History of the Divi-divi tree

The divi-divi tree (Caesalpinia coriaria) grows pods which contain large amounts of tannin. Until the 1950's, this tannin was exported to Holland, where it was used in tanneries (which converted animal hides into leather). Visitors to the park should look for divi-divi trees on hilltops, where the constant winds have forced the trees to grow almost sideways.

The divi-divi tree, called watapana in the Arawak language, is perhaps the most recognizable Aruban icon. It's an endemic bush in the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao), and you'll see images of it on tourist T-shirts, mugs, hats, and on several place-names around the island. The divi-divi, usually never more than a dozen or so feet tall, is permanently bent, at nearly a right angle, with its Medusa-like branches seemingly swept back by the wind. All divi-divi trees point to the west, in the direction of the trade winds that come from the northeast.