The Mighty Ombu Tree
The Mighty Ombu Trees are the Lighthouses of the Great Pampas Plains of South America.
The mighty Ombu is a massive tree/plant that grows between 40 and 60 feet in height and has a massive umbrella-like canopy of leaves that spreads 40 to 50 feet around. The Ombu tree grows unbelievably fast and needs little water to survive.
The Ombu tree is found in the South American countries of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. It grows on the flat, fertile plains known as the Pampas. Since water is often scarce on the Pampas the Ombu trees generally grow far apart and have large trunks that store water. The tremendous shade these mighty trees provide offers relief to travelers of the hot and dusty Pampas.
The Ombu tree trunks are fire resistant and the sap of the tree is poisonous so the grassland cattle, as well as locusts and other pests found on the Pampas, do not bother the trees. The wood of the Ombu is very soft and spongy and can easily be cut with a knife. The pliability of the tree makes it a very useful for bonsai.
Image via Wikipedia
These trees are relatively common in the Pampas grasslands but due to lack of water they tend to grow far apart. However they can be found in a large forest in Uruguay on the banks of the Castillos Lake. The Ombu tree is the national tree of Uruguay.
The Ombu tree has been imported to places like Southern California where it is used as a shade tree. But care must be taken by those planting the Ombu because its rapid growth can overwhelm anything else planted near it.
Ombu roots grow long and fast and can uproot concrete and its massive shading can prevent sunlight from reaching anything planted in the vicinity.
The mighty Ombu Trees have long been known as the “Lighthouses” of the Pampas because of the ample shade they provide to sun-drenched weary travelers of the hot open grasslands.
Image via Wikipedia
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7 Responses to “The Mighty Ombu Tree”
On March 9, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Beautiful tree. But, like you mentioned, the roots are hell. I saw a house that the foundation was destroyed after the roots grew under it and up through the floor of the home. Disaster! great article
On March 9, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Interesting info.
On March 9, 2009 at 6:39 pm
We need these trees in Georgia. We have been in a drought for the last few years and cannot water anything outside.
On March 9, 2009 at 8:21 pm
They are actually a bush, not a tree!
On March 9, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Yes, these do have a mind of their own
On March 9, 2009 at 10:49 pm
nice tree,i like to plant one
On March 10, 2009 at 10:12 am
Yes Brenda but “The Mighty Ombu Bush” didn’t sound quite right. I said tree/plant in the first sentence but these Evergreens are commonly called Trees by just about everybody.
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