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Hear Us Out: 13 Legitimately Interesting Trees

One time, the only tree in a 250-mile radius got knocked down by a drunk driver.

Hear Us Out: 13 Legitimately Interesting Trees

April 24, 2023

Ah, trees. Yes, trees. The silent sentinels of the natural world, standing tall and proud, providing us with shade and shelter, and telling us stories of the past. For centuries, we’ve looked to them for guidance and inspiration, and they’ve never failed to deliver. Trees rock.

Today, we celebrate the beauty and majesty of trees with this list of 13 of the most remarkable trees in the world. From the Rainbow Gum with its colorful bark, to the 500-year-old Bridegroom’s Oak in Germany, to the 2,000-year-old olive tree in Greece, these trees are truly remarkable.

Let us take a moment to appreciate the beauty of these trees, and to reflect on the history and stories that they tell us. Let us also remember that, while these trees are awe-inspiring, they are also sometimes fragile and need our protection. So, let us take care of them, and continue to marvel at their beauty.

Trees.

13

A rainbow of beauty.

Rainbow Gum The Rainbow Gum is a big evergreen tree that's known for its amazing, colorful bark. In summer, the bark peels off to show its beautiful streaks of blue, purple, orange, and maroon. CRACKED — SEAN D THOMAS/Shutterstock
Gardenia

12

Tree absorbs gravestones.

The Hardy Tree Thomas Hardy placed hundreds of gravestones around a tree in London in the 1860s to make room for a train line. The stones have been absorbed by the tree, giving it a spooky, unique look. CRACKED — Alexander Chadfield/Shutterstock
Atlas Obscura

11

"Olive-ing" the past.

An ancient olive tree in Ano vouves, Greece This tree is thought to be over 2,000 years old. It still produces olives and is a symbol of Greek culture, having been used to make the wreaths for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. CRACKED — Peter Maerky/Shutterstock
Atlas Obscura

10

Wide tree, old age.

The widest tree on Earth The Tule Tree, in Santa María del Tule, Mexico is the widest known tree on the planet. It's over 38 feet wide, and thought to be around 1,500 years old. CRACKED — Rubi Rodriguez Martinez/Shutterstock
Atlas Obscura

9

500-year-old matchmaker.

Bridegroom's oak This oak in Germany has been around for 500 years, and it's been used as a matchmaker for singles since Kaiser Wilhelm II was in power It's said to have been responsible for more than 100 marriages. It's even got its own mailing address. CRACKED — Armin von Werner/Wiki Commons
Atlas Obscura

8

Gruesome evidence in a hollowed-out tree.

The Leper Tree In the 1950s, this hollowed-out baobab in Malawi was used as a burial site for people with leprosy. If you look inside the trunk, you can still see the gruesome evidence. CRACKED — Reprobate (via Atlas Obscura)
Atlas Obscura

7

Legendary tree in La Ceiba Park

Tree hugging for rewards At La Ceiba Park in El Salvador, there is a legendary tree believed to be 300 to 400 years old. Local legend says that if you hug the tree and thank it in Nahuatl, you will be rewarded with a gift from the spirit that lives inside. CRACKED — CK716888/Atlas Obscura
Atlas Obscura

6

Golf

CRACKED Trees interrupting the Masters golf tournament The tournament was paused when two big pine trees fell, barely missing spectators, like a bad Happy Gilmore sequel. — Mark Baker/AP (via CBS News)
CBS News

5

The Parliament Oak

Parliament oak The Parliament Oak in Warsop, England, is thought to be over 1,000 years old and is really important in history. It was the place where King John and King Edward I held two parliaments in the 12th and 13th centuries. CRACKED — Ann Ballinger/Wiki Commons
Atlas Obscura

4

Ancient Octopus Tree: Native American burial site?

octopus Tree This Sitka spruce tree in Tillamook, Oregon is thought to be around 250 to 300 years old. People think that Native Americans shaped it into its unique form with lots of thick vertical trunks for the purpose of tree burial. CRACKED — Alicia Mueller/Flickr
Atlas Obscura

3

Old Tjikko: Still standing after 9,550 years.

The world's oldest free Old Tjikko in Sweden is believed to be around 9,550 years old, making it the oldest living tree in the world. Not much to look at, though, and you'd never know if you didn't know. CRACKED — Viktorishy/Shutterstock
Atlas Obscura

2

Sacred spot for Shamanism.

The Mother Tree This tree in Mongolia is a sacred spot for those who practice Shamanism. It is decorated with blue scarves, and offerings of milk and vodka are made to it. People from Japan, Korea, and China come to the tree to pray and ask the spirits for help. CRACKED — Max Cortesi/Atlas Obscura
Atlas Obscura

1

Lonely no more: Tree of Ténéré felled in 1973.

CRACKED The loneliest tree on Earth For over three centuries, the Tree of Ténéré in Niger's Sahara desert was the loneliest tree on the planet-it was the only tree for 250 miles. Unfortunately, it was knocked down by a truck driver in 1973. — Michel Mazeau/Wiki Commons
Smithsonian Magazine

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