Historic Banyan tree imported from India charred by Hawaiian wildfires

A 150-year-old Banyan tree imported from India and one of many largest within the US is at this time struggling for its survival as lethal wildfires swept by the Hawaiian island of Maui, scorching buildings and killing greater than 50 individuals.

The 46-trunk Banyan tree, known as paniana in Hawaiian, was a mere 8-foot sapling when it was planted in Maui’s Lahaina city in 1873, based on the web portal lahainatown.com.

The purpose for its harvest was the fiftieth anniversary of the primary American protestant missionary in Lahaina — a monumental occasion that eternally altered Lahaina’s trajectory, it states.

Imported from India and planted in entrance of the Lahaina Courthouse and Lahaina Harbour on 1873, this sprawling tree — one of many largest banyan timber within the United States — alongside Front Street is the scale of a complete metropolis block and stands greater than 60 ft excessive, on-line portal gohawaii.com states.

According to a CNN information report, there was widespread destruction within the historic city of Lahaina. Anything within the city centre is simply fully devastated. The fires have left little to no vegetation on the dear and sprawling banyan tree.

The banyan tree celebrated its one hundred and fiftieth birthday in April this yr.

While its situation is unclear, pictures recommend that the tree has been burned however stays standing. The city’s web site advised the tree would get well, saying that “if the roots are healthy, it will likely grow back”.

“I tend to believe it’ll be fine. It’s really very hard to kill a banyan tree,” Theo Morrison, the manager director of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, instructed the BBC.

“I would be very surprised if it wasn’t fine,” she mentioned.

A serious landmark in Lahaina, the tree has offered cooling shade to generations of locals and guests beneath its large, sweepy branches and dangling vines, based on the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Events and artwork displays typically have been held underneath its boughs.

The tree has 46 main trunks along with its large unique one and shades almost two-thirds of an acre, based on the Lahaina Restoration Foundation.

Its well being and form are maintained by the Maui County Arborist Committee, the CNN report mentioned.

The devastating wildfires in Maui have to this point claimed no less than 55 lives. Thousands of individuals stay displaced.

Published On:

Aug 11, 2023