Happy "Love a Tree Day"!
Pinky promise we are not making this day up. Every year on the third Friday of April, trees are celebrated all around the world. And we think it's well-deserved that trees get to be celebrated at least one day a year!
Today is the perfect day to get outside, hug a tree (or two), and learn more about the vital role they play in our lives and this planet. Trees are truly magnificent! From reducing air pollution to providing shade and homes for animals, they are an important part of our environment.
We hear you coffee-lovers thinking: what about our beloved coffee plant? Are they trees or shrubs? Let's find out, together with some other fun facts we bet you didn't know about (coffee) trees!
1. Coffee: tree or shrub?
All coffee lovers ask themselves this question at some point on their coffee journey. So what's the answer? Shrub or tree?
Well, it turns out that coffee is ... both! They are considered trees because they can grow up to 20 meters tall, but they are also considered shrubs because some species have more than one trunk.
The most correct is to refer to a coffee plant as a tree or shrub depending on the species. Some coffee species, like Liberica, are best referred to as trees because they can grow into very tall trees. Other less commonly known coffee species, like Humbertii and Rhamnifolia, are best referred to as shrubs because they stay rather small and are multi-stemmed.
Conclusion? Since our beloved coffee can take on different shapes depending on the environment it is growing in, it's okay to call it a shrub or a tree.
2. Trees can talk to each other!
Trees communicate with each other through their "wood wide web"! Thanks to a special type of fungi called “mycorrhizae” growing on the roots of trees, they can talk to each other and even share nutrients.
How does it work? Visualize a giant underground web connecting all these fungi, and thus all the trees. Through this web, they can share vital resources like water and carbon! How cool is that!?
3. There are more trees than people
Despite the gloomy, yet realistic, fact that our planet started with about 6 trillion trees and now only has half of that left, there are still more trees on Earth than there are humans!
It is never too late to turn the tide though! Every small step matters and thanks to initiatives like Treedom you can gift or plant a tree to make our planet greener again.
4. Trees hold us together
Did you know that trees bind soil and absorb excess water? Their roots literally prevent soil from being carried away and fight desertification. Trees play a vital role in ecosystems providing many animals with food and protection.
From squirrels, koalas and birds to a multitude of insects and small fish living in mangrove forests; there are numerous animals depending on trees for finding shelter, shade and a home.
5. Trees make us happy and help kids' brains grow
It's a well-researched fact that spending time outdoors has many benefits: it supports our social, mental, physical and emotional well-being. More specifically, being outside in nature lowers stress, anxiety and depression while increasing energy, concentration, creativity and vitality.
There are even studies showing that kids who spend time amongst trees have better brain development. How absolutely amazing is it that a simple walk in the forest can do us so much good!?
We hope that you learned some fun things about trees today and that next time you go outside you find yourself having a newfound appreciation for these magnificent giants and all they do for us!
Now, excuse us while we're taking our cup of coffee outside for some forest bathing.
