There are many large sweet chestnut trees throughout Europe, but none can match up to the legendary Hundred Horse Chestnut in eastern Sicily. The ancient tree’s story goes back thousands of years, an incredible feat considering its location just a few kilometers from one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Read More
The desert is by no means a hospitable place, especially if you don’t have the ability to seek shelter from the unrelenting heat of the sun. But a single tree managed to survive the arid wasteland for several hundred years. What it couldn’t survive, however, was a careless truck driver who somehow managed to hit the only obstacle in a 800 km (500 mile) stretch of wasteland. Read More
Treehouses have been loved by children (and adults) all over the world for centuries, but few were able to capture the imagination of the public like the multi-cabin shelter with running water, a primitive refrigerator, and even a pipe organ from the 1960 film Swiss Family Robinson. Read More
This week the 8th annual European Tree of the Year will come to a close, but there’s still time to vote! To add to the suspense, the vote tallies are hidden for the last week of voting, but here are the standings from just before they were hidden. Read More
When it comes to trees and their color, the discussion is usually focused on the beautiful yellows and browns of Fall leaves. But in the case of the eucalyptus deglupta, or rainbow eucalyptus, it’s the trunk that changes color. After the tree sheds its bark, it bursts into a technicolor display of oranges, blues, and greens. Read More
Thanks to the legend of Robin Hood, Sherwood forest has become one of the most well known places in all of England. It attracts up to 1 million tourists each year, many of which are looking to capture some of the magic of the legend. One of the largest oak trees in the country, the Major Oak, is right at the center of the legend as the reported home base of Robin and his band of merry men. Read More
Trees can come in all shapes and sizes, but most species follow the same patterns as they reach toward the sun. In Poland’s Krzywy Las, or Crooked Forest, however, a group of about 80 pine trees breaks all norms by growing sideways at the base, prompting all kinds of creative theories about their origin, including gravity fluctuations, Nazis, and even aliens. Read More
As of February 1st, voting for the 8th annual European Tree of the Year competition is open. This year there are 13 monumental trees from 13 countries all around Europe, with Croatia, Portugal, Romania, and Russia making their first appearances. Each year more than 200,000 votes are tallied (you can vote for up to two trees), so check out the nominees below and get out the vote! Read More
Olive trees have been a boon to civilization for millennia. The oil extracted from olives can be used for everything from fuel for lanterns to medicinal balms to an essential ingredient in foods. It’s easy to understand why the tree was incorporated into so many early religious practices, but near the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, a grove of olive trees in Gethsemane provides a direct link to ancient biblical stories. Read More
It’s no small wonder that trees have such an important role in Japanese culture. Even in the heavily industrialized country that it’s become, forests still cover more than two thirds of Japan’s land area. Early on in the modern era, the Japanese government began a program to protect its natural treasures. There is no better example of Japan’s commitment to saving their natural monuments than the incredible story of Ogawachi no sugi, or Ogawa’s Cedar. Read More
The Treeographer 