Hedyosmum bonplandianum

Native from Central America to Ecuador, this aromatic tree grows in humid mountain and cloud forests. Its trunk branches low, and some lower branches develop roots that reach the ground. Opposite leaves have finely toothed margins and pointed tips, with small stipules and a distinctive ridge between the leaf bases. The inconspicuous greenish-white flowers and small rounded fruits are enclosed by fleshy bracts. Cut branches readily sprout and root, allowing the tree to be used in living fences. Photographed in Colombia.