Wax Palms of Cocora Valley

Enormous, slender trees stretch skyward in this verdant valley. The wax palms, which can grow to up to 200 feet tall, are the tallest type of palm tree in the world, as well as the tallest recorded species of monocot.

The Cocora Valley, which at its lowest is still roughly 5,900 feet above sea level, is the main place to find these quirky-looking trees. The Quindío wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) thrives in high-altitude places. It’s also an excellent home for endangered birds like the yellow-eared parrot.

With their slim trunks topped by clusters of leaves that resemble cottony tufts of greenery from a distance, the palms look like the whimsical trees in Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. But sadly, these fantastic trees are in need of their own little Lorax to save them.

The wax palms have unfortunately been threatened by habitat loss, overharvesting, and disease.