A Tree That Will Stop You in Your Tracks

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN ECUADOR

BY MID-DECEMBER the seasonal rains had not yet fallen on the Ecuadoran coastal plains. Dust covering the rolling hills gave the vegetation a lackluster appearance. Overhead a solid gray mass of clouds made for a rather gloomy day as a group of travelers rode along a highway, headed west to the Pacific Ocean. Suddenly, all eyes were riveted on a tree at the side of the road. The car came to a sudden halt. What tree had they seen?

A guayacan tree in full bloom! The momentary silence was broken by an exclamation: “How beautiful! Did you ever see such radiant color? I have seen many flowering trees of pink, purple, red, or orange, but this one surpasses them all in sheer brilliance!”

After admiring its golden beauty, they finally pulled away. Little did they know that this was just the beginning. A little way down the road, they came upon another guayacan tree in full bloom and then another. It seemed as if the hills were covered by bursts of golden sunshine! This was the annual season of the guayacan tree—the time when the somber forests come alive with an explosion of color.

However, the beauty of this flowering tree is not confined to one country. In fact, this tree is native to many parts of South and Central America. It is also known by such names as araguanay, guayacan amarillo, golden trumpet, and the trumpet tree, referring to its golden trumpet-shaped flowers. The scientific name is Tabebuia chrysantha.

The guayacan also produces a fine-grained wood from which high-quality furniture has been made for years. The resulting scarcity of this tree has made it necessary for some countries to place it under protective laws. This is to ensure that both natives and visitors may continue to enjoy its singular beauty when in bloom, though it be for only a few days and just once a year.

Without a doubt the guayacan is a living tribute to the greatest artist of all—our Grand Creator, the architect of this marvelous earth on which we live.