![]() Whatever the case, these trees are in the tropics, all along the equator, from right here in Belize over to Africa and Southeast Asia. It was called guanabana when I first learned about it, and I’ve since learned that it’s more often recognized as soursop. Guanabana, or Soursop (Annona muricata) Guanabana Tree ( Courtesy of Rafal Prochniak) The resin can be brewed as a tea ingested for treating gout, backaches, urinary tract infections, other infections, and fever, or it can be applied topically to help with rashes, sores, insect bites and (ironically) sunburns. Medicinally, the tree is all over the show as well. Plus, the fruit of the tree attract a wide variety of birds, both native and migratory. Even the resin has several uses: varnish, glue and incense. Cuttings will also take readily, so gumbo-limbos make for great living fence posts that can be trimmed for firewood and small construction projects. They are wind-tolerant trees that provide quick shelter for crop plants. However, they are not only good for a laugh.įor growers, they are useful in many ways. These are thick-trunked canopy trees, also know as gamalamee trees, that grow in the Americas, from Florida to Brazil, and they are sometimes comically called the tourist tree, due to red and ever-peeling bark resembling the sunburnt skin of vacationers. Gumbalimba, or Gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba) Gumbo-limbo ( Courtesy of Barry Stock) Even if it’s not your particular neighborhood, it’s still handy, interesting stuff to know. Without a doubt, many of the following trees will be available elsewhere in Central America and other regions throughout the world. One of the projects we’ve taken at The Farm Inn, where we are volunteering, is to locate and label denizen plants with special powers, and it just seems information worth sharing on a grander scale than with those taking a walk around the farm. ![]() ![]() As we are transitioning from visitors to residents, we too are learning what’s on offer in the forests and gardens, and the list is becoming more and more extensive. ![]() Here there is a great mix of cultures-Mayan, Garifuna, Creole-all steeped in knowledge about what’s growing around them and how to use it. We have just started really exploring Belize in that last couple of months, and it’s been a great place for spotting medicinal plants. Belizean Rainforest ( Courtesy of Philip Larson) So, it’s no wonder, when we learn that tree bark from such-and-such tree or leaves from whichever bush are good for treating some ailment, we get pretty excited. Unfortunately, we are well aware of the fact that, whatever that power is, we more often than not do not know it or the extents to which its magic will work. Truth be told, my wife Emma and I believe that just about any plant we come across has some sort of mystical, medicinal power. ![]()
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