Leijpark013

@leijpark013 · 29 Sep 2023

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Leijpark 013 Amber Tree

Written by Thierry P. Dinjens ·

The Leijpark takes us to many places. Today we're going somewhere we've never been before: the deep sea. why? This will gradually become clear. What are we looking for in the deep sea? Squids that hunt through the water like fast bolts. However, we are not concerned about the squids, but about their nemesis: the sperm whale. This giant whale carries something in its gut. Not always, but when he's sick. The squids he eats have beaks that look like beaks. Normally, these razor-sharp beaks are immediately regurgitated by the whale, but sometimes that does not work. Sperm whales have four stomachs and, in exceptional cases, those stomachs leak. Then the razor-sharp skeletons end up in the intestines of the sperm whale and, to ensure that they do not cut into the animal's intestines, they are wrapped in so-called amber fat. The whole thing that comes into being is called ambergris (or amber for short) and this stuff is highly sought after in the perfume industry because it retains scents. A perfume with ambergris lasts much longer. Anyone who finds ambergris on the beach (now defecated) can therefore be very rich, because the stuff is very expensive!
Now we go to the Leijpark and there we find a tree that has wonderfully fragrant resin, which we also call “amber”. The scent is similar to the popular stuff in sperm whales, but in practice it has nothing to do with it. The Amber Tree, because that's what the tree in the Leijpark is called with its fragrant scent, is a popular tree in parks. This is about the American sweetgum tree, which has virtually no diseases and has beautiful red autumn leaves and, of course, bears the famous amber bulbs.
The Amber Tree plays an important role in the treatment of lung diseases such as bronchitis and asthma. The oil extracted from the tree is a strong expectorant, so that phlegm can be removed from the lungs so that the airways are free again. Being able to breathe a bit is also sometimes nice, isn't it?
Now we also know amber in another application, one we've known for thousands of years: Incense. Precisely because of the sweet scent that sweetens pains and also calms our mood, especially when we are struggling with inner aggression, the resin of the sweetgum tree is ideal as an incense. As a cone on a dish or as a stick on a shelf, it's no matter. Amber has been immensely popular as a fragrance remedy for many years. And as a shoe polish!
The original American tree will be about twenty-five meters tall in the Leij Park if it gets the chance, but we'll have to take the time; the Amber Tree is a slow grower. No problem, the longer we can enjoy her beautiful red autumn dress. It's nice to have this tree in the Leijpark. She connects worlds with the one word 'amber' alone. Visit her in autumn, her red leaves and associated bulbs are not to be missed!

#park #amberboom