The town “has to be redesigned and it’s gonna take years,” Imonti told CNN. “I think the tree is the last thing on a lot of people’s minds right now,” the landscaper admitted.īut he hopes the tree “can be a good vehicle for change,” and continue to be a sign of hope for the long road of recovery that lies ahead of Lahaina. “Everybody really has to rebuild their lives,” Imonti said, which comes with “a whole other wave of sadness for families.”Īnd while preserving the trees is important to the island’s culture and peace of mind, Imonti acknowledged it is not a top priority for many locals at the moment. Meanwhile, residents are returning to the scorched grounds where their homes once stood. “We’re running around watering a few trees in town and that’s all that’s left.” “I mean, everything is gone,” he continued. “But most of them have been charred pretty badly,” Imonti noted. The tree produces the breadfruit, ‘ulu, a popular island nutrient. One of them is the Kumu ‘ulu tree, which is connected to the legend of Ku, the Hawaiian god of farming and fishing, who transformed into a Kumu ulu tree to feed his family during a famine. “We’re also taking care of a lot of other historical trees in Lahaina,” Imonti added. The banyan tree isn’t the only tree local volunteers are working to save. “The tree is like your only compass in town.”Ī Kumu 'ulu tree charred by Maui's wildfires. “Now, when you look around, you don’t have any landmarks,” Imonti told CNN. The flames burned down homes, businesses, and displaced more than half of Lahaina’s residents. The wildfires destroyed most of Lahaina, leaving a community of more than 13,000 people with little or nothing to salvage. ‘The tree is like your only compass in town’ “We put that on the soil to stimulate root growth as well as create a very stable soil structure,” Imonti said. Volunteers and local contractors have been pouring more than 5,000 gallons of water on the tree daily, in an attempt to rehydrate the roots.Īnd compost tea, an organic liquid compost nutrient, is helping water penetrate the scorched dirt. “The northeast corner of the tree got most of the heat so we’re still monitoring that part of the tree pretty closely,” he noted.ĭuring the fire, the soil became extremely hot, which altered the ground’s ability to absorb water, according to the landscaper. “I would say about 75% of the tree right now is showing new growth, and we’re really happy about that,” Imonti said. Maui's historical Banyan tree is growing new leaves after being charred in wildfires. Imonti has been working with Hawaii’s state arborist, Steve Nimz, along with a team of volunteers to help preserve the Banyan tree. “People see it as a sign of hope,” Imonti said. Landscaping business owner Chris Imonti said the banyan Tree has been an iconic figure in Lahaina for more than a century, and seeing the leaves grow means a lot to the community. It is commonly referred to as a gathering place for Lahaina residents, serving as a hub for tourists, festivals, and even wedding proposals. The historic tree, part of the fig family, gives the illusion of being multiple trees due to its ability to develop accessory trunks from its roots, allowing it to spread out. The tree was planted in 1873, and is the largest one of its kind in the US, raising more than 60 feet. The 150-year-old cultural landmark dominates the courthouse square on Lahaina’s famous Front Street. A huge banyan tree charred by the wildfires in Maui is sprouting new green leaves, giving hope all was not completely lost in the flames.
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