Yet an ancient ceiba tree Viequenses consider sacred is staging a remarkable comeback, one that symbolizes the resilience of the island itself for some residents. Ceiba trees, sometimes called kapok trees in English, dot the island, but there’s only one known as the ceiba. Alexander C. Kaufman / HuffPost Blossoms on Vieques' famous ceiba tree are seen closed in the afternoon sun on a Monday in late February. “But that means it’s healthy enough to go for more blooming.” The ceiba is the national tree of Puerto Rico. That system remained for decades after the United States conquered Puerto Rico following the 1898 Spanish-American War.

Source: Huffington Post March 05, 2019 17:37 UTC