Dragon tree
The tree is known for its red resin, which resembles a dragon's blood.
When the bark or the leaves of the Canary Islands dragon tree are cut they secrete a reddish resin known as dragon's blood, and therefore the tree has got the English name “dragon tree”.
The resin has been used to dye wood, and the Stradivarius violins are colored with dragon's blood.
The Canary Islands dragon tree grows slowly and can live for hundreds of years. The largest dragon trees are up to 20 meters high and have a trunk that is more than 10 meters in circumference. The most famous Canary Islands dragon tree is found in Icod de Los Vinos on the island of Tenerife, where many thousands of visitors see it every year.
Fact box:
- Greenhouse location: Mediterranean house
- Danish name: Drageblodstræ
- Latin name: Dracaena draco
- Family: Asparagus family / Asparagaceae
- Natural habitat: The Canary Islands