Things Growing in the Jungle

   Just look at the miracle of a growing banana.  From the 3rd floor walkway of our apartment building we have a bird's eye view of these bananas and the huge purple blossom hanging below the growing bananas. Bananas don't grow on trees, but from huge stalks that grow up from the ground in a cluster. The large swaying "leaves" are tree-like and as they blow in the wind the sound is as rushing, rustling waves.  The leaves then begin a lovely shredding process making the impact stunning. The blossoms are a surprise to see and apparently are a delicacy to eat. When allowed to grow, the blossom pulls back layer by layer revealing little fingers of bananas and then another.  It then takes weeks for the bananas to mature. The miracle of it all is entrancing when one has this view of the creation of bananas.
 

 
Once these stalks have completed their purpose, they turn brown and die away.  It is  a big job clearing out old banana leaves from the jungles.  Here Elders Stewart and Roco are joined by Tori Cepada in clearing away the remains at Linda Castro's property.

 

 

The picture below is a betel nut tree and for all its beauty, it brings ugliness to many islander people who chew the betel nut.  The price paid for its euphoric effect on users is stained red teeth and disease to gums and mouth.  This tree covers islands of the Pacific and causes problems for those who want to join the Church since the betel nut drug is against the word of wisdom.

It probably wouldn't be wise to park you car or stand under this coconut tree. Coconut trees are everytwhere on Saipan of all different sizes.  The palm leaves are beautiful.  Coconut milk is used in alot of cooking and for just drinking staight from the fruit.  There is no industry here to make more of the coconuts which seems a waste.

Can you see the papaya tree?  They also come in all sizes and heights.  This slender trunk reaching up against the banana leaves has fruit up so high that only a young, strong barefoot man can reach it by climbing like a monkey up the trunk.  We have seen that done for betel nut and coconuts, so we assume that is the way to reach high fruit of any sort. 

And one more banana plant.  This is a different variety.  Reading on line about the growth of a banana, it sounds like it takes as long as a human baby before birth, that's right, from start to finish a banana can take up to 9 months. 

 

 

This is the smallest bunch of bananas and tiniest bananas we have ever seen.  They were delicious, but almost too much trouble to peel  and eat, because eating just one doesn't quite do it. 

 

 

Here is a young mango tree with ripening fruit that you can just reach out and pick, this is on Lumbana's place.  The other mango tree is old, how old we don't know, but it is huge and looks very, very old.  This is the mango tree which our four church buildings surround.  In May it fills up with fruit. 16 year old Andres it the topmost branches picking ripe mango for us.

 

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