The massive 46-trunk Banyan tree, which is called by the name of paniana in Hawaiian, was a mere 8-foot sapling bavk in 1873 when it was planted in Maui's Lahaina town on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the first American protestant missionary in Lahaina.
A 150-year-old Banyan tree imported from India, which holds the status of being one of the largest ones in the US, is in peril as the aggressive wildfires continue to sweep across the Hawaiian island of Maui, scorching buildings and killing 67 people so far.
The behemoth 46-trunk Banyan tree, which is called by the name of paniana in Hawaiian, was a mere 8-foot sapling bavk in 1873 when it was planted in Maui's Lahaina town on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the first American protestant missionary in Lahaina.
The tree, which was planted in front of the Lahaina Courthouse and Lahaina Harbour, has today gained the size of an entire city block and stands more than 60 feet high. The sprawling tree shades nearly two-thirds of an acre of land.
According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the tree has provided "cooling shade to generations of locals and visitors beneath its massive, sweepy branches and dangling vines" while countless events and art exhibits often have taken shelter under its boughs.
The banyan tree celebrated its 150th birthday in April this year.
Its health and shape are maintained by the Maui County Arborist Committee, as per media reports
As per media report, the historic town of Lahaina has undergone widespread destruction owing to the destructive wildfire.
While its condition is unclear, images suggest that the tree has been burned but remains standing.
The town's website suggested the tree would recover, saying that "if the roots are healthy, it will likely grow back".
"I tend to believe it'll be fine. It's really very hard to kill a banyan tree," Theo Morrison, the executive director of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, told the BBC.
"I would be very surprised if it wasn't fine," she said.