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Weird Trees Part – 3

1. Cork Oak (Quercus suber)
- Location: Mediterranean Basin.
- A medium-sized, naturally occurring evergreen oak tree from northwest Africa and southwest Europe. It has thick, pliable bark that is harvested to make cork, which adds to its economic value. In addition to maintaining a rich biodiversity, cork oaks are essential for halting soil erosion.
2. African Whistling Thorn (Vachellia drepanolobium)
- Location: East Africa.
- A native of East Africa that is prickly and common in savanna environments. It is distinguished by inflated thorns that are home to ant symbiotic colonies. These ants have a special mutualistic relationship with the plant, protecting it from herbivores. The whistling sound made by the wind passing through the thorny cavities gave rise to the plant’s name.
3. Socotra Island Dragon Tree (Dracaena cinnabari)
- Location: Socotra Island, Yemen.
- An iconic tree found off the coast of Yemen in the Socotra archipelago. It is shaped like an umbrella and yields a scarlet sap called “dragon’s blood,” which is traditionally used for incense, colors, and medical purposes. The tree is a representation of Socotra’s distinctive biodiversity and is well suited to the island’s severe, arid climate.
4. Cannonball Tree (Couroupita guianensis)
- Location: Central and South America, also found in tropical regions of Southeast Asia.
- A tropical tree that is indigenous to Central and South America and is well-known for its fragrant, multicolored flowers that bloom right on the trunk. The woody, spherical fruits that resemble cannonballs and have a diameter of up to 25 cm are produced by the tree. In many tropical regions, the fruits and flowers have cultural and therapeutic value.






