Unusual Trees from Different Corners of the Planet

Amazing Trees of Our Planet

The beauty of nature on our Earth never ceases to amaze us. Across the globe, there are the most incredible trees that leave travelers in awe. Among them are unique specimens that can only be seen in specific locations. Therefore, it will be interesting to learn about the most unusual trees in the world (photos of some of them are presented) and what exactly makes them unique. However, aside from their interesting shapes or sizes, people sometimes give them amazing names.

Dragon Tree or more precisely, Dracaena cinnabari. It grows on the island of Socotra. Externally, this wonder of nature resembles an inside-out umbrella with a green crown of leaves and a massive trunk. The height of an adult tree is 10 m. The dragon tree got its name due to its resinous red sap. Flowers appear on the tree during the monsoon rains in the form of branched panicles.

Baobab is the national symbol of the island of Madagascar and is also depicted on the coats of arms of Senegal and the Central African Republic. There are 10 species of baobabs in the world. This is a very remarkable tree, and interestingly, no one can accurately determine its age. Since it has no annual rings, these trees are long-lived, and some are around a thousand years old. Scientists claim that these trees can live up to five thousand years. At first glance, it is clear that this is a very large tree with a solid trunk size and height (the trunk can be up to 11 meters wide, 25 meters tall, and the crown spreads branches up to 40 meters in diameter).

Rainbow Eucalyptus. This tall tree occupies a special place among eucalyptus trees. It is grown for decorative purposes due to the beauty of its multicolored stripes that cover the trunk. The outer layer of bark is renewed annually. Initially, the bark is bright green. Then, as it matures, it darkens and acquires blue, purple, orange, and dark burgundy tones.

Traveler's Palm. The traveler’s palm, or fan tree, is an endemic species. It grows in Madagascar, the Maldives, and the Seychelles. Despite its name, based on botanical parameters, this plant is not a real palm. It is believed that its name was determined by the fact that the enormous plant tends to grow from north to south, similar to traditional tourist routes.

Teapot Baobab On the island of Madagascar grows an unusual tree that resembles a giant teapot in shape. This plant is very well-known here, and the locals are no longer surprised by it. However, it impresses all tourists. Scientists claim that this plant is already 1200 years old. Moreover, like a teapot, it can hold a large volume of water. According to some estimates, its "capacity" is 117,000 liters!

Jabuticaba or Brazilian grape tree is a fairly large evergreen plant that grows in tropical latitudes. Its height can reach 12 meters under favorable conditions.

The peculiarity of jabuticaba is that its fruits grow directly on the trunk and thick branches.

This unusual phenomenon is called caulifloria and is also found in cocoa, persimmon, breadfruit, and some other tropical plants. In the spring-summer period, the trunk and branches of jabuticaba are covered with numerous unusual white flowers with long stamens. Also, during this time and until autumn, the plant actively bears fruit. During the season, this amazing grape tree yields several harvests.

Wisteria. One of the most beautiful and perennial trees in the world - wisteria - grows in the park of the Japanese town of Tochigi. It blooms for almost 150 years. Its stunning purple flowers hang down in clusters, forming a huge floral tent: the branches are supported by special props so that observers can easily walk among the colorful thickets. The tree can be seen in all its glory from mid-April to mid-May - during its flowering period.

General Sherman. The largest tree in the world grows in the "Giant Forest" of Sequoia National Park, California, USA, in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The height of the long-lived sequoia "General Sherman" is estimated to be around 2800 years, reaching 83 meters, with a trunk circumference of more than 24 meters and a crown circumference of about 33 meters. But what is most interesting is that the tree is still growing and increases its trunk diameter by 1.5 cm per year. However, in 2006, due to heavy snowfall, one of the branches of the tree, with a diameter of about two meters and a length of more than 30 meters, broke off, but this incident did not affect its status as "The Largest Tree in the World" growing today. The tallest tree growing here in California is "Hyperion," which reaches a height of 115.5 meters, exceeding the height of the Statue of Liberty. Such giants exist on our planet.

