Socotra’s montane forest

Socotra is known for its hot and dry climate with sand dunes and dragon blood trees, but the island also has a forest! The Haghier mountains of the interior receive enough rain to sustain a dense and evergreen montane forest. The dragon blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari) also thrives at these elevations, giving the forest a feature found nowhere else. In addition to the evergreens there are also several deciduous tree species, like the Spiniluma discolor, adding colors of autumn during shedding.