The Tasmanian Giant Crab is the king of crabs
Add the Tasmanian Giant Crab (Pseudocarcinus gigas) to one of the animals you’ll want to see in person one day. Moreover, the crab’s…
Keep readingTag: trees
-
Exploring the mystique of the rare Dragon Blood Tree
Keep reading: Exploring the mystique of the rare Dragon Blood TreeThe mysterious and alluring Dragon Blood Tree, a rare and unusual tree species native to the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Africa, has long captivated the imagination of people across the globe. With its unique red sap and winding, twisted branches, the Dragon Blood Tree has become an object of fascination and mythical wonder. In…
-
Crown shyness: Nature’s way of social distancing
Keep reading: Crown shyness: Nature’s way of social distancingCertain tree species in the forest resist touching each other as they grow, a natural event known as crown shyness. Here’s an aerial view of the jigsaw-like spacing. What explains the puzzle piece-shaped canopy? More than one theory explains why social distancing amongst the trees occurs. Scientists suggest that the channel-like gaps between the treetops…
-
The beauty of Madagascar’s giant Baobab trees
Keep reading: The beauty of Madagascar’s giant Baobab treesThe Grandidier’s Baobabs (Palmate adansonia) are giant trees indigenous to Africa. Nicknamed the “mother of the forest,” this species of Baobab trees is predominantly found off Africa’s mainland in the island country of Madagascar. Baobabs can live up to 800 to 1000 years with their unique ability to act as water storage tanks. The trees…
-
Colombia is home to the tallest palm tree in the world, the palma de cera
Keep reading: Colombia is home to the tallest palm tree in the world, the palma de ceraThe tallest palm tree in the world resides in the Colombian Andes in Los Nevados National Park amid the Cocora Valley. Colombia’s national tree, the Palma de Cera or wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense), stands nearly 200 feet tall. But seeing it is no easy trek — hikers have to walk through a cloud forest that…
-
Daisugi: Ancient Japanese technique for growing trees out of trees
Keep reading: Daisugi: Ancient Japanese technique for growing trees out of treesThe Japanese forestry technique for harvesting wood, daisugi (meaning “cedar table”), goes as far back as the 14th century to solve a seedling shortage in Kyoto. The 700-year-old technique involves pruning a tree’s branches as if they were giant bonsai trees. In doing so, the mother tree provides a stable platform that supports the birth…
-
The ongoing mystery behind Poland’s ‘Crooked Forest’
Keep reading: The ongoing mystery behind Poland’s ‘Crooked Forest’Located outside Nowe Czarnowo, Poland, is an eerie-looking collection of curved pine trees nicknamed The Crooked Forest or Krzywy Las. No one knows how the original 400 pine trees got their identically bent shape — all 90-degree drops at the base, like elephant trunks. But it’s believed that a special technique was used in the…
-
Marvel at the Giant Groundsels of Mt Kilimanjaro
Keep reading: Marvel at the Giant Groundsels of Mt KilimanjaroGiant Groundsels (Dendrosenecio kilimanjari) are prehistoric plants found on top of Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. They evolved about a million years ago in altitudes above 14,000 feet, where they learned to harness the ability to survive sub-zero temperatures. They can also grow as high as 30 feet tall. Giant Groundsels are a member of the dandelion…
-
The unique Queensland Bottle Tree
Keep reading: The unique Queensland Bottle TreeThe Queensland Bottle Tree, or narrow-leaved bottle tree, is native to (you guessed it) Queensland, Australia. The gorgeous tree sports a potbelly of sorts that gives it the look of a bottle. But its swollen trunks of water help the tree withstand temperatures of -17 degrees to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The bottle tree is also known for…
-
The rise and tragic death of Sweden’s Broccoli Tree
Keep reading: The rise and tragic death of Sweden’s Broccoli Tree“In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes,” said Andy Warhol. That was certainly true for the “broccoli tree” in Sweden. In March 2018, the once anonymous broccoli-shaped tree on the shoe of Sweden’s Lake Vättern disappeared due to the popularity of its Instagram account of over 30,000 fans. The tree became a tourist attraction…
-
Hyperion: The world’s tallest living tree
Keep reading: Hyperion: The world’s tallest living treeThe Hyperion, located in Redwood Park in northern California, is the world’s tallest living tree. The tree stands at the height of 380.3 feet and is approximately 700-800 years old. To put that in perspective, the tree is nearly 70 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty and 63 feet higher than Big Ben. Even…
-
Spiderweb-engulfed trees in Pakistan after a great flood
Keep reading: Spiderweb-engulfed trees in Pakistan after a great floodIn July 2010, 10 years of rain fell into parts of Pakistan that left millions of people (and spiders) homeless. As a survival mechanism, spiders took homage and blanketed some of the trees. What resulted was cotton candy and ghost-like cocooned trees that protected the locals against a rash of mosquitoes. Photos by Russell Watkins