Banyan Tree. The main habitat of this tree is India, which is why it is commonly called the Indian banyan, another name being Ficus benghalensis. An interesting fact about this tree is that the seeds of the fig are spread by birds; if a seed lands on the ground, it will sprout into another fig tree, but if it lands in a crack of a building or another tree, it will start to grow into a banyan. From the outside, this green wonder of nature is not immediately recognizable as a grove or shady oak grove, but rather as a single tree. This beauty has another name, "Tree of the Forest," as it has not one but several thousand trunks. It is about 250 years old and occupies a rather impressive area of 1.5 hectares, with 3300 aerial roots.

Cannonball Tree. With extraordinary fruits resembling cannonballs, the "Cannonball Tree" (Couroupita guianensis) grows in South America. The tree is very fruitful, producing 200-300 fruits with a diameter of 15-25 centimeters. It is a favorite tree of many subtropical botanical gardens, as it attracts attention with its original fruits that practically cover the entire trunk of the tree. However, approaching it closely, especially standing under it, is dangerous due to the risk of being struck by a heavy fruit.

Tree of Tule – this particularly large tree of the Taxodium mucronatum species is located near the city of Oaxaca in Mexico. This tree has the largest trunk circumference (58 m) and trunk diameter, which is 11.5 m.

It is said that the Tree of Tule is so thick that you do not hug it; it hugs you. It is believed to be around 2000 years old. For some time, detractors claimed that there were actually three trees disguised here, but a thorough DNA analysis confirmed that it is indeed one magnificent tree. In 1994, the tree was under threat: its leaves turned a sickly yellow, and there were dead branches everywhere. The tree was dying.

When "tree doctors" were called, it turned out that the problem affecting the Tree of Tule was ordinary thirst, and it needed water. Naturally, after thorough watering procedures, the tree revived.

Peach Palm. This tree is native to Central and South America, although its homeland is Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The peach palm is armed with rows of black sharp spines that are arranged in rings all over the trunk from the roots to the top of the tree. Typically, these palms grow to about 20 meters. The leaves can reach 3 meters in length. Native Americans usually ate the fruits of this palm after they fermented, and this delicacy made up a large part of their diet. The fermented fruit of the peach palm remains a popular treat to this day.

Tomato Tree or Sprout F1 is a hybrid variety of cluster tomatoes developed a few years ago, which has generated immense interest among farmers, gardeners, and summer residents who enjoy various innovations and curiosities. This unusual plant is an indeterminate hybrid, meaning it has no growth limitations, with a well-developed ability for intense branching. Its height can reach 4 meters or more, and the crown area is 40-50 square meters. The annual yield of Sprout F1 is simply fantastic - about 14,000 tomatoes, with a total weight of 1.5 tons.

Sunland Baobab in South Africa, located near Modjadjiskloof, is hollow inside, so in 1933, a mini bar was set up inside with 15-20 seats. The tree itself is not tall, about 20 meters, but its age is simply impressive, being over 6000 years old.

Mangrove Trees – these are evergreen leafy plants that have settled on tropical and subtropical coasts and have adapted to life under conditions of constant tides. They can grow up to 15 meters and have whimsical types of roots: stilt roots (lifting the tree above water) and breathing roots (pneumatophores), sticking out of the ground like straws, absorbing oxygen. Few plants would survive in saltwater, but this does not apply to mangroves. They have developed filtration mechanisms. The water absorbed by their roots contains less than 0.1% salt. The remaining salt is excreted by the leaves through special leaf glands, forming white crystals on the surface.

Angel Oak. The Angel Oak grows in South Carolina, USA, and is approximately 1,500 years old. It reaches a height of 20 meters, with a trunk diameter of 2.7 meters and a crown area of 1600 square meters. This magnificent tree is considered one of the oldest living organisms east of the Mississippi River. The oak has survived numerous natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. The last owners of the land where the oak grows were the Angel family, which is why the tree was named "Angel Oak."

