“For the sake of so many of our island’s rare and endemic species, it’s absolutely vital we do everything we can to keep rapid ohia death from Kokee State Park and the Alakai Plateau,” said Sheri S. Mann, Kauai district manager with the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife, in a news release.

Symptoms consistent with rapid ohia death include the sudden browning of leaves on limbs and the crowns of trees. The fungus is not visible on the leaves or the bark, but grows just below the bark and affects the flow of water in the tree.

Ohia lehua is the most prevalent tree in Hawaii’s native forests and important to Hawaii’s watersheds.