The UK’s most incredible trees, plus more around the world

Tree-mendous trunks

From technicolour trunks and branches beloved by goats to giant draping wisteria forests and venerable thousand-year-old dragon trees, there are some spectacular trees around the world. Here we reveal the most awe-inspiring and majestic plants on the planet.

Redwoods, Redwood National and State Parks, California, USA

Spread out along the coast of northern California, the Redwood National and State Parks are made up of protected forests that house some of the world's giants. Here, awesome old-growth redwood trees tower above visitors, many of them hundreds or even thousands of years old.

Redwoods, Redwood National and State Parks, California, USA

Standing head and shoulders above them all is Hyperion, a 600-year-old redwood which, at 380 feet (116m), is the world's tallest known living tree. However, while plenty of hikers go in search of this giant, its exact location is kept secret in order to protect it from possible damage. 

General Sherman, Sequoia National Park, California, USA

From one Golden State giant to another – General Sherman, a gargantuan sequoia tree in Sequoia National Park, is located in the aptly named Giant Forest. Trails lead up to the mighty specimen, which (by volume) is the largest known living single-stem tree on Earth.

General Sherman, Sequoia National Park, California, USA

It measures a neck-craning 275 feet (84m) in height and is more than 36 feet (11m) in diameter at the base too. And best of all, it's still growing – even at the grand old age of 2,000-plus years old.

Argan trees, Morocco

Argan trees are a fascinating sight. With their wide canopies and thorny branches, they dot the landscape of southwest Morocco, particularly between Essaouira and Agadir. What's more, they have some loyal four-legged friends: goats are particularly fond of these trees and the fruits they bear. They're pictured here, perched seemingly precariously among the branches.

Argan trees, Morocco

The goats perform more than a balancing act, though. They actually help in the production of one of Morocco’s most valuable products: argan oil, dubbed "desert gold". The goats typically graze on the fruit from the trees, separating and spitting out the hard nuts and their oil-rich seeds in the process. The trees themselves are made of strong stuff too: they can withstand the fierce desert heat and live up to 250 years.

Baobab trees, Madagascar

It’s easy to see why The Avenue of Baobabs, in the Menabe region of western Madagascar, is such a storied sight. Here, a series of striking baobabs – trees known for their smooth, red-hued trunks and their flat, umbrella like canopy – trace an otherwise humble dirt road. Each is thought to be at least 1,000 years old. 

Baobab trees, Madagascar

While there are just 50 or so trees along The Avenue of Baobabs today, there was once a thriving forest here. However, over the years, trees have been cleared for agriculture and the demands of a growing population. Now the remaining trees stand sentry over the dry earth – a tribute to the dense groves of yesteryear.

Baobab trees, Madagascar

But these striking trees are not all about appearances – they're of great use to local populations too. Affectionately known as the ‘tree of life’, they have medicinal properties and can also store gallons of water in their trunks.

Joshua trees, Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA

California's Joshua Tree National Park has a lot going for it: unparalleled views of Coachella Valley, outstanding hiking trails and, of course, its namesake tree dotted across the desert floor. These curious trees are a member of the agave family and are thought to live for around 100 years.

Joshua trees, Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA

It's the trees' spunky appearance that makes them such a source of curiosity. They exist in a flurry between the national park's rock formations and boulders, with their spindly trunks and branches and their shock of prickly spines. Species such as wood rats and desert night lizards are known to skitter around them too.

Montezuma cypress, Santa María del Tule, Mexico

The Tule Tree – located in church grounds in the town of Santa María del Tule, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca – is believed to be a couple of thousand years old (at least). And while it may be half the height of California’s General Sherman, the largest tree in the world, this montezuma cypress holds its own record. It has the greatest girth of any living tree, measuring a staggering 119 feet (36m), according to Guinness World Records.

