Carrying a thrilling story, the Socratea exorrhiza palm makes people mistakenly think that they can “walk” among vast green forests. This tree variety, nicknamed “walking palm”, grows widely in Costa Rica as well as the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

The uniqueness of Socratea exorrhiza is that its roots are 1 meter long, hard, radiating from the base, clinging tightly to the ground like legs reaching out around. This is probably the reason why countless rumors have spread. enchanting.

From word of mouth, many tour guides have introduced tourists to “walking palm trees” during tours, making the story even more thrilling. Many people travel long distances to see interesting things in nature.

Because of the strange details, researchers also stepped in to find the truth hidden behind the ancient forests. Paleontologist Peter Vrsansky, working at the Institute of Earth Sciences of the Academy of Sciences Bratislava, Slovakia, went deep into the forest to observe closely for a period of time and confirmed the shock he had witnessed in the palm species. This moves.

As new roots form, the old roots die and the entire plant bends in the direction of the new roots. “The process of moving plants to better light and solid ground can take several years,” he said.

Legendary stories about “walking palm trees” moving from shade to sunlight have been published in online and printed newspapers, making people even more curious and excited.

However, the story of “walking palm trees” is just a myth that has been voiced by other researchers. According to biologist Gerardo Avalos, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development Research in Atenas, Costa Rica, the tree cannot move because the roots are stationary in place. Some of the surrounding roots may die and be replaced by new roots, but the tree remains in its original position.

However, researchers still do not know what effect the unique roots of this plant have. Some opinions say that many roots help trees stand firmly in swamps. There is a view that high roots help trees reach light without having to increase the diameter of the trunk… Up to now, everything is still the same. hypothesis, no work has been confirmed yet.

While there are still mysteries about the “walking palm tree” in the deep forest, it also means that thrilling stories surrounding it still attract many visitors as well as groups interested in exploring the natural world. find.