In the tropical dry forest of northern Colombia, plants have evolved remarkable strategies to protect their seeds and ensure they germinate at the right time and in the right place. When we grow trees in Proyecto Tití’s nursery, we often have to replicate those natural processes so the seeds will successfully sprout. In many ways, our nursery is a place where we learn directly from the forest itself.
A great example is a tree called Orejero (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) also known as Guanacaste or elephant-ear tree. This impressive species belongs to the Fabaceae family, a group of plants that is widely distributed throughout the tropical dry forest. Many plants in this family have seeds with high protein content because they are able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, enriching the soil around them. That ability makes trees like the Orejero especially important in forest restoration. By improving soil quality, they help create conditions that allow other plants to grow, supporting the natural succession of the ecosystem.

Seeds That Need a Little Help

The Orejero produces a large, curved fruit that contains between 7-10 seeds surrounded by a sticky, gummy material. This gum is very attractive to mammals. While cotton-top tamarins enjoy feeding on gum, they usually obtain it from the tree trunk rather than from the fruit. They also use large Orejero trees as places to rest and seek refuge in the forest canopy.
Other mammals interact with the fruit in a different way. Animals such as squirrels eat the fruit and play an important role in dispersing the seeds. When a squirrel consumes the fruit, the seeds pass through its digestive system. During this process, the tough outer coating of the seed—called the seed coat or testa—begins to break down. Later, when the squirrel deposits the seeds in the forest through its droppings, the seed coat has been weakened. This allows the seed to absorb water more easily, which is one of the key triggers for germination. In other words, squirrels are helping the forest grow—one seed at a time.
 

Recreating Nature in the Nursery

In Proyecto Tití’s tree nursery, we sometimes need to recreate this natural process ourselves.  First, we need to remove the seeds from seed pod.  Each pod can contain between 7 to 10 seeds. Our team gently cuts aways the dried pod to extract the seeds.
Orejero seeds have a very hard seed coat, which protects them in the wild but can also slow germination. To help the seeds sprout, our team performs a technique called scarification, which carefully scratches or weakens the outer seed coat. After scarifying the seeds, we hydrate them in water for about 30 minutes before planting them.  This process mimics what might naturally happen when a seed passes through an animal’s digestive system. By softening the seed coat and allowing water to enter more easily, we help the embryo inside begin the germination process much more quickly. It’s a wonderful example of how restoration science often mirrors what already happens in nature.

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The seeds are planted in our germination beds, where they are carefully monitored and given the right conditions to grow. Within 4 days  the seeds begin to germinate, and a new tree starts its journey toward becoming part of the restored forest.
Look at how quickly they grow in just a few days!

 

 

A Tree with Many Benefits

The Orejero is also an important species for local communities. Its leaves and fruits can be used as forage for livestock, making it valuable for farmers. Because the tree fixes nitrogen in the soil, it also helps improve soil fertility, creating better conditions for other plant species to grow. All of these characteristics make Orejero an excellent species for restoration efforts in the tropical dry forest.

Learning from the Forest

Every seed we grow in our nursery tells a story about how plants survive, adapt, and regenerate forests. By understanding these strategies—whether they involve animals, digestion, rainfall, or seed coatings—we can better support the natural processes that allow forests to recover. Nature has already designed remarkable solutions. Our job is simply to learn from them. And sometimes, that means thinking like an agouti!