The tree that survived the lightning strike is still thriving.

Lightning - Photo 1.

Dipteryx oleifera plants not only survive lightning strikes, but also become stronger - Photo: EARTH

A study published in the journal New Phytologist , led by forest ecologist Evan Gora of the Cary Institute for Ecological Research, shows that tonka bean (Dipteryx oleifera) not only survives lightning strikes, but also becomes stronger.

The tree thrives after being struck by lightning.

According to Earth , the study's findings change how we understand forest ecology. Instead of being a random phenomenon, lightning may play a deliberate role in helping certain tree species dominate, survive, and thrive.

In 2015, while surveying deep in the Panamanian jungle, Gora witnessed something strange.

A Dipteryx oleifera tree was struck by lightning but remained standing and was almost completely unharmed. The lightning strike was so powerful that it destroyed a parasitic vine clinging to the tree's crown and killed more than a dozen nearby trees. "It's stunning to see trees get struck by lightning and still be okay," Gora said.

Intrigued, Gora and his team began paying closer attention to the Dipteryx trees struck by lightning. They repeatedly observed the same phenomenon: these trees not only survived, but thrived.

By 2022, the research team had demonstrated that the ability to survive lightning strikes varies among tree species. Using advanced lightning detection technology, scientists tracked the fate of 93 trees that had been struck by lightning in Panama's Barro Colorado Nature Reserve.

Among them were nine Dipteryx oleifera trees, all of which survived. The damage was minimal – only a few patches of bark peeling off, and minimal leaf loss. In contrast, other tree species lost 5.7 times more leaves and had a high mortality rate. Within two years, 64% of them had died.

Meanwhile, the Dipteryx plant gains space and light. Lightning typically kills surrounding trees due to electricity traveling through vines, branches, or small gaps in the air. On average, each lightning strike destroys 9.2 nearby trees.

Lightning eliminates parasitic vines.

Parasitic vines are a threat in tropical forests. They suck light and nutrients from the host tree, making growth difficult. But for Dipteryx, lightning acts like a magical "scythe." After being struck, the level of vine infestation decreases by up to 78%, freeing the tree from the tangled burden.

Throughout the forest, Dipteryx trees have fewer vines than other species. Even trees that have never been struck by lightning seem to benefit from this tendency. Lightning not only affects individual trees, but also shapes the structure of the entire surrounding forest.

Over time, the surviving trees grew taller. 3D models from drones showed that the Dipteryx tree was about 4 meters taller than the nearest trees.

The researchers noted that their data provided the first evidence that some trees benefit from being struck by lightning. "Being struck by lightning is better than not being struck at all for Dipteryx oleifera," Gora said.

Why do lightning frequently strike the same type of tree? The answer may lie in their shape. Dipteryx trees are typically taller and have wider canopies than surrounding trees, making them up to 68% more likely to be struck by lightning. Their canopies act like natural lightning rods.

For Dipteryx oleifera, each tree is struck by lightning on average once every 56 years. These trees live for centuries, even over a thousand years. That means a tree could be struck more than ten times in its lifetime.

One individual in the study was struck by lightning twice in just five years but did not weaken. Each time it was struck, the tree gained more space, light, and strength. Gora's team also discovered that this lightning resistance allowed the tree to produce 14 times more fruit than other trees.