spongy material rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium, all essential for plant growth. Earthworms and rain further distribute humus through the top layers of soil ...

Unlike its desert cousins, it thrives in soil rich humus soils rather than sandy soil. But beware! It does not want to be too moist. That may cause root rot. Do not water it until the top ...

Soil organisms, like earthworms ... resulting in a layer of decaying leaves giving a rich humus. The deep roots of these trees reached down to the 'B' horizon, unlike with coniferous trees ...