Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
Tropical Dry Forest Plants
Tropical Dry Forest Plants. Tropical dry forests have a diverse array of locations and species. Tropical dry forests are similar to desert climes, but they receive just enough rain to support life. There are many plant characteristics shared in tropical forests, according to Bob Chamlee of the Los Cabos Guide. Characteristics that define tropical...
Tropical dry forests have a diverse array of locations and species. Tropical dry forests are similar to desert climes, but they receive just enough rain to support life. There are many plant characteristics shared in tropical forests, according to Bob Chamlee of the Los Cabos Guide. Characteristics that define tropical dry forest plants are the way they use water or nutrients and their methods of protection from grazing herbivores, reports the Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation (CFTC).
Columnar cacti are an excellent example of dry forest vegetation, says Chamlee. Columnar cacti store water and nutrient reserves during dry seasons. Blooming occurs quickly following rains, and large and numerous blossoms attract many insects for pollinating. Columnar cacti may take nearly 100 years to fully develop.
Acacias are shrubs and bushes common to tropical dry forests, says Chamlee. These green-leafed bushes developed thorns to protect themselves from grazing animals--though many giraffes still feed on acacias. Many acacias have a symbiotic relationship with nectar lovers like ants, which keep other insect species,as well as herbivores, at bay.
Ceiba trichastandra deciduous trees developed an interesting way to continue photosynthesis after the leaf loss that occurs when dry seasons set in. These trees have green bark that continues photosynthesis, without the presence of leaves, according to the CFTC. Ceiba trees are spiny when young, to deter herbivores. They develop enormous bases as they grow to giant proportions--up to 230 feet.
