Yesterday I posted that some trees fell at Kapiolani Park on Oahu from the high winds this past weekend in Hawaii. Here is one tree that survived the winds and two that didn't.
The trees are called Kiawe or Hawaii's Tropical Mesquite. Kiawe wood is commonly used locally for barbecue fires. The twigs and branches from the tree have very sharp thorns. I can vividly remember many times stepping on the thorns which would go right through my footwear and draw blood. A closer look at the two trees that fell show that they have a shallow root system and a long tap root that seeks water and nourishment for the tree. The shallow root system accompanied by a big top heavy canopy is probably the reason the trees blew over.