The Enchanting Forest In Hawaii That’s Loaded With Beautiful Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees
The Hawaiian Islands are known across the planet for our incredible beaches and nearly 750 miles of gorgeous coastline, but most people don’t associate the Aloha State with sprawling forests. And while all of our incredible forests are enchanting, there is one breathtaking destination along Maui’s famous Hana Highway that will quickly make you feel as though you’ve entered a fairytale.
While you will find rainbow eucalyptus trees scattered across Maui, including at the Ke’anae Arboretum and just before Hana town, the most well-known grove, which is the one we’re featuring today, is found near Mile Marker 7 along the Hana Highway.
The trees can be hard to spot in the dense rainforest, so if you want to be sure to experience this enchanting forest up close, we suggest going on a road to Hana tour. A guide can safely show you where to find these rainbow trees as well as many other hidden gems.
Though these trees may look as though they’ve been painted, this colorful bark is all natural. These spectacularly colored trees are called Eucalyptus Deglupta, also known as the Mindanao Gum or Rainbow gum trees.
The multi-colored streaks on its trunk results in patches of outer bark that are shed annually at different times, showing off the vibrant green inner bark. The patches darken and mature to reveal blue, purple, orange, and maroon tones.
The trees are native to the Phillippines but were introduced to Hawaii decades ago. The Rainbow Eucalyptus tree was first planted in Hawaii in 1929 at Oahu’s Wahiawa Botanical Garden as part of the islands’ reforestation efforts, though it is unknown how these painted gum trees were introduced to the rainforest of Hana.
Some speculate the trees were planted in the 1930s to control soil erosion due to overlogging while others believe they were planted as a source of lumber and fuel for the sugarcane industry.
Despite their ethereal beauty and wonderful smell, these trees are invasive and can grow an average of six feet per year. The trees can reach heights of up to 200 feet in height and 95 inches in diameter.
Both Amateur and professional photographers as well as nature lovers of all kinds quickly fall in love with this one-of-a-kind destination, and it's easy to see why.
Have you ever visited this ethereal grove of rainbow eucalyptus trees on the island of Maui? What about the enchanting Oahu botanical garden with bamboo groves, tropical flowers, and rainbow eucalyptus trees?
Megan is a freelance journalist residing near Honolulu, Hawaii. She is obsessed with hiking, beach trips, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
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