What a pleasant surprise to arrive on Tower Island and see it totally transformed from the dry, gray, arid tinderbox of last week to the green paradise of this week. OK, it's been necessary to endure a bit of rain during this transitional season to have the islands turn this emerald color.
The plant responsible for the new color is the Palo Santo, which is Spanish for 'holy stick.' It's so called as it is in the incense family, and its wood is burned in churches on the South American continent. It is a tree that remains dormant with no leaves for most of the year, which it does to avoid transpiring during the dry season.
The first major rains trigger the quick production of leaves and flowers, with the fruits following soon after. Within a couple of weeks, the islands will be unrecognizable from the month before.
