Whistling Thorn

African trees · symbiosis · ants · nature's partnership

Grows in East Africa. The whistling thorn is a tree found naturally in East Africa that can grow up to 6 meters tall, about as high as a two-story house.

Spines make whistling sounds. When wind blows through the tree's hollow, swollen spines that have tiny holes made by ants, it creates a beautiful whistling noise, which is how the tree got its name.

Ants live inside the spines. The tree's bulbous spines are completely hollow and become homes for several different kinds of symbiotic ants that hollow out the inside and make their colonies there.

Perfect partnership. The ants get a safe home inside the swollen spines, while the tree gets protection from being eaten by insects and animals that the ants chase away.

Straight spine pairs. At each node along the branches, the whistling thorn grows a pair of straight spines with large, bulbous bases that create the hollow chambers ants need.