The Banyan Trees are in the village of Boca Grande. They were planted in 1915 and have with stood 225 mph wind gust for aprox. 12 hours in 2022 from hurricane Ian. The 7 mile long barrier island had a lot of damage at that time.

[MikeNArk]

I like those twisted and contorted tree trunks with their broad root bases. Tropical trees are distinctly different.. A very nice series of images, rhanz. Thanks for sharing.

[OrchidJulie]

Beautiful images! These distinctly show the secondary trunks that form when the aerial roots finally reach the ground.

[rhanz]

I like those twisted and contorted tree trunks with their broad root bases. Tropical trees are distinctly. A very nice series of imaged, rhanz. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for your input and interest in the photos.

---------- Post added 07-21-23 at 10:54 AM ----------

Beautiful images! These distinctly show the secondary trunks that form when the aerial roots finally reach the ground.

Thank you for your comments. My wife and I also went to Marie Selby Gardens where I took a few more Banyan trees and beautiful flowers which I will be posting.

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Last edited by rhanz; 07-21-2023 at 12:43 PM. Reason: Error in my sentence

[OrchidJulie]

Thank you for your comments. My wife and I also went to Marie Selby Gardens where I took a few more Banyan trees and beautiful flowers which I will be posting.

Looking forward to it! BTW, Ian was a nasty hurricane to be sure, but I think the winds were more in the 125mph range...to my knowledge no hurricane -- not even category 5 Andrew -- has had winds more than 160mph.

[MikeNArk]

Looking forward to it! BTW, Ian was a nasty hurricane to be sure, but I think the winds were more in the 125mph range...to my knowledge no hurricane -- not even category 5 Andrew -- has had winds more than 160mph.

Hurricane Camille had winds had winds at 175 mph when it hit Bay St. Louis, Mississippi on August 17, 1969. I was at Alvin Callender Field, south of New Orleans, the night it made landfall.

[rhanz]

Looking forward to it! BTW, Ian was a nasty hurricane to be sure, but I think the winds were more in the 125mph range...to my knowledge no hurricane -- not even category 5 Andrew -- has had winds more than 160mph.

I agree with you about the winds but I got the info from the visitors guide. Winds were not sustained but they did clock gusts at 225

[angkymac]

Those powerful roots and trunks can withstand just about any kind of nature thing.
Very impressive trees!
Angky

[OrchidJulie]

I agree with you about the winds but I got the info from the visitors guide. Winds were not sustained but they did clock gusts at 225

I would be suspicious of that number. Not saying there weren't gusts of that magnitude, but I find that number questionable. Not arguing with you, believe me, but the folks who put that visitors guide together may have been stretching the numbers a wee bit.

[OrchidJulie]

Hurricane Camille had winds had winds at 175 mph when it hit Bay St. Louis, Mississippi on August 17, 1969. I was at Alvin Callender Field, south of New Orleans, the night it made landfall.

Interesting. Camille -- a Cat 5 storm, as was Andrew (1992, I was here for it) destroyed all the wind-measuring instruments. So did Andrew. So nobody really knows, the reported wind speed numbers are best estimates based on other measurements and the level of destruction. Whatever they were, these were two monster storms. Ian was no slouch but it wasn't a Camille or an Andrew.