Help Preserve a Royal Banyan Tree

Mahalo for helping us to reach our goal!!

We have reached our goal! Mahalo piha to all of our supporters who helped us with reaching and passing our goal of $10,000 for the preservation and maintenance of the Royal Banyan Tree planted by Queen Kapi‘olani at Hulihe‘e Palace. Thanks to you and your generosity, we are able to fully examine the tree, conduct a comprehensive and extensive trim, and preserve this banyan for future generations.

Funds raised over our initial $10,000 goal will support future maintenance and preservation efforts of the banyan. Mahalo nui to the following supporters:

County of Hawai‘i
Gretchen Osgood
Kona Coast Property Management
Margaret Bethany
Faye Daniel Estate

Supporters at the King Kamehameha Ho‘olaule‘a
Kim Ku‘ulei Birnie
Virginia Bourdeau
Steven Boyd
Will & Lei Buckley
Victor & Jacqueline Cox
Kendra Dantzman
Clyde & Susan Dippery
Maggie Edmonson
David Estess
Blaine Fergerstrom
Sarah Gibbon
Martha Greenwell
Karen Ingram
Susana Kay

Renee Kraft
Lee Lorenz
Andy Myers
Robin Olson
Gail Pattison
Donald Rankin, Jr.
Denise O’Leary Rosso
Nohea Runnells
Becky Safarik
Nancy Sakamoto
Nelson Strauch
Amanda Sweeney
Cindy Whittemore
Tina Wittenbrock
Wes Yamamoto

Purpose

Our ficus benghalensis, commonly known as a banyan, banyan fig, or Indian banyan, is in dire need of a complete examination and an extensive trim. We need your help to preserve the tree and are asking the community for help to reach our goal.

History of This Banyan

Planted by Queen Kapi‘olani in the late 1800s, Hulihe‘e Palace’s banyan grew from a cutting taken from the tree at ‘Iolani Palace. The ‘Iolani Palace tree was a gift from Indian royalty to her husband, King Kalākaua.

Professionals

The Daughters of Hawai‘i, caretakers of Hulihe‘e Palace, are working with Shamrock Tree Service. Family owned and operated, Shamrock has over 20 years of experience with this banyan and is committed to its health and maintenance for future generations and the community of Historic Kailua Village.

Why a trimming?
  • The safety and well-being of our community and the banyan is important. Untrimmed trees, especially large ones like Hulihe‘e’s banyan are a safety risk for our community.
  • Although trees add lush greenery to our island home, overgrown limbs can extend into nearby power lines, can damage buildings and hurt people, and may jeopardize the trunk’s ability to support the weight of the tree. Trimming reduces these risks.
  • Routine pruning, when done properly, increases light availability to understory plants, allows for airflow through the canopy, and removes excessive weight from the trunk, limbs, and root system.
  • Removal of overgrowth, inappropriate branches, and aggressive roots helps to maintain the tree’s natural shape and size, allowing the tree to be less susceptible to disease and insect attack.
  • Preserve a major feature and landmark of Historic Kailua Village.
How to Help

For more info, email info@daughtersofhawaii.org or donate today!