A Mystery In Panama Waiting To Be Solved,

why do some trees growing in a valley have square trunks?

a few miles north of the Panama Canal Zone lies the Valley of Square Trees, a unique tourist attraction where trees of the cottonwood family have rectangular trunks and not just square trunks, but when cut the trees have wood squares, not wood rings!

this group of square-shaped cottonwood trees grows in a valley created from the ashes of a giant volcano, El Valle de Anton,

most of the “arboles quadrados” in El Valle de Anton are Quararibea asterolepis, a species native to Central and South America known for the unusual shape of its trunk, instead of the usual cylindrical shape of the trunk, this tree apparently has a more flanged, almost square shape,

 the trunks of the square trees have baffled tourists and scientists alike for several years. Experts from the University of Florida took saplings of the mysterious trees to see if they retain the same characteristics in a different environment, and concluded that their square shape must have something to do with conditions unique to the valley in which they grow, but what? so is this a natural phenomena or as someone suggested a  cunning plan to lure in tourists? I really do not know, but what fascinating place to visit.