LAHAINA, Hawai‘i — The 150-year-old banyan tree, which was scorched during the Lahaina Fire last month, is showing signs of recovering amid an effort to keep it upright.
A crew led by landscape contractor Chris Imonti, of C. Imonti Landscaping, gave the mammoth tree some tender loving care on Thursday. He then provided an update on the tree’s condition.
“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,” said Imonti in the update transmitted via the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, which is not involved in the recovery effort.
“We tested the moisture and arborist Steve Nimz, 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.”
Imonti formulated his own mix of natural ingredients to create the compost tea. which includes water, and is then shot into the ground around the circumference of the tree.
Volunteers have also chopped up small blocks of alfalfa, a legume, and spread it around on the ground. That process is referred to as an experiment to see if the nutrients contained in the alfalfa will help the tree recover.
A few days after the Aug. 8 fire, which claimed at least 115 lives and burned an estimated 2,170 acres, volunteers arranged for water tankers to douse the tree with hundreds of gallons of water every few hours.
Since that time, Maui arborists, landscapers and volunteers banded together to form a hui, an informal partnership, to care for the banyan tree. The tree’s roots date back to 1873, which is when it was planted as a sapling.
The tree, which covers a one-half block of land, has been the site of many events through the years. Those events range from weddings to honeymoon photographs, as well as countless other photos taken by tourists and locals, alike, with the tree.
•••
Wyatt Haupt Jr., editor, can be reached at 808-245-0457 or whaupt@thegardenisland.com.
