(808) 344-1974
PO Box 791755
Paia, Hawaii 96779
PO Box 791755
Paia, Hawaii 96779
Why Spikeless?
Palms are not trees. They are actually in the grass family. Trees have a protective layer under the trunk called a cambian layer. This layer heals wounds to the trunk protecting the inner layers. Palms do not have a cambian layer. This means that wounds to the trunk of a palm do not heal. In fact a hole made in a palm will likely get bigger over time. These holes compromise the structure of the trunk and open the inner layers to infection and infestation. In fact, the fatal 'heart rot' disease that is destroying so many of the island's palms can be spread through spiking. This is the main answer to the question, "Why Spikeless?" In addition, the trunk holes ruin the prisitne beauty of this most giant grass plant. The palms you see to the right have never been spiked. Notice the smooth silver trunks and strong straight lines.
Professional Support for the Spikeless Method
”Remember that spike wounds on coconut stems will never heal up, as can similar wounds on woody plants such as trees. So once it is wounded and a hole is created, it can only get bigger. Fungi that normally would not enter the unwounded stem and cause disease now have a point of entry. These fungi can rot the stem after entering these wounds, weakening the plants, and leading to death of coconuts plants or a shortened life span for them. Chalara paradoxa is a very common fungus with a wide host range and lives part of it's life in the soil, and can easily be picked up by spikes on shoes and then ‘injected’ into the stem wounds as the climber goes up the plant. Avoid using spikes to climb the palms for pruning maintenance. “
Scot Nelson
Associate Professor of Plant Pathology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Click here to read an article on palm maintenance
