The tree that shoots seeds at 150 mph shows one of nature’s fastest plant movements | – The Times of India
In tropical forests across Central and South America, a quiet tree hides one of the most violent forms of seed dispersal found in nature. Known to scientists as Hura crepitans and to locals as the dynamite tree, it earns its name not through myth but through sound and force. When its fruit reaches maturity, it does not fall or split gently. Instead, it explodes. The blast sends seeds flying at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour, scattering them across a wide radius and startling anything nearby. The crack of the rupture can echo through the forest, brief but unmistakable. Researchers study this phenomenon to understand how plants store and release energy, while communities nearby have long learnt to keep their distance when the fruit is ripe.
The sandbox tree shoots its seeds at 150 miles per hour
A part of the fruit that has cracked open reveals the process to be almost violent. At full maturity, sandbox tree fruit is characterised by explosive dehiscence, a farmhand term for a process wherein a fruit pod splits apart violently rather than opening gradually. The pressure that accumulates within the fruit as it dries is abruptly discharged, thereby giving out a cracking, gunshot-like sound. The pod disintegrates into its constituent sections, each one separating from the core and scattering seeds in all directions. Investigations based on calculations have pointed out that the seeds might travel at speeds as high as 241.40 kilometres per hour (150 miles per hour), and thus, if they fall 60 feet away from the parent tree, it would be quite natural. The force and suddenness with which the tree’s fruit explodes is the reason it is called the dynamite tree. This is a name justified by the sound and speed of the blast rather than being an exaggeration or a metaphor.
Strange how fruit build enough force to explode
The fruit of the sandbox tree looks solid and calm, shaped like a segmented pumpkin. Inside, however, tension is slowly building. As the fruit matures, its tissues dry out. Different layers lose water at different rates. Because plant cell walls are rigid, this uneven drying creates stress. The fibres resist shrinking along certain directions, causing the fruit to warp slightly while storing elastic energy. Over time, the pressure increases. The seams holding the segments together weaken. When they finally give way, the release is sudden. In milliseconds, the fruit shatters, and seeds are launched outward at extreme speed, some travelling hundreds of feet.
Explosions are loud and dangerous
The sound of the fruit bursting is not subtle. It is sharp, almost like a small explosion, loud enough to startle wildlife and nearby humans. Seeds become hard projectiles, capable of causing injury. This is why people are warned not to stand near the tree when the fruit is ripe. The explosion is not meant to defend the tree. It is simply an efficient way to spread seeds over a wide area. By flinging them far away, the tree reduces competition with its own seedlings. Distance, not protection, is the goal.
What else makes Sandbox tree riskier to approach
The fruit is only part of the hazard. The trunk of the sandbox tree is covered in dense, pointed spines, earning it names like monkey no climb. The sap is also toxic. Contact with skin can cause irritation, and ingestion leads to serious illness. If sap reaches the eyes, it can cause severe damage. These traits reinforce the need for caution. The tree does not hide its dangers. They are visible, physical, and well known to those who live nearby.
The sandbox tree still fascinates scientists
Scientists are still investigating the sandbox tree, as it accomplishes a rare feat in the world of plants. It is able to perform one of the fastest movements seen in nature without having muscles or nerves. Its fruit’s mechanics provide scientists with valuable insights into how living tissues can accumulate and discharge energy. The findings are not limited to the field of botany, as they also affect the design and engineering of materials. However, outside of the laboratories, the tree remains unchanged, just as it has always been. It is silent and motionless for a long time, then all of a sudden it produces a loud noise. Its seeds get spread. The forest becomes still again.
