The Dragon Bloodtree
The dragon tree (dracaena draco) is native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Madeira. The tree has an umbrella shaped crown with thick leaves.
It is a slow growing tree, taking ten years to reach a height of one metre.
Since the dragon tree belongs to the monocotyledon group, it has no annual rings. Its age can only be estimated from the number of branches.
Traditionally, it is thought to be a magical tree and occupies a religious place in the lives of the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands. The resin of the tree has a deep red colour (dragon's blood) that is also associated with witchcraft. It was used by the Romans and medieval alchemists, among others.
The dragon blood tree also has medicinal properties. The tree contains substances that are used against cancer and leukaemia.
Source photo: Pixabay
Oldest tree?
When the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt visited the Canary Islands in 1799 on his now famous trip to South America, he saw a giant dragon tree in Tenerife's Orotava Valley. The specimen was about 16 to 19.5 metres tall, while its circumference just above the base of the trunk was 14.6 metres. He estimated its age at 6000 years and assumed it to be the oldest tree on earth.
The Tenerife tree that Von Humboldt reported was unfortunately lost during a hurricane in 1867. Fortunately there were more of these giants on the island.
The largest remaining specimen (El Drago Milenario) can be admired in the village of Icod de los Viños, on the north coast of the island of Tenerife. This specimen is 17 metres high and three metres thick, and currently functions as a tourist attraction. Its age is estimated at 3000 years.
Interesting things worth knowing:
· In ancient times, the red resin meant “wealth”.
· In Egypt, dragon blood was used as a dye for fabrics, wool, pottery, ink, cosmetics.
· In the Middle Ages, dragon blood was associated with witchcraft because it was red.
· The dragon blood tree took a great religious role in the life of the Guanches (native inhabitants of Gran Canaria)
· In addition, they used the juice of the tree as a healing liniment and to embalm their dead.
· The dragon blood tree is the symbol of Gran Canaria.
· The stradivarius violins were painted with dragon blood.
· Some garage owners in the port city of Aden (Yemen) smear it as anti-rust on their bodywork.
· Dragon blood coagulates the blood.
