Dragon tree - a mysterious plant of the tropics

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

There are so many plants in the world that arouse interest and surprise. These include the dragon tree, which grows on islands in southeast Asia and Africa. It belongs to the genus Dracaena, which has about 150 plant species, of which only about 6 tree species. Dragon trees grow to enormous sizes, reaching 20m in height and about 5m wide at the base.

Very interesting legends about the origin of the tree-like dracaena have come down to our time. According to the Indian version, in ancient times a dragon settled in the Arabian Sea, attacking elephants and drinking all the blood from them. But one day a dying elephant fell on his killer, crushing him under him. Since then, the resin that the dragon tree secretes has been called dragon blood.

There is also an Aztec version, according to which the daughter of a high priest and a simple warrior fell in love with each other. The young man understood that he was not a match for such an enviable bride, but still asked the priest for her hand. The girl's father, in anger, stuck a dry stick into the ground and ordered the groom to walk and water it for five days, if she comes to life, he will give his daughter, and if not, then the warrior will be sacrificed. The young man knew that death was near,but still watered the stick, and on the fourth day a miracle happened - a leaf appeared, and in the morning it was completely covered with greenery. Since then, dragon dracaena has been considered the tree of lovers, and even today it is customary to give souvenirs made from it to your soul mate.

This plant was discovered by scientists in the Middle Ages, but excavations in the Canary Islands have shown that its resin was used in prehistoric burials, presumably for embalming bodies. In the old days, the dragon tree was considered half animal and half plant, and all because of its juice. By itself, it is transparent, but upon contact with air, it acquires a red color in a short time, which believers considered blood. Therefore, many nations worshiped this amazing plant.

Like any living creature, the life of a tree-like dracaena is clearly divided into three stages: youth, maturity and old age. The first stage lasts about 30 years, then comes maturity, when the dragon tree begins to bear fruit. Old age can last hundreds of years. There are a lot of ancient plants belonging to this species on earth, but it is not possible to calculate their exact age, since there are no growth rings on the wood.

The oldest dracaena tree grew in Tenerife, according to botanists, its age was 6000 years. Serifs made by navigators in 1402 were found on it, but then it was already huge and old. The height of the dracaena reached 23 m, and the width - 4 m, girthtrunk - 15 m. During a terrible storm in 1868, the tree split into pieces. Now the oldest of the genus dracaena is considered a tree growing in the city of Icod de los Vinos. Its height reaches 17 m, and its age is approaching the millennium. Back in 1917, it was declared a natural monument.

Dragon tree can be found not only in many hot countries, but also in ordinary city apartments. Of course, indoor plants do not grow huge, but with proper care, caring owners can wait for their dracaena to bloom.