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Tropical Dry Forests
The tropical dry forests in Costa Rica are rare and don't contain many plants. The trees in these areas are short, stocky and they dont usually grow more than 45 feet high. They are much more endangered than the tropical rain forest which is due to heavy deforestation and fires in the northern region of the country, where they are located. They now only make up 2% of their former range.
Beneath the canopy, the species of trees and shrubs are smaller and they only have two strata. Also, the profusion of epiphytes and the year-round lush than those in the rainforest and it is relatively sparsely vegetated, unlike the tropical rainforest.
During the dry season, the forests undergo a dramatic seasonal transformation. Visitors can witness the beauty of these forests when the trees substitute their leaves for beautiful flowers of all colors. The beige color of the tree trunks and shrubs contrasts with the pastel-colored flowers, that can be white, orange, purple and pink. The purple jacaranda, pink-and-white meadow oak, yellow corteza amarilla, scarlet poró, and the bright orange flame-of-the-forest exploding in Monet colors in the midst of drought; a sight worth seeing.
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