151-year-old banyan tree scorched by Maui wildfires is recovering well – See the remarkable photos
About 40% of the Lahaina landmark reportedly died when fires ravaged the area in August 2023 – but experts say the tree’s recovery has been incredible
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer; AP Photo/Mengshin Lin
Lahaina Banyan Tree Hawaii in August 2023 and July 2024
The historic 151-year-old banyan tree that burned during the Maui wildfires in August 2023 is still healing.
The Lahaina landmark was charred a year ago when fires swept through the area, killing more than 100 people, according to ABC News and The Washington Post.
Duane Sparkman, chairman of the Maui County Arborist Committee, told the Associated Press that about half of the tree’s branches had died due to moisture loss.
But with a little help, other parts of the banyan tree grew back – and in some places they even bore fruit.
“You see a lot of long, long branches with hundreds of leaves on the tree,” Sparkman said, adding, “It’s pretty amazing to see how much of the tree is growing back.”
Mario Tama/Getty
The Bayan tree in Lahaina in July 2024, almost a year after the deadly Maui wildfires
According to AP, the banyan tree was given to Lahaina by India in 1873 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Protestant missionaries in the area.
The tree has been a popular tourist attraction ever since, and thanks to arborists, it is now being brought back to life after surviving the deadly fire of 2023, despite being badly damaged in the blaze.
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About 40 percent of the tree was lost, said Timothy Griffin, arborist for the County of Maui, according to ABC News. But the tree also made remarkable progress in its healing.
According to Griffin, after just three weeks, experts were able to see that the banyan tree was making the progress they had expected in three months.
Smith/Gado/Getty Collection
The banyan tree in Lahaina that was charred during the Maui wildfires
To track the tree’s growth, experts use 14 sensors screwed into the plant to monitor its health and growth, according to AP.
There are also plans to implement an irrigation system that would supply the tree with water and nutrients through its vertical roots, Sparkman said.
Related: Lahaina’s beloved 150-year-old banyan tree comes back to life after deadly Maui wildfires
The banyan tree still has a lot of healing to do. Griffin told ABC News that the tree will likely need some sort of “reconstructive surgery” over the next 10 to 20 years to repair the fire-damaged and dead plants. Still, they say the progress it has made is still incredible.
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