Dark Hedges, near Armoy, Northern Ireland

Chances are, if you’re an avid Game of Thrones fan, you might recognise Northern Ireland’s Gothic-looking Dark Hedges, located in County Antrim. It features as the Kingsroad in the much-loved TV show and has been attracting devotees of the series ever since. 

Dark Hedges, near Armoy, Northern Ireland

This dramatic tunnel of more than 150 beech trees was formed in the 18th century by the Stuarts and served as an impressive entrance to Gracehill House, a sumptuous Georgian mansion. Today it's rumored that specters including the so-called Grey Lady haunt this eerie passage of trees.

Jacaranda trees, South Africa

From late September to late November, South Africa's jacaranda trees put on a spectacular floral display. Boasting fragrant, purple blooms (and the occasional white flowers too), jacarandas can mostly be found in Pretoria and Johannesburg. In fact, it’s thought that there are more than 70,000 jacarandas in Pretoria alone.

Jacaranda trees, South Africa

Though jacarandas have become something of a national symbol in South Africa, they're not actually native to the country. The first trees were brought to South Africa in the 19th century from Brazil.

Japanese maple, Portland, Oregon, USA

The Portland Japanese Garden is often tipped as one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan itself, and its graceful Japanese maple, located in the Strolling Pond Garden, really steals the show. It's at its most spectacular in fall, when it comes to life in all its fiery red and orange glory.

Dragon trees, Tenerife, Canary Islands

In spite of a warm and humid climate, Tenerife is a luscious and fertile island and the presence of dragon trees is testament to this. These spectacular subtropical trees can be found across the Canaries, but they've become a symbol of Tenerife.

Dragon trees, Tenerife, Canary Islands

The curious trees – characterised by their tightly packed branches and thin, straight leaves – gain their name from the blood-red sap that they produce. Believe it or not, dragon trees belong to the same family as asparagus and, steeped in mysticism, they're also said to be a symbol of fertility. 

Dragon trees, Tenerife, Canary Islands

The island's most celebrated dragon tree – known as the Millennial Dragon Tree (Drago Milenario) – lies in the lush town of Icod de los Vinos in northern Tenerife. It's the largest and oldest tree of its kind, estimated to be around 1,000 years old.

Crooked trees, Poland

West Pomerania, one of the greenest regions of Poland, is home to the Crooked Forest, a series of 22 rows of trees, all with curved bases pointing north. The jury is still out as to whether these eerie trees naturally bend or were planted in a way to achieve this effect. One thing’s for sure, either way: they look like something straight from another planet.

Giant wisteria, Ashikaga, Japan

Tourists typically flock to see and smell Japan's cherry blossoms, but the country is home to some incredible wisteria trees too. In fact, the bloom-filled Ashikaga Flower Park, around an hour north of Tokyo, has more than 350 of them across its 23 acres, including wisteria tunnels that visitors can walk through.

Giant wisteria, Ashikaga, Japan

While purple wisteria is the most common, delicate pink, blue and white blooms decorate the park too, with peak flower season from mid-April through to May. The breathtaking highlight is Great Miracle Wisteria, a huge, 140-year old tree right at the heart of the park. There's typically a wisteria festival here in spring too.

Crooked Bush, Saskatchewan, Canada

Something of a botanical mystery, this grove of crooked aspen trees is located in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, close to the town of Hafford and around an hour from capital Saskatoon. While weird and wonderful theories as to their origins abound, most experts believe that the trees’ contorted form is caused by a genetic mutation. 

Rainbow eucalyptus, Hawaii, USA

While these multicoloured trunks may look like something out of a movie, they can actually be found in Hawaii (as well as in parts of southern Asia and Oceania). In Hawaii, the otherworldly specimens mostly collect in a grove along the Hana Highway, a world famous road that stretches along the forested coast of Maui.

Rainbow eucalyptus, Hawaii, USA

The lines on the tree trunks show up as the bark sheds off in strips, revealing technicolour hues of orange, green and red below. On top of looking the part, these psychedelic trees smell lovely too.

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