Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death
Protect ʻōhiʻa through prevention, early attention, and careful reporting.
Sudden browning in an ʻōhiʻa tree deserves attention, but visible symptoms alone do not confirm Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. Laboratory assessment may be needed.
Recognize the limits of a photograph
HISC describes rapid browning and wilting as possible symptoms and notes that confirmation requires testing wood. Do not wound a tree to investigate it yourself.
Prevention priorities
Avoid injuring ʻōhiʻa trunks and roots. Do not move suspect wood or plant material. Remove soil and debris from footwear and equipment and follow the current full biosecurity protocol for the site you visit; this brief page is not a substitute for that protocol.
Why the response matters
ʻŌhiʻa forests support ecological and cultural relationships across Hawaiʻi. Our expanding resource will connect disease information with community stewardship, documented restoration work, and the limits of available management methods.
Sources & further reading
References support the topics discussed above. A link does not imply partnership or endorsement. Some external sources also discuss treatments outside this site’s nonchemical scope.
- State HISC — Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death
Source-check the current response guidance before field activity.
- UH CTAHR — Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death
Research and current biosecurity information.