Do you know the traveler’s palm tree? You probably also know her as traveler’s tree, a plant capable of giving Water to the thirsty and who hides a legend. Surely you have seen movies in which a thirsty man stumbled through the desert until, finally, he found a plant. Then he would take out his knife and get to drink some kind of liquid that he kept inside.
Actually, this plant does exist and in the world of science it is known as ravenala madagascariensis, an endemic tree of the Island of Madagascar, one of the places in the world with the most unique biodiversity due to its isolation. There are four different varieties and the largest of them can reach 30 meters high.
Here at Supercurioso we bring you interesting facts about the tree of never-before-seen travelers.
What is the “traveller’s palm” and where does its name come from?
The traveler’s palmwhose scientific name is “Ravenala Madagascariensis”, is a tree that grows in warm areas, mainly in the madagascar island.
The legend lies in the belief that God has placed this tree to help people who were lost to get shade, water, orientation or food.
Furthermore, the leaves of the traveler’s tree they are fan-wide and capable of providing good shade in a hot country like Madagascar. Its fruits are edible, although they are floury.
According to legend, the traveler’s palm tree accumulates rainwater capable of quenching people’s thirst. In addition, the plant can serve as a compass for the traveler who is familiar with it, as its leaves generally take the east-west orientation. This orientation seems contradictory, but we must not forget how the branches and leaves are arranged in this false palm.
Main characteristics of the traveler’s tree
This variety of plant, known as the traveler’s palmIt has characteristics that make it special and interesting. Discover its properties in the following list:
- It is a tree that can reach 12 meters in height.a, its leaves develop in the form of a fan, in a single plane (distich aspect).
- The traveler’s palm is part of the family Strelitziaceae and is an endemic species of Madagascar.
- It is a variety that mixes the composition of a musácea or banana tree with a kind of common palm tree.
- The traveler’s palm is a herbaceous species whose hardened leaves form a stem.
- The trunk of this class of palm trees can reach 10 meters in height.
- Its leaves are aesthetically similar to banana leaves.with an intense green color and great length.
- The leaves are supported by petioles of more than 3 meters that arise from the apex of the trunk through their sheaths.
- Flowering in this variety occurs in the axils of its leaves, which are protected by bracts.
- This species produces many flowers with a beautiful white color.similar to the “birds of paradise”.
- The fruit provided by this variety is dark brown in color and capsule-shaped, whose seeds are blue.
- The elegance that the traveler’s palm possesses makes it used in various ostentatious garden decorations.
- For reproduction, the children that are born at its base are separated or it is carried out through seeds.
- For the reproduction by seeds it is necessary to have them soaked for 24 hours and then sow them in a sheltered and warm place.
- It receives sunlight on its forehead during the mornings and most of the daysince its orientation is from north to south.
- Many people have traveled to exotic places to drink the water from its leaves.
- The traveler’s palm grows in humid places with a lot of sun, although it tolerates dry climates if its watering is constant.
How to care for the traveler’s palm if you have it in a pot?
The variety of tree known as the traveler’s palm It can also grow in your home if you plant it in a pot, but with certain care.
You should keep in mind that the indicated height for the traveler’s palm grown in a pot is 2-3 metersand that if you have it inside your home it will not flourish.
You must also provide a series of care if you want to keep it in a pot, including:
- Make sure your traveler’s palm gets plenty of sunlight throughout the day.
- Keep your palm tree moist (a good watering will never hurt).
- The indicated soil for this type of palm trees is a mixture (in equal parts) of coarse sand, topsoil and a layer of leaves.
- The fertilizer must be done in spring, with some kind of mineral fertilizer or with one that has a slow release, like the sticks that are usually stuck into the ground.
- If you are going to water the traveler’s palm, you should wait for the soil to dry out completely before a second watering.
- Be careful with insects such as mealybugs, which will appear if the plant is not sufficiently watered.
- In very cold climates you can have them in greenhouses or in pots inside your home.
The traveler’s tree it is so important in Madagascar that it is part of its official seal and the logo of the country’s airline. Even many of the typical houses have the roof made with the leaves of the traveler’s palm tree.
What do you think of this curious plant? In case you are thirsty, Would you be able to drink the liquid inside? Do you know of other plants that offer a drinkable liquid in case of dehydration? If you know of any, do not hesitate to comment, we await your response. If you want to know other curious plants related to legends, we invite you to read the post: The Vampire Tree (Mexican Legend).
Also, as you may have appreciated, the traveler’s palm is a beautiful and interesting variety of plant straight out of a fantasy movie, but in reality it exists to give water to the thirsty. Dare to have one of them in your home, you will not regret it!
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