Toborochi Tree in Bloom Featured in
The name toborochi means "pregnant tree" making reference to the trunk's amphora-like shape. One local legend states that many years ago evil spirits used to haunt and kill Bolivians until the beautiful daughter of a tribal chief married the god Colibri, and their son killed the spirits. However, the latter decided to murder a poor woman along with the baby in her womb. She tried to fly away and hide from them, but the spirits pursued her until she hid in the tree trunk. There she finally gave birth to the son, who eventually fulfilled the prophecy, but his mother died in the tree.
Since then once a year in July she reveals herself in the form of splendid pink flower clusters that cover Bolivian toborochis. One may often see hummingbirds flying around the blossoms—in that way she still keeps in touch with her beloved husband. An abundance of toborochi trees can be found across Santa Cruz.
