It also occurred very locally in northern Ecuador where wax palm grows. One threat this species faces is the loss of the vulnerable wax palm. Yellow-eared parrots rely on the wax palm for much of their life cycle. The yellow-eared parrot uses the wax palm for nesting and roosting. The wax palm leaves can also be used in rustic roof making. There, she looked for the wax palm, cinchona, and herbs that bind to the soil. They are common from , and the wax palm ("Ceroxylon ceriferum") is common from . It is closely associated with the wax palm "Ceroxylon sp.", which itself is endangered. Pandan ("Pandanus amaryllifolius") and the red sealing wax palm ("Cyrtostachys renda") are common understory plants.