We observed a very beautiful tree is found naturally growing in Guanacaste - and its local common name is the same as the state.  The Guanacaste tree is also the National tree of Costa Rica.  The name comes from a Spanish translation of a local Indian word (cuauhnacaztli) which means "place of the ear tree”.

In its native environment, the Guanacaste has a broad spreading canopy that provides valuable shade to rangelands in arid areas of Northwest Costa Rica.  Larger Guanacaste trees with trunks over 3 feet in diameter may be 60 years in age. 

Besides valuable shade, this tree has other important assets.  Because it is a member of the bean family, it helps capture nitrogen from the air and puts it into the soil.  Its wood is decay resistant and light weight, which allows its use for canoes and wood paneling.

This enormous tree is often all that remains of larger Central American forest which were cleared for cattle grazing many years ago. They provide shade for the many other plants found growing below and support essential habitat for many frogs, birds, and insects.  This is why Guanacaste are often left standing in rangelands - and cattle eat the seed pods as well.  

Florida ’s Ear Tree

On our return to Florida, Miami-Dade Horticulture Agent Adrian Hunsberger was reviewing a book she acquired on the tour.  She was reading up on the Guanacaste tree, and found that its botanical name is Enterolobium cyclocarpum.  Something about that name finally brought a glimmer of recognition to me.  I finally remembered that this same tree grows in Florida; we call it the Ear Tree.  

This distinctive tree has seed pods shaped like a human ear.  I recall when I first moved to Orlando, vacant lands there often had these scraggly compound-leaved trees with curious, hard seed pods.  I have a friend from Orlando that remembers having Ear Pod “wars” as a kid – these were heavy missiles when flung at another person.  

The Ear tree in Florida is a non-native species.   Here it is generally considered undesirable because of wind damage, branch dieback with weak limbs and many messy seed pods. It is usually removed when new developments are built.

Comparing the species

The Guanacaste tree’s natural range is from Southern Mexico through Central America and extends into the northwest tip of South America .  It is well adapted to the dry climates and shallow rocky soils found in many areas of Central and South America .  Botanists call this an evergreen tree in its native range.

While these areas on the Pacific coast get similar annual rainfall amounts as does Florida, their precipitation is bunched into just a few months in the mid-summer. Strong breezes are likely to blow in this range, but hurricanes are uncommon on western lands of Central America. 

Ear trees were introduced as a curiosity to Florida. The UF Herbarium reports that the Ear Tree has been found in Lee, Manatee,  Orange, and Osceola counties.   I have personally seen them in Seminole and Indian River counties as well.  (To date, I have not seen it in Okeechobee County.)

A news report from the aftermath of Hurricane Frances reported the Florida Champion Ear tree, which covered nearly an acre of ground in Sarasota, was blown over during this 2004 hurricane.  UF Forestry professor Dr. Mary Duryea suggests that in Florida the Ear tree should be considered moderately weak as far as hurricanes are concerned. 

Some persons would consider the Ear Tree as invasive because it can rapidly grow from spreading seed pods.  UF has an invasive plant review process, and in March 2007, it concluded that this plant has not demonstrated invasive characteristics.

Under Florida’s conditions of seasonal cool temperatures,  and soils that are wet through a considerable part of the year, the Ear tree is deciduous.

Isn’t amazing how one plant can be appreciated as the right plant in the right place, but vastly unadapted in the wrong environment. Viva el Arbol Guanacaste, and remove those Florida Ear trees!