Banyan trees, AKA strangler figs, can live for centuries. They germinate in tree branches and grow aerial roots downwards. This stabilizes them so they can wrap around the host tree, creating pressure until the host dies, leaving only the Banyan tree.

FlashZordon, 10 months ago

Front Street in Lahaina, HI has a great looking banyan tree near the harbor. Spent a bunch of time around there as a kid waiting for the ferry.

niktemadur, 10 months ago

Do they kill the host tree, or is it a symbiotic relationship?

ClimbingBunny, 10 months ago

Yes they kill their hosts! By applying pressure they “strangle” the host until it dies and rots away, leaving an empty hole in the center of the tree.

Brimelle, 11 months ago

I see a lot of vines try to strangle plants, but I never knew there was a species of tree that would do the same thing... Nature is wild.