Dividivi
🌳 Caesalpinia coriaria
Common Name: Dividivi
Papiamento Name: Watapana
Scientific Name: Caesalpinia coriaria
🌿 Description
The Dividivi is a small to medium-sized tree known for its distinctively wind-sculpted shape, often growing in dramatic, leaning forms due to constant trade winds. It has feathery, bipinnate leaves, small yellow-green flowers, and produces twisted brown seedpods that contain high levels of tannin.
It typically grows up to 6–9 meters in height, with a wide, spreading canopy that provides much-needed shade in dry landscapes.
🌎 Habitat & Range
Native to the coastal and arid regions of Aruba, Curaçao, and the mainland coasts of Central and South America. It thrives in rocky soils with minimal rainfall and is a staple in Aruba’s dry forest ecosystems.
🌱 Ecological Role
- Fixes nitrogen in the soil, improving fertility for nearby plants.
- Provides shade and habitat for birds, insects, and reptiles.
- Its tannin-rich seedpods were historically important in leather tanning.
🌴 Cultural Significance
An unofficial symbol of Aruba, the Dividivi’s wind-bent shape is often used to represent the island’s relationship with nature and the elements. Locally, its pods were once harvested for export due to their high tannin content.
🛡️ Conservation Status
âś… Not endangered, but its iconic form and ecological benefits make it a protected tree in some regions. Often used in urban landscaping and restoration projects due to its resilience and shade-providing properties.
đź’ˇ Fun Fact
Dividivi trees always point west—a result of decades of steady east-to-west trade winds shaping their growth. It’s often said that if you’re lost in the wilderness, just follow the direction the tree is leaning to find your way!