Termites, the invasive scarlet gourd and the fungus Phellinus noxious are among the flame tree’s enemies and they are increasing.
The Department of Public Works, in an agreement with the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has been cutting since May flame trees that may pose hazards to the public and cause power disruptions.
Agriculturist Isidoro T. Cabrera said it takes five to six years for a flame tree seedling to grow to its maximum height.
He said over a dozen of rotten flame trees in different villages have been cut already while nine were recently “marked for death” — five on Quarter Master St., two on Beach Road in Garapan and two in Susupe.
Flame trees during their blooming season from April to July are among the island’s attractions.
They are depicted on posters, calendars, postcards, T-shirts, magazines and other materials used in promoting the CNMI.
Last Saturday, a dead flame tree fell on Kopa de Oru St. right in front of Gold’s Gym in China Town. Fortunately no vehicle or pedestrian was passing by.
A few days before and just a block away from that area, a termite-infested flame fell down but, thanks to the wind, away from a nearby house.
Cabrera said flame trees infested with termites and Phellinus noxious have been falling down over the last few years and before they cause harm to people, DPW in collaboration with other agencies has to cut them.
Trees he has marked, Cabrera said, are sick and unsafe. He used orange spray paint to mark the trees that have to be cut down.
“Many of these trees have reached the end of their life span and some are infected already. We don’t want them to fall down and cause people harm,” he said.
For many years, Cabrera has been monitoring flame trees on island and has identified that different diseases that can kill them slowly.
Phellinus noxious, a fungus that surreptitiously attacks flame trees from the ground, is the most dangerous predator, he said.
After becoming dormant for a long period of time, these fungi come out through the ground and attack the roots and go into the inner parts of the tree.
The other predators are the termites that also attack the trees inside and the scarlet gourd that is now being addressed biologically.
