Garden Damage - Leilani Estates Lava Event

[Mike in LB]

I was able to visit my house yesterday (I'm under mandatory evacuation in Leilani Estates), and took some pictures of the garden.  While most palms seem unaffected by the acid rain over the past 2 months, the grass and a few palms are seriously compromised.  This photo shows the damaged grass while an Attalea, a Condapanna, and some Clinostigmas seem unfazed.

Mike Arends

Nohea St, north of Leilani Ave

[Mike in LB]

This Dictyocaryum Lamarckianum appears to be toast.

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

[Really full garden]

During our most recent event June 3 my garden suffered very minor leaf burning from the ash and acid rain. I think in my garden the most sensitive palms seem to be Drymophloeus.

We are still getting wind blown ash and for the last several weeks sand from the Sahara!

 

[Mike in LB]

This is a 5-year old Lemurophoenix that doesn't look good. 

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

[Mike in LB]

A small Verschafeltia Splendida got fried.

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

[Mike in LB]

Pigafetta Elatas are all dead or close to death.

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

[Mike in LB]

Many palms are not impacted.  This shows parts of Clinostgmas, a Pinanga, a Bismarckia, a Kerriodoxa, and a Condapanna. 

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

 

 

 

[Kim]

It's painful to see the palms suffering.  Especially the Dictyocarium and the Lemurophoenix -- very special palms.   I guess we should be happy about those that are doing so well in such challenging circumstances.  Looking forward to an end to this eruption.

[Tyrone]

I feel so sorry for you looking at your damaged plants. Hopefully those that haven't actually died will recover. Volcanic and seismic activity is not what most of us palm growers have to deal with. It seems about as devestating as an extreme cold event. All the best with the recovery. At least you have luscious mineral rich soil so when the volcanic activity calms down things should power back into recovery mode. 

[DoomsDave]

Ouch!

@Kimand @Mike in LBthat hurts to see!

I share hope that the eruption will end soon.

Meantime keep us posted, but be safe. Palms can be replaced.

[bubba]

So sad, scary and unexpected. I only hope for the very best for our Forum members suffering through this tragedy.

[Josue Diaz]

Sorry for what you're dealing with and all the damage. What exactly causes this kind of damage? Is it heat from the lava?

[realarch]

Mike, considering where your property is located, right next to the main lava channel, I'm surprised to see how well some of your palms are fairing. 

Since most of us, even living so close to you, have had such limited access to Leilani, I'd assumed the damage was much more widespread and that just about 

everything in the vicinity of fissure 8 and the channel had been destroyed. Thanks for the update!

Tim 

[Kim]

4 hours ago, Josue Diaz said:

Sorry for what you're dealing with and all the damage. What exactly causes this kind of damage? Is it heat from the lava?

My impression is the damage comes from the sulfur dioxide gas when the trade winds cease or reverse, allowing the toxic gas to linger in the air. That, combined with acid rain which pulls the SO2 and nitrogen out of the sky and onto the plants, can damage or destroy plant life. Heat doesn't figure into it unless you have very close contact with fresh lava which would instantly incinerate anything nearby.

[kurt decker]

I spoke to Jeff Marcus today, he was busy all day trying to salvage three lodoicea from somewhere over that way. Said they were having to chip them out of the rock, and that his eyes were still burning badly from the fumes.  Looks like you didn't do too badly, Mike, considering what a mess that whole thing is. I hope the rest of your garden survives

Edited July 19, 2018 by kurt decker

[bgl]

Mike,

Yes, devastating for sure to witness what's going on and I am actually also surprised that some of your palms look as good as they do, considering your proximity to the flow. I am a bit further away of course, but have still noticed quite a bit of damage. Five smaller Lemurs (2 ft tall or so), probably dead, while taller ones (8-15 ft) are showing damage, but may pull through, assuming there's an end in sight. Dictyocaryum, yes, major leaf burn on these, but the ones I have (10-15 ft tall) may pull through. Again, if... And interesting to see that some palms (same as the ones you mentioned) are completely unfazed by this. The Clinostigmas in particular, and also a number of the large Dypsis. Incidentally, air quality in Leilani Estates was poor yesterday, but certainly nothing dramatic. Today, lots of fresh air.  All depends on the winds, and they are usually favorable.

Bo-Göran

EDIT - and forgot to mention my Dypsis "Mad Fox". I have three of them, all about the same size. 4-5 ft tall or so. One is toast - completely. All brown. The other two, which interestingly are much more exposed, only show some spotting on the leaflets, and one of them just opened up a new frond. Bizarre! Then again, it's bizarre to see how some plants handle this so well, while others don't.

[Mike in LB]

Some palms are doing better than expected.  This small Dypsis Prestoniana has exploded since the eruption.  I'm guessing it's doubled in size over the last few months.

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

[Mike in LB]

Some more palms doing well - more Clinostogmas (Savoryanum) and Ravanea "Giant" from Jeff Marcus.  A Sabinaria is in there (not visible) and still alive.

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

 

[Mike in LB]

It's not just lava and acid rain.  There was a brush fire in my back yard (most rear portion) on a day I was allowed in by Civil Defense - July 5.  This picture shows the destruction caused by the fire which was ignited by a minor spillover of the lava river behind my house.  Fortunately, my house and no palms were impacted by the fire.

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

[Mike in LB]

Here's the current view from the back of my property.  What used to be a neighbor's house and Luana St is now this - a lava mountain and desolation.  This lava mound forms the west bank of the raging lava river fed by Fissure 8.

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

[Justin]

There’s been some encouraging news this week about slow downs - I hope that materializes into something discernible in the very near term.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

On 7/18/2018 at 5:18 PM, Mike in LB said:

This is a 5-year old Lemurophoenix that doesn't look good. 

Mike Arends

Leilani Estates

Did it survive?

[Mike in LB]

Yes, this one and 2 smaller Lemurophoenix survived.  They took roughly a year to return to normal.

[DoomsDave]

1 hour ago, Mike in LB said:

Yes, this one and 2 smaller Lemurophoenix survived.  They took roughly a year to return to normal.

Good to hear.

 

So good.