The Boston tree strangler
Posted by Sean Ryan September 08, 2004

If you look carefully you can see a tree being woven over by thick inter-twining vines. These vines are part of the strangler fig. The strangler fig gets is name from the appearance that it is strangling the tree that it encompasses. However the tree being engulfed by the strangler fig does not die by strangulation. The fig starts out as a seed that has been eaten by an animal and then excreted way up high in the base of another trees branches. The seed grows and sends down several long roots (slowly) to the base of the host tree. It then sends vines upwards as well, until the whole tree is almost completely encased. The seed also sends leaves up into the canopy for light. Eventually the strangler fig has taken over all of the hosts resources (roots-water and minerals/ leaves-photosynthesis). The host tree slowly dies and rots away (over many years), until the strangler fig is left standing with a hallowed out inside. In some cases you can actually go inside the space that is left behind. This picture was taken in Monte Verde where you will see many strangler figs.