Native to southern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala, this slow-growing tree is adapted to seasonally dry tropical forests and rocky slopes, typically thriving at elevations up to about 4,900 ft. It develops a characteristic swollen basal trunk that stores water, allowing survival through prolonged dry periods. Mature plants can reach 50 ft in height, producing long, strap-like leaves that cascade in dense rosettes from branch tips. Flowering usually occurs in late spring to early summer on large, branched panicles up to 3 ft long, each bearing hundreds of small, creamy yellow blossoms. The species is dioecious, with separate male and female plants, and successful fruiting occurs only when both sexes are nearby. Photographed in Florida.