Monday, March 26, 2012

Nature's Art - what are they for!

I confessed with you last Mon the reason for my 2-days off last week, to join my friend to his farm, "far from the madding crowd below". I prepared my psyche for it, so I was open for any eventualities, any sights, any activity, any food, and any experience!

The farm is on a hillside with lovely views of the surrounding mountains. The unpaved road might give some inconvenience, but it actually adds beauty to the experience, giving complete ambiance of remoteness or maybe exclusivity. 

The tunnel-like entrance to the farm, is made such by constant pruning of the lower tree branches. Doesn't it have a dome-like significance?  There is a faint light at the end of the tunnel, maybe on earth that light is not as bright as the more famous ONE!

 Rainbow eucalyptus, rainbow gum, Mindanao gum, locally called bagras, Eucalyptus deglupta
The showy multicolored streaks covering the trunk is its very distinct feature. The bark of this tree matures in patches at different periods, with hues of blue, purple, orange, maroon. The peeled off patches reveal the young green barks. This is a native species here and grows very tall just like their  Australian cousins, which otherwise have mostly white barks.  Being fast growing produce light wood for making plywood and paper.  Seeing it close and personal convinced me to plant a few trees in our own property. I will be planting it not for the trunk, but for its beauty.


 The trunk of this tree is heavily guarded with scary networks of hard, thick thorns. I wonder if any herbivore can still approach it from the ground. They surely need wings to get to it and that is directly through the canopy. I am thrilled to know what kind of land animals this tree is very scared of, or its very expensive part or component that is so palatable to anything! Definitely no mammal can climb its trunk! Actually, this fruit is classified as a berry (sorry for calling it pome earlier), and fruits are beautifully reddish purple in color. That means it has lots of antioxidants!


Flacourtia rukam or bitongol in Tagalog

It is known in many names in Southeast Asia, India and Africa. Its fruits are eaten fresh and as preserves and jellies, and  in these countries it is common to use the barks, leaves and roots for medicinal purposes. Some gardeners also use it to make bonsai, which i am sure is very exotic-looking. I am not interested at all to plant this in our property, unless i am very angry with my neighbor. A slight accident or ignorance about it will ensure a scary horrible scene. But surely, it will be a good perimeter fence to unfriendly neighborhood. 


Our World Tuesday Graphic   Outdoor Wednesday: Click on the picture below to learn more...

34 comments:

  1. Andrea these are fascinating trees...the bark is so different..those thorns are scary and the multi colors of the other tree look almost painted on...I love the tree archway along the path to the farm...what a great picture.

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  2. What a beautiful lane to look down through. That thorn tree is sure a nightmare though.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  3. Andrea the flacourtia fruit is delicious, I have been trying to get a tree to replace one that died. I would plant the eucalyptus just for the beautiful bark :-) Have a great day my friend.

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  4. The Eucalyptus bark really is such a beautiful bark, in color and exfoliating texture. I have seen the thorny tree at our botanical gardens and it really looks like it keeps the monkeys away. They are both very interesting and different trees from those found here.

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  5. These are the lovely occupants that add colour to the views of the forest. What a lovely bark it is and those thorns !

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  6. Andrea, forget about barbed wire, lets plant a row of the pome trees. Well in this country it would be outlawed in case it caused injury to even the most dangerous of criminals. I love the bark of that Eucalyptus.

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  7. omg, i've never seen a trunk so well guarded. what is pome fruit in tagalog?

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  8. I would love to walk through that green tunnel searching for the light at the end.

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  9. Rainbow eucalyptus was recently featured on one of the nature programs here, on how beautiful it is!

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  10. What a contrast - from a colorful, smooth trunk to a menacing thorn-covered trunk.

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  11. Love that rainbow eucalyptus! What beautiful coloring. The pome tree, however, is very scary looking!

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  12. aloha,

    these rainbow eucalyptus are really dazzling..i've always wanted some, but i'm always afraid of the limbs on stormy and windy days, i'm sure they can be quite dangerous.

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  13. Hello Andrea! What a cool place. I love the tunnel and the tree bark . . . Wow! What great colors and daring thorns.

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    1. Hi Carol, i miss you. I also love tunneled streets like this, that is why even if we are in the car i made sure i have it taken. Best regards.

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  14. The spikes of bark on this tree are absolutely ferocious-looking. I think I would stay far away from that tree. The road leading to the farm does look nice -- I like the tunnel effect. We've found that wonderful sights are often at the end of dirt roads.

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  15. It must have been a pleasant break for you. The thorns on the last tree look very scary, wouldn't want to accidentally bump into it!

    Thank you for you lovely comment on my blog.

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  16. Wow - spiked tree - I wonder what is is actually protecting.

    The spotted leave plant you asked - its known as:
    Silver Squill - Ledebouria socialis

    my email address: jasmissier@yahoo.com.sg

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  17. I love the tunnel made by the vegetation in the first photo. My driveway was beginning to look like this until I needed work done on the house and the workmen couldn't get their trucks in :-( Oh well, I guess it will grow back given enough time.

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  18. Really nice forest of plants in these pics. I would have been excited as well. That is some gorgeous landscape. I enjoy when plants curve naturally or are pruned to create tunnels around roads or walkways. This is a lovely welcome onto the property. I am trying to do that with my bamboo right now and it's turning out well. The spiked tree is interesting but the euc is fabulous!!! I've never seen a bark like this on a Euc. Gorgeous!

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  19. the spikes look dangerous---i know somebody who needs this tree for perimeter fence. LOL
    i didn't know a Eucaluptus trunk is beautiful up close. my aunt in Negros has eucalyptus as a perimeter fence--it is said to ward off mosquitoes.

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    1. There are many species and varieties of Eucalyptus. One is so very different than the other. This might not be the one you refer to.

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  20. Hi there - very nice pictures - especially the spiky tree!

    I used to work on a nature reserve where we had a "hazel tunnel" - I think it was kept open by people walking along it looking for squirrels!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Australia (that land of gum trees!)

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  21. The trunk of the eucalyptus is beautiful indeed! As for the spiky tree, I have not come across it. Fascinating!!

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  22. The thorny tree does look scary. I wouldn't mind planting the eucalyptus tree as well. Does have a nice smell?

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    1. Hi Jenn, I know most eucalyptus have scent, however these trees are already tall that i dont have the opportunity to touch the leaves. When i have the chance i again, i will surely check. There are eucalyptus species whose scent i love so much.

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  23. I always find your world so fascinating, Andrea! The eucalyptus and the thorny tree trunk are wonderful! What a lovely place to visit!

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    1. Hi Marie, i hope other readers will find them fascinating too. Actually, I am also learning a lot about wonderful things in my country, which i might not have beem able to appreciate as now without this blogging craze.

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  24. What beautiful captures of colors and textures...wonderful compositions.

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    1. Thanks so much, you are so kind with your words.

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  25. Lovely photos-those are some thorns. They have them in the dessert, too.

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  26. Wonderful photos of a very magical place ~thanks, namaste, ^_^ linked w/ Outdoor Wednesday

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  27. Beautiful photos, Andrea, I especially liked the first one.
    That thorny tree is quite remarkable!

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  28. What lovely photos of color and light.

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