The Amate Tree

In many villages around El Salvador, the amate tree (figure 1) is highly respected. Its structure is unusual and full of mysteries. Its branches have a wailing appearance and the thickness of its foliage. The tree is a piece of art, but it is also a symbol of fear.

Figure 1. The amate tree.

Many old people say you can’t sleep at night under the Amates because they throw bones. There is on top of the legend that a flower blooms from it that can be seen only by deaf and young children. Inhabitants of Morazán evade the tree at night. They say it is the moment when the trees scare the most.

Some people throw bones to frighten it. However, if they don’t do it on time, the devil appears and offers them whatever they desire. It’s advisable not to pass near them when the sun has set in the sky.

The amate trees abound in warm places, especially in Central America and Mexico. In El Salvador, the place where these trees are more common is Morazán. At a certain distance, you can always see an amate tree shading the road, and in the cattle on some farms.

There are on top people who do not have a hint of fear of the monumental trees. Many children play among their branches, and more than one collects their fruits to taste them.

People called the amate flower called sicono, but they cannot see it because it is microscopic. Also, it has a beautiful cup-shaped structure with a small opening in front, and when it ripes, it becomes a fleshy and juicy fruit similar to a fig.

The amate tree is extremely unusual in nature. Many farmers created a legend only children and the deaf can see for a few months during the year.

However, some scientists try to explain the birth of fruit. They affirm that in the formation of its fruit, there are some Agaonidea wasps involved. These wasps are responsible for the formation of the fruit and its malign shape.
Location: Morazán Department, El Salvador

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