Giant groundsel (Dendrosenecio kilimanjari) is a unique plant found only on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. (Photo credit: Autumn Sky Photography via Alamy)
On the slopes of the mid-height of this mountain grows an unusual plant not seen anywhere else on the planet. The giant ragwort, resembling a hybrid of a pineapple and a saguaro cactus, began to colonize the slopes of Africa's highest mountain about a million years ago and has remained in one place ever since.
Kilimanjaro giant groundsels (Dendrosenecio kilimanjari) live at altitudes between 9,200 and 13,100 feet (2,800 and 4,000 meters), where they receive enough rainfall to survive, according to tour operator Tranquil Kilimanjaro. The plants have adapted to the mountain's harsh conditions by developing water storage systems and a protective layer of dead leaves.
Situated in northeastern Tanzania, Kilimanjaro's base is hot and humid, but temperatures at the summit, 19,340 feet (5,895 m) above sea level, can drop to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 29 degrees Celsius). According to tour operator Climbing Kilimanjaro, the mountain “creates its own weather,” with scorching sun, snow, rain and biting winds occurring at varying altitudes at any time of year.
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