Dragon tree - a mysterious plant of the tropics

In the world there are a lot of plants that cause interest and surprise. They include the dragon tree, which grows on the islands in the southeast of Asia and in Africa. It refers to the genus Drazen, which has about 150 plant species, of which only about 6 species are tree-like. Dragon trees grow to huge sizes, their height reaches 20 m, and the width of the trunk at the base is about 5 m.

Until now, very interesting legends about the origin of the tree-like dracaena have come down. According to the Indian version, in ancient times, a dragon settled in the Arabian Sea, attacking elephants and drinking all the blood from them. But one day a dying elephant fell on his assassin, crushing him under him. Since then, the resin that the dragon tree gives out is called dragon blood.

There is also the Aztec version, according to which the daughter of a high priest and a simple warrior fell in love with each other. The young man understood that he was not a pair of such an enviable bride, but still asked the priest for her hands. The girl's father in anger thrust a dry stick into the ground and ordered the groom to walk and water it for five days, if she comes to life, he will give his daughter, and if not, the warrior will be sacrificed. The young man understood that death was close, but still he poured a stick, and on the fourth day a miracle happened - a leaf appeared, and next morning it completely covered with greenery. Since then, the dragon dragon is considered a tree of lovers, even today it is customary to give souvenirs made of it to its second half.

This plant was discovered by scientists in the Middle Ages, but excavations in the Canary Islands showed that its resin was used for prehistoric burials, presumably for embalming bodies. In the old days the dragon tree was considered to be half animal, but half a plant, and all because of its juice. In itself, it is transparent, but on contact with the air for a short time it acquires a red color, which believing people considered blood. Therefore, many people worshiped this amazing plant.

Like any living creature, the life of the tree-like dracaena is clearly delineated into three stages: youth, maturity and old age. The first stage lasts about 30 years, then comes maturity, when the dragon tree begins to bear fruit. Old age can last for hundreds of years. On the ground there are a lot of ancient plants belonging to this species, but it is not possible to calculate their exact age, since there are no annual rings on the wood.

The oldest dracaena tree grew in Tenerife, according to the estimates of botanists, its age was 6,000 years. On it were discovered serifs made by seafarers in 1402, but then it was already huge and old. The height of the dracaena reached 23 m, and the width - 4 m, the circumference of the trunk - 15 m. During the terrible storm in 1868 the tree was split into parts. Now the oldest of the genus Drazen is a tree that grows in the city of Icod de Los Vinos. Its height reaches 17 m, and the age is approaching the millennium. In 1917 it was declared a natural monument.

A dragon tree can be found not only in many hot countries, but also in ordinary urban flats. Of course, indoor plants do not grow huge, but with due care, caring owners can wait for the flowering of their dracaena.