Natural treasures
In the city of Córdoba and its borders dotted with coffee crops, trees of all sizes enrich the lives of its inhabitants.
ReadLike standing before a cathedral
Its enormous height makes one tilt their head back just to take it all in. Its shadow blankets the entire street. This pochota (Ceiba pentandra) leaves an impression much like that of a cathedral.
Locals feel they live alongside a forgotten monument. They believe many tourists should come to see it. That a ladder could be placed so people might admire the splendor of its crown up close. And while they wish more people could see it, they feel honored to share its presence.
In honor of Don Mario (2021-03-29) by Heriberto Carrión (fotógrafo) and Norma Edith Falcón García (participante)Colectivo Rokunin
Years under the ashes
Several imposing thunder trees (Ligustrum sp) grew for years under the ashes that a sugar mill that is now inactive was spitting into the sky. Hundreds of workers thanked his shadow as now do those who wait to be seen at the nearby clinic.
This tree is native to China, Korea, and Japan. Highly resistant to air pollution, it is an introduced species in Mexico. It grows between 8 and 15 meters tall, with a broad crown, branched trunk, and glossy leaves.
It is considered a toxic species in all its parts for both humans and animals. However, it is widely used as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens. Its rapid adaptation and tendency to invade ecosystems require constant management.
Food for the imagination
Mango trees (Manguifera indica) crown the heights of the street. There is no house higher than them. They watch the neighbors come and go and improve their quality of life with shade, juicy fruit and food for the imagination, inspiring legends.
Three decades together
This ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) is nearly ten times the height of the woman who planted it in a bucket thirty years ago. In March 1991, she happened to meet some transport workers who gave it to her. Today, it enriches the view of her family business and fills her with pride.
Legacy of miniature plants
Decades of life in a tree don’t always translate into meters of height. Bonsais like this one (Bonsai Ligustrum sp.) are shaped by the hands of masters who, upon leaving this world, leave behind their legacy of miniature plants.
Ficus (2021-04-30) by Mark QuijanoColectivo Rokunin
Botanical jewel
The caretakers of the farm estate where this enormous fig tree (Ficus sp.) lives are well aware of its vital role in the surrounding ecosystem. It is their botanical jewel and they are deeply proud of it.
It is a native tree also known as castor, amate, amate blanco, or amacuáutl. In Mexico, there are an estimated 21 to 40 native species of Ficus (Moraceae).
Earthly connector to infinity (2021-03-27) by Heriberto Carrión (fotógrafo) and José Luis Muñoz Rosas (participante)Colectivo Rokunin
Three centuries of history
With around three centuries of history and a trunk ten meters in diameter, it is one of the undisputed protagonists of tourist routes. This natural gem of splendid beauty and size is surrounded by coffee plants and other fruit trees.
People come to learn about the cultivation of coffee and, after the visit, they understand that without the fig tree its flavor would not be the same.
Like in a museum
This giant mango tree (Mangifera indica) stands at the entrance of an ecological park in the middle of the city. Displayed like in a museum, it captivates passersby and earns their affection. Some have given it the name of an ancestral guardian, and others have buried their beloved pets among its enormous roots.
Eternal rest
This century-old tree is another eternal resting place, previously surrounded by orange trees and coffee; today he is on a golf course, known as El Cedro (Cedrela odorata) of Hole Nine. Players have taken such affection, that when the die, their ashes are scattered around him.
Wise grandfather (2021-04-04) by José Gabriel Molina (fotógrafo) and José Gabriel Molina Coria (participante)Colectivo Rokunin
Dinosaur leg
It is common that when someone rounds this curve on the road for the first time, they are left speechless by the vastness of the ceiba (Ceiba sp.). Its trunk reminds children of the leg of a gigantic dinosaur.
This specimen is admired by the community for its enormous roots and the beauty of its structure, being a protagonist of the landscape and protected by the neighbors.
Hanging from the sky
Young and old come to play under the ceiba. The chains holding several swings are barely visible, as if they hang from the very sky. This giantess is also surrounded by coffee plants, whose producers ensure she will live for many more years.
The first to arrive
The ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) was already there when the town that houses it was founded, 70 years ago. Witness of each agreement, assembly and party celebrated in the community plot, inspires its inhabitants with its ability to withstand strong winds and green each year.
Beauty lives on
Four childish hands dug the earth so that this oak (Tabebuia rosea) would have a good place to grow. The owner of two of those hands continues to take care of him and always remembers the little friend who planted him with her. He died shortly after, but his tree remains.
This is one of six online exhibitions resulting from Colectivo Rokunin's Trees 2021 Project. With an open call in the central area of Veracruz, citizens were invited to share important trees in their lives. Thanks to the involvement of more than 80 people (almost 60 participants, in addition to the jury, photographers, designers and artists) these testimonies of the powerful bond that unites humans and trees took shape.
Natural treasures
Trees Project, Colectivo Rokunin 2021, Veracruz, Mexico.
Text: Teresa Morte
Research: Norma Falcón and Itzel Mendoza
Style correction: Alejandra Mendoza
Design: Alejandra Mendoza, Roberto González and Teresa Morte
Illustrations: Mark Quijano
Photographs: Heriberto Carrión, Luis Díaz Barriga, Ever Nieves and José Gabriel Molina
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
With the generous support of Superiberia
