Trees from above

Following the great initiative from @czechglobalhosts on supporting forests (check their blog and you´ll know what I mean), remembered to post about a type of fascinating (or deadly?) trees I just recently discovered.

Strangler figs are a number of trees from the genus Ficus, that instead of growing from the ground, start their growth on top of a host tree. They develop roots that go to the ground, encircling the host tree, while some also grow upwards to reach the sunlight zone. With time, the constriction of the trunk of the host tree by the Ficus roots and the competition for water, light and nutrients from the Ficus can cause the host to die, hence the name "strangler". They can become huge, like here:

And in some, the killing of the host can even lead to a hollow tree, creating something as beautifull as this: