damaris.brisco
Skeletal Juniper
The Utah junipers (Juniperus osteosperma) here were massive compared to the ones in Monument Valley; this was a medium-sized specimen. You can see how the trunk grows in a corkscrew pattern, which helps the tree survive lightning strikes. Grand Canyon National Park averages 26,073 lightning strikes annually, and the junipers, Mexican cliffrose, and ponderosa pine have all adapted to the frequent strikes by growing in a form that disperses the electricity. We saw similar forms in Monument Valley, another place that experiences frequent lightning strikes.
Skeletal Juniper
The Utah junipers (Juniperus osteosperma) here were massive compared to the ones in Monument Valley; this was a medium-sized specimen. You can see how the trunk grows in a corkscrew pattern, which helps the tree survive lightning strikes. Grand Canyon National Park averages 26,073 lightning strikes annually, and the junipers, Mexican cliffrose, and ponderosa pine have all adapted to the frequent strikes by growing in a form that disperses the electricity. We saw similar forms in Monument Valley, another place that experiences frequent lightning strikes.