In May 2018, a giant banyan tree fell across the makai lanes of Kalanianaole Highway. It was fortunate that there was no property damage and no one was hit.

In this same location today, across from Kalani High School and Laukahi Street, there are additional banyans on the makai median that also are in danger of catastrophic failure.

In attempting to accommodate utility lines, the trees were incorrectly pruned in a manner known as lion-tailing. Lion-tailing is when all the lower branches are pruned, leaving the end like a lion’s tail. Lion-tailing can increase the risk of branch failure by eliminating the stabilizing effect that interior lower limbs have during storms and high winds.

Exacerbating the risk are the trees’ root pads that are severely compromised without adequate anchor in the critical root zone hemmed in by the highway. They were also pruned with trunks standing at an obtuse lean furthering their instability.

These resilient banyans do not necessarily need to be removed, just trimmed down drastically in height and maintained into establishing a stable and lowered symmetrical crown or high bush shape.

Kai Lokahi

Hawaii Kai

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