Although not generally a dangerous tree, Na'vi have learned to be wary of the gas balls, which can explode unexpectedly. The explosion creates a wide dispersal area for the tree's seeds.
The puffball tree also takes up naturally occurring sodium from the soil, much of which is extruded onto the surface of the leaves. The Na’vi collect the leaves to use the salt in their diets. Humans on Pandora discovered this important function of the puffball tree and returned samples to Earth to study its potential use in areas where overfarming and runoff has resulted in salty, unusable soil. Research is ongoing.
The puffball tree also takes up naturally occurring sodium from the soil, much of which is extruded onto the surface of the leaves. The Na’vi collect the leaves to use the salt in their diets. Humans on Pandora discovered this important function of the puffball tree and returned samples to Earth to study its potential use in areas where overfarming and runoff has resulted in salty, unusable soil. Research is ongoing.
