MAUI WILDFIRES ~ 08-08-2023

The banyan tree in Lahaina, in Maui, Hawaii, United States, was planted on April 24, 1873, in Lahaina to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of first American Protestant mission. The banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) known in Hawaiian as paniana, located in the Courthouse Square, which was renamed Banyan Tree Park covering 1.94 acres, was not only the largest in the state but also in the United States. The tree was a gift from missionaries in India. A mere 8 feet (2.4 m) when planted, it grew to a height of about 60 feet (18 m) and rooted into 16 major trunks, apart from the main trunk, with the canopy spread over an area of about 0.66 acres (0.27 ha). In April 2023, Lahaina held a birthday party to celebrate the Banyan Tree’s planting 150 years ago.

The tree was engulfed by the 2023 Hawaii wildfires from August 8–9 which damaged the town of Lahaina. Disaster recovery efforts are underway to determine the scope of the damage and if the tree can be salvaged and restored.

Eye C U

5 hours ago

I think this is the first time I’ve cried about the loss of a tree. The article here doesn’t cover it but I found multiple articles out of Hawaii that confirmed that the famous Lahaina Banyan Tree fell victim of the fires and burned. I remember the tree when my parents took us there when we were kids. My dad talked about visiting it when he was a kid while growing up in Hawaii in the 1940s. That’s where it hurts knowing that generations of people have had these fond memories of seeing this incredible natural wonder and now it’s gone.Reply

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• Herb5 hours agoThat was truly a special place. Just about everybody who ever visited that tree over all those years took fond memories of it with them. The number of people who have photographed themselves and their families under it must be in the millions. So sad to think that it’s gone now after all those years.Reply27Share
• GG10005 hours agoOne of my favorite pictures of my kids is them in that tree. Heartbreaking. Reply9Share

‘There’s nothing to go back to’: Hawaii wildfire evacuee shares harrowing escape

RIP Pioneer Inn – died 08-09-2023 in the Lahaina, Maui Wildfires