No other organism takes this long to mature sexually. There are an estimated 285,000 species of flowering plants on Earth compared to 148,000 for all other plants. Leaves of the Sumatra breadfruit tree are notched when they first form, yet have no indentations when the leaves mature. The Sitka spruce is Britain's most commonly planted tree. The Saguaro Cactus, found in the Southwestern United States doesn't grow branches until it is 75 years old.
Lightning keeps plants alive.
The intense heat of lightning forces nitrogen in the air to mix with oxygen, forming nitrogen oxides that are soluble in water and fall to the ground in rain. Plants need nitrates to survive, so without lightning, plants could not live. Pine, spruce, or other evergreen wood should never be used for barbecuing. These woods, when burning or smoking, can add harmful tar and resins to the food. Only hardwoods should be used for smoking and grilling, such as oak, pecan, hickory, maple, cherry, alder, apple, or mesquite, depending on the type of meat being cooked.