Tree of Life in Bahrain is the loneliest tree in the world. The mesquite tree is located at the highest point of the barren desert of Bahrain, hundreds of kilometers away from other natural trees. It is believed that its roots extend several dozen meters to the aquifers. The exact age of the tree is unknown, but it is estimated to be over 400 years old. However, the mystery of the Tree of Life lies not in its size, age, or shape, although it is quite large and very beautiful. The most amazing thing is that it stands alone in the barren desert at the highest point of Bahrain, in an area where there is absolutely no water. In a place where it seemed nothing could survive, this tree seems to radiate life itself. People come here in droves, as locals believe that the tree stands on the site of the Garden of Eden.

Cypress Forests in Texas. Caddo Lake is a large lake in the USA, located in eastern Texas on the border with Louisiana. This protected area is home to the largest cypress forests on the planet.

The area of the lake is about 106 square kilometers. Caddo is the only Texas lake that formed naturally. There are several versions of the lake's origin, but the most likely is as follows: in the early 19th century, a dam of river debris and logs formed on the Red River. Beavers living on the banks reinforced the dam with their dams. By 1811, a real dam had formed here, blocking the river and creating Caddo Lake.

Bombax is a rare plant that can be seen in Cambodia, but not everywhere, only in certain places. These unusual trees of the world (see photos below) are also found in Southeast Asia, near the "Ta Prohm" temple.

What is amazing about the plants is that they seem to embrace this ancient structure with their roots. The trees can have very impressive sizes, reaching high into the sky. And not far from the temple, there are equally impressive strangler figs. They have also extended their roots to the building to envelop it.

Wollemi. Despite its uniqueness and beauty, the interesting qualities of Wollemi are hidden not in its appearance but in its history. Wollemi, growing in Australia, is a true living dinosaur.

The oldest fossilized Wollemi tree dates back 200 million years. When scientists suddenly discovered a living Wollemi tree in 1994, they were simply astonished. The exact location of these coniferous trees was carefully hidden to protect the remaining trees, of which there are less than 100 left in nature. To save these trees from extinction, a program was started in 2006 that allowed the general public to purchase Wollemi seedlings, and now they can be seen in various botanical gardens.

Hyperion in America. This name was given to the tallest (as of 2015) living tree on Earth.

Hyperion is a coast redwood growing in California's Redwood National Park. The height of this tree is 115.61 m (again, as of 2015), with a volume of approximately 530 cubic meters and an age of 700-800 years. Each year, Hyperion grows by 2.5 centimeters. Compared to other very large trees, this growth rate is not particularly high. Scientists explain this fact by stating that the upper part of the trunk was damaged by woodpeckers, which slowed Hyperion's growth.

Silk Tree. This incredibly beautiful silk tree belongs to the mallow family. An endemic of the tropical and subtropical forests of South America, it reaches a height of 27 meters. The trunk and branches are covered with sharp thorns that help it retain water during dry periods.

Elia Bouybon Olive Tree. This olive tree is the oldest in the world among its species. And, strangely enough, it still bears fruit. According to estimates by scientists from the University of Crete, its age is between 3500 and 4000 years. Every year, more than 20,000 people come here.

Royal Delonix. The fiery red flowers of delonix earned it the nickname "tree of fire." It is native to the tropics but was introduced to the USA in the 17th century, where it can now be seen most often. The tree is low, growing no higher than 10 meters, and has a sprawling crown, being easy to care for and fertilize, which is why it is very popular with designers and gardeners.

Maple. The most colorful maple in the world grows in the Japanese garden of Portland (USA). It seems that all the colors of the rainbow have merged on its leaves! In the 60s, in Washington Park, the Japanese landscape designer Takuma Tono created a garden in the best traditions of the Land of the Rising Sun, and the bright maple became its main jewel.