Frailejones

Frailejones are plants native to Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, these plants are found in the moorlands and play an extremely important role in the water cycle, as they have the ability to retain water from the fog and fix it in the soil. One of the most incredible characteristics is that they grow only one centimeter each year, so a frailejón of 2 meters high has lived around 200 years; this is also a huge challenge when it comes to preserving them, since replacing them is not easy at all. These photos were taken in the paramo of Belmira, Antioquia.