Botanical nightmares are often found in stories and movies, but the article published in ancient times about a man-eating tree creates confusion about its existence.
Carl Liche published the encounters of Dutch explorers in an article in the 19th century that we cannot ignore.
So, go through this article to find out if a man-eating tree actually exists or if the rumors are just a captivating myth.
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Man-Eating Tree Mythology
Basically, the concept of a Man-eating tree came from folk stories by golden agers from older times.
Eventually, those stories created a huge curiosity among humans.
Moreover, many novels, storybooks, and movies bank on these imaginations and make their content nowadays.
Later, Carl Liche wrote a buzzworthy article on the explorer’s encounter with the tree that added extra fuel to the fire.
Other mythological man-eating trees include the Doom tree from the Amazon rainforest, the Mandible from Africa, and the Tree of Death from India.
These rumors may have probably started due to real human sacrifice in the forest, where some people entered and never returned.
Does Man-Eating Tree Really Exist?
Although there are many folk stories and even sensational articles about the encounter with man-eating trees, there is no supporting evidence.
Moreover, these captivating myths are influenced by cultural misinterpretations and exaggerations that aren’t other than fiction.
However, these deadly trees and carnivorous plants may be the sources of influence among people.
1. Baobab Tree
Baobab trees are massive trees that gave the first concept of man-eating trees and are found in Africa, Madagascar, and Australia.
This giant tree isn’t deadly, but according to several folklore, this plant is mystical, and many spirits inhibit it.
Probably, it’s because the tree structure sometimes appears upside down due to its widely spreading, branchless crown.
Despite the rumours, there is no supporting evidence to prove that the Baobab tree is actually a man-eating tree.
2. Upas Tree
The Upas tree is a real tree from the Moraceae family native to Indonesia, but you can find it in Malaysia and the Philippines too.
Moreover, this giant tree reaches up to a height of 100 feet, creating a canopy of spreading branches.
Additionally, this deadly tree contains poisonous sap that causes skin irritation, blindness, and even death if people consume it.
However, the saying that the tree kills people at first sight is just a myth, and scientists disapprove of it later.
3. Strangler Fig
Strangler Fig is a tropical plant from the genus Ficus that first grows as epiphytes on the host trees.
Later, these trees strangle the host tree with the downward-growing roots and fully surround the tree trunk.
Hence, the epiphyte growing as a tree on the host plant may have inspired movie makers and writers to create horror stories.
4. Pitcher Plants
Pitcher plants are an amazing natural creation with an interesting pitcher-like structure with a sac.
The pitcher-like structure traps small insects like flies, mosquitoes, etc, to feed the plant as it is carnivorous.
Perhaps, the idea of giant trapping trees came from Pitcher plants due to their interesting insect-trapping nature.
However, no pitcher or trapping plants are giant enough to trap humans in their sticky sacs and consume them.
From Editorial Team
No Man-Eating Tree Exists!
The myth often presents the man-eating tree as the giant tree that swallows the whole human, trapped by its tentacles.
However, according to science, no tree contains tentacles, and the plant will require a complex digestive system to eat humans.
