Famous trees come and go. L’Arbre du Ténéré was once considered the most isolated tree on Earth, a landmark on caravan routes in the Sahara, until it was knocked down by a drunk Libyan truck driver in 1973. This year in August, the famous Anne Frank tree in Amsterdam was blown down by high winds during a storm. Luckily, there are still many special trees out there. An overview of the most famous trees in the world.
Árbol del Tule, a Montezuma Cypress, is located in the town center of Santa María del Tule in the Mexican state of Oaxaca . It has the stoutest trunk of any tree in the world although the trunk is heavily buttressed, giving a higher diameter reading than q true cross-sectional of the trunk. It is so large that it was originally thought to be multiple trees, but DNA tests have proven that it is only one tree. The tree is estimated to be between 1,200 and 3,000 years old.
The Cotton Tree is an historic symbol of Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone. According to legend, the Cotton Tree became an important symbol in 1792 when a group of former African American slaves, who had gained their freedom by fighting for the British during the American War of Independence, settled the site of modern Freetown. They landed on the shoreline and walked up to a giant tree just above the bay and held a thanksgiving service there to thank God for their deliverance to a free land.
The Boab Prison Tree is a large hollow tree just south of Derby in Western Australia. It is reputed to have been used in the 1890s as a lockup for Indigenous Australian prisoners on their way to Derby for sentencing. In recent years a fence was erected around the tree to protect it from vandalism.
The Major Oak is a huge oak tree in the heart of Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, England. According to local folklore, it was Robin Hood’s shelter where he and his band of outlaws slept. The famous tree is about 800 to a 1000 years old. In 1790, Major Hayman Rooke, a noted antiquarian, included the tree in his popular book about the ancient oaks of Sherwood. It thus became known as The Major‘s Oak.
The Lone Cypress Tree near Monterey is probably the most famous point along the 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road through Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach. The road winds through miles of breathtaking coastal views of the Pacific, with turnouts along the way at the most historical and picturesque sites. The Monterey Cypress is a species of cypress that is endemic to the Central Coast of California. In the wild, the species is confined to two small populations, near Monterey and Carmel.
The Tree of Life in Bahrain is a mesquite tree which grows in the middle of desert. The tree is said to be 400 to 500 years old. Its long roots probably have found some underground water source, but it is still a miracle as it is the only green living organism living in a vast and barren desert. The local inhabitants believe that this was the actual location of the Garden of Eden.
The Dragon blood tree is arguably the most famous and distinctive plant of the island of Socotra. It has a unique and strange appearance, having the shape of an upside-down umbrella. This evergreen species is named after its dark red resin, that is known as “dragon’s blood”. The bizarre shape enables the tree to have optimal survival in arid conditions. The huge packed crown provides sufficient shade in order to reduce evaporation.
General Sherman is a Giant Sequoia located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in California. The famous trees of the Giant Forest are among the largest trees in the world. In fact, if measured by volume, five of the ten largest trees on the planet are located within this forest. At 11.1 meter (36.5 ft) along the base he General Sherman tree is the largest of them all. The tree is believed to be between 2,300 and 2,700 years old.
The Cedars of God is a small forest of about 400 Lebanon Cedar trees in the mountains of northern Lebanon. They are among the last survivors of the extensive forests of the Cedars of Lebanon that thrived in this region in ancient times. The Cedars of Lebanon are mentioned in the Bible over 70 times. The ancient Egyptians used its resin in mummification and King Solomon used the famous trees in the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem.
The Avenue of the Baobabs is a group of famous trees lining the dirt road between Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina in western Madagascar. Its striking landscape draws travelers from around the world, making it one of the most visited tourist attractions in Madagascar. The Baobab trees, up to 800 years old, did not originally tower in isolation over the sere landscape of scrub but stood in dense tropical forest. Over the years, as the country’s population grew, the forests were cleared for agriculture, leaving only the famous baobab trees.
Paul Robertson says
As Michelle says above “Being from New Zealand I was hoping to see Tane Mahuta on the list.”
Yes, well that giant New Zealand Kauri tree is pretty famous , but the world’s most famous tree is now “That Lake Wanaka tree”. It’s just a weed really, but there you go.
Carl Saad says
WOW. Great photos.
As a Lebanese citizen living next to the Cedar Reserve, I suggest all people who like mountainous green hikes to come and visit the Cedars of Lebanon.
Great photos! Thanks for visiting my blog today. I have actually seen the Prison Boab Tree and have some personal photos of it as I lived in that area in the 1980s 🙂
Donna Leavitt says
As an artist who has drawn trees from many parts of the world this article makes me eager to seek out even more of these wonderful beings. Many excellent specimens are right here in the forests of the Pacific NW!!
Jason Butler says
What about the Angel Oak near Charleston, South Carolina?
Charles Rahm (@DWJustTravel) says
What an amazing and inspiring list. I wonder how may of us walk past these amazing trees without even giving them a second glance. The Socotra Dragon Trees are a fascinating species. I shall certainly take more notice of trees on my next travel adventure. Thank you for sharing.
Natasha von Geldern says
How wonderful and amazing!! Can I suggest the huge Kauri tree in the north of New Zealand as an addition – it is called Tane Mahuta by the Maori people.
Gerry Wilks says
In a larger tree review you might include the apple tree at Woolsthorpe Manor in England under which Isaac Newton discovered the secret of gravity.
Great list. Makes me want to go visit many of them.
Being from New Zealand I was hoping to see Tane Mahuta on the list. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C4%81ne_Mahuta
He is the most famous tree in New Zealand and named after the Maori god of forests and birds.
What a great article! I really do admire the beauty and majesty of tree’s in general and I am in awe of these magnificent specimens. A great tree is the one in Tule Mexico, I am a great lover of the taxodium and this is the granddaddy of them all. Maybe you can start the next list with the huge Curtain Fig of North Queensland, just a suggestion. Thank you for sharing with us. Michael
Cedars of God? Socotra Dragon Trees? Never heard of em.
The silk-cotton trees in Angkor Wat enveloping the temple are iconic.
Wow, and wow. This post is amazing and very informative. Thanks for sharing!
How can you not include the oldest tree in the world?
What an amazing post idea! We don’t give trees all the attention they deserve.
The Kauri tree in New Zealand,
And in India there are enough for a whole seperate list,
What a lovely post, I would like to visit all of these trees one day.
Great post, really interesting! Id have to add the Bodhi tree in Andurhapura (Sri Lanka) though, apparently one of the oldest known living of its kind and revered like no other.
I think this is a great article. It is amazing to think about how old these trees actually are. Oh, if only they could talk! Beautiful pictures as well.
Not to mention Joshua Tree National Forest in Southern California!
silk-cotton trees of angkor wat
You forgot the oldest tree in the world, Methuselah.
How about the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya? A tree that grew from the cutting of the actual tree in which the Buddha attained enlightenment? Its growing in the actual place where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Want to talk about a famous tree….
What about Methuselah?
Jewelry Link Exchange says
wow, beautiful and great pictures. no one can imagine this type of tree. Excellent collection dude!! keep posting
gauteng accommodation says
I love this post and I think these trees are amazing natural reminders of the passing of time and the power of the One who makes them grow. Awesome!!!