8 April - Day 56

Mangroves are found in the Northern Territory of Australia. We also saw Mangroves during our honeymoon in Thailand.

Mangroves are plants that live between the sea and the land, where they are flooded by tides.
One of the most interesting features of the mangrove is the pencil-like above ground roots that surround them like a small forest. These roots act as supports for the plants and are an extension of the underground roots. Mangroves have the amazing ability to turn salt water into fresh water, through their photosynthesis process by breathing air through these roots when they are exposed at low tide. They are totally submerged twice a day by the incoming tide and absorb water and minerals from the mud.
The white mangrove produces the only mangrove fruits eaten by Aboriginal people. However, the toxins are first removed by soaking them in mangrove mud for three to seven days until they turn black. They are then rinsed and boiled twice or roasted until the skin and black color is gone.