When I first saw them in 2008, I thought there was something unusual about the Canary Island pine trees, but when we were told the amazing truth about them I realized why some were such strange shapes. Here, on the island of La Palma (Isla de la Palma), a tourist might expect palm trees to be the star performers, but these seemingly-scraggly pines with the spreading needles and the warped branches, are the true stars. Their trunks have extremely thick bark, which doesn't burn when fire rips through the forest. Later, when the fire has gone and the rains come, something wonderful happens. Through the cracks in its thick bark, the Canary Island Pine grows new branches, as we can see here in the last photo. I wish these wonderful pines could grow in Canada, because all my life I've seen the damage forest fires have done in my home province of British Columbia. It takes many, many years for evergreen forests to re-grow after a fire, but not in the Canary Islands!
(Photos by Kay Davies)
Posted for the meme that's in alphabetical order, week after week:
ABC Wednesday
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