Scientists had previously suspected that some trees evolved to tolerate lightning, but evidence to back it up was lacking. In 2022, Cary Institute scientist Dr. Evan Gora and colleagues demonstrated for the first time that trees differ in their ability to survive getting hit by lightning. Further research has revealed that trees can actually benefit from these electric jolts.
Estimates suggest individual Dipteryx oleifera trees (also known as tonka bean or almendro tree) are directly hit by lightning every 56 years, on average. The remarkable ability to survive lightning strikes and benefit from the removal of lianas and competitors gives D. oleifera trees a major advantage over other trees. According to the scientists' calculations, lightning tolerance boosts the species’ ability to produce offspring by 14 times.
