Andesanthus lepidotus
Native from Panama to northwestern Venezuela and Peru, this tree can reach about 50 feet tall. Its papery bark peels away in layers, giving it the common name Sietecueros, or seven skins. It produces abundant five-petaled flowers, with purple, pink, and white forms. Small dry capsules release numerous tiny seeds. It is planted in parks and gardens and used to restore land degraded by farming and grazing, including along waterways. In Colombia, it grows between about 1,300 and 12,800 feet. Photographed in Colombia.




















