Lahaina banyan tree showing signs of life below ground | News, Sports, Jobs

The 150-year-old Lahaina banyan tree is seen near the burned-out courthouse from the air on Aug. 10, two days after a fire destroyed much of the town. A hui of contractors and volunteers have been working to water it and keep it alive and recently reported that new roots are shooting out from the tree. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos

The beloved 150-year-old banyan tree in Lahaina is showing signs of life below ground, just over three weeks after a wildfire destroyed much of the town.

Even though thousands of its leaves were scorched in the Aug. 8 fire, the banyan tree has “new life in the roots,” landscape contractor Chris Imonti said in a state Department of Land and Natural Resources news release Thursday.

“We did root samples last week and we had very good news as far as new life in the roots. A lot of new roots shooting off,” Imonti said. “We tested the moisture and arborist Steve Nims, who is the unofficial leader of the Banyan Tree hui, has analyzed all the treatments and he is out today putting sensors on the tree to measure growth rates. With the compost tea we are seeing good results and as long as we give it enough love, I think it’s going to be fine.”

Officials and some community members have pointed to the historic tree as a sign of hope for regrowth after thousands of homes and businesses and at least 115 lives were lost to the fire.

The limbs of the Lahaina banyan tree extend across the park on Aug. 12.

Days after the fire, volunteers arranged for water tankers to come by and douse the tree with hundreds of gallons of water every few hours. Maui arborists, landscapers and volunteers formed a hui to care for the tree. Its burnt leaves are brown and crinkled, but its multiple trunks are still standing.

In addition to keeping the bare ground around the tree well-watered, workers have been aerating the tree and giving it a treatment from a “compost tea.” Imonti has formulated his own mix of natural ingredients that are being shot into the ground around the circumference of the tree. Volunteers also chopped up small blocks of alfalfa, a legume, and spread it around on the ground. It’s an experiment to see if the nutrients contained in the alfalfa will help.

The tree was only 8 feet tall when it was first planted in 1873 but has now grown to more than 60 feet tall and shades two-thirds of the 1-acre park, which has hosted countless holiday celebrations, hula festivals, craft fairs and other events. In April, the Lahaina Restoration Foundation held a 150th birthday celebration for the tree, complete with a cake cutting.

“I’ve been here for years and years so, like many others, I have a personal attachment to the tree,” said Imonti, who owns and operates C. Imonti Landscaping. “To me, it’s a symbol of hope. We’re taking it to heart to try to bring back the tree, to give some hope to Lahaina. We don’t know what’s down the line, but I think it’s going to be a new beginning for everybody.”

The DLNR said it is not involved in the recovery of the Lahaina banyan tree, but is providing the informational update.

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