Hazen Audel Instagram – Let me share with you the sensational Ceiba tree. In Northern Argentina where I found these trees they are called “Palo Boracho” (Spanish- Drunk Pole) because after heavy rains the trunk of the tree in engorges, making the tree look like it has a beer belly. You can see in these pictures where the skin or bark of the tree looks like it has stretchmarks. Within those stripes, you can see the color green- that is photosynthetic area where the tree can consistently be making sugars from the power of the sun. The tree lives in a very arid and hot environment. When it gets too hot and dry. The tree cannot afford to have leaves as that is surface area in which the tree can lose valuable water. So it’s simply sheds them off. Like many trees during autumn. During this time the tree goes dormant yet can still be making food from the Photosynthetic areas on its waterproof waxy bark. It would be difficult not to notice those great thick spines all along itt’s trunk and branches. Scientists believe that this is remnant morphology from when the tree had to protect itself from being eaten and climbed on by large, extinct megaphauna that would devour defenseless trees back in the day. This was millions of years ago. When conditions are right, this tree has beautiful blooms, many of which are pollinated by nectar feeding bats. When the Flowers go to seed. It produces fluffy cotton-like kapok. Which allow seeds to be parachuted in the wind for miles and miles. Kapok was once used as the original stuffing for life jackets. Unfortunately, when kaypok gets wet, it sinks.
I got to be with these amazing trees just before heading up to higher elevations in the Andes while filming – Across the Andes. Primal Survivor
#plantlover #naturenerd #inature #naturalist #argentinanature #naturalbeauty #plantnerd #treelover #bigtree #botanylove #plantexpedition | Posted on 13/Jul/2023 21:45:46
