Ceroxylon quindiuense (Quindío Wax Palm)

Native to Colombia and northern Peru, this solitary palm tree is Colombia’s national tree and the tallest palm species in the world, reaching about 200 feet. It grows in humid mountain forests; in Colombia, it occurs between about 5,100 and 10,200 feet. Its pale, ringed trunk has a wax coating once used to make candles. The round, orange-red fruits feed thrushes, toucanets, and parrots, including the yellow-eared parrot. It is endangered in Colombia. Forest clearance and cattle grazing hinder the establishment of seedlings, leaving some pastures with old palms and little replacement growth. Photographed in the Cocora Valley, Colombia.