I Saved You

It has no roots and barely any branches or foliage, in reality that tree should have died; but his neighbor has saved him and he survives thanks to the embrace.

Just by looking at it you can understand why it has been named The Tree of Hope. Someone decided to cut it down, and thanks to his partner who has supported and fed it ever since, they wake up together every spring and sleep together in the fall.

What has allowed this saving embrace is a natural phenomenon called inosculation (or anastomosis) in which branches, trunks or roots of different trees grow together sharing nutrients and water in a mutual collaboration that promotes this process, biologically similar to grafting.

This special bond between two living beings occurs spontaneously. It’s more common between trees of the same species, although it can also happen between different species, as long as they are genetically related.

The term inosculation that identifies this union derives from the Latin “osculari”, which means to kiss.

And in the photo those kissing are two beech specimens, of the Fagus species, native to the temperate zones of Europe, Asia, and North America.

It abounds in the Bükk National Park in Hungary, where this unique pair was discovered, a magnificent and moving symbol of how, despite the destructive attempts of humans, nature perseveres on surviving.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff