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The Hundred-Horse Chestnut
Found on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, this sweet chestnut is believed to be 2000-4000 years old. The Castagnu dî Centu Cavaddi takes its name from the local legend that a queen of Aragon and 100 knights of her retinue sheltered under its wide boughs during a thunderstorm.
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The I-17 Mystery Christmas Tree
Every Christmas between 1980 and 2019, this otherwise unremarkable juniper tree just off the I-17, 55 miles from Phoenix, Arizona was decorated with tinsel, baubles, and a silver star. It's a local landmark throughout the winter season, yet the festive artists remain anonymous.
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That Wanaka Tree
On the southern shores of Lake Wānaka, in the Otago region of New Zealand, you'll find That Wanaka Tree. The iconic willow grows out of the sandy shallows, several metres offshore. It's one of the most photographed sights in New Zealand, earning it its descriptive name.
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The Danger Tree
The Danger Tree earned its name during the bloody fighting of the Battle of the Somme, which took place in 1916 in the fields of northern France. The tree was one of the few left standing during the battle and formed a landmark for Canadian soldiers, as well as German artillery.
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Many soldiers were killed and injured when the tree was used as a gathering point. As shells and shrapnel stripped the tree of its branches and bark, it came to stand as a memorial for the dead. The Danger Tree itself is long gone, today replaced by a twisted metal replica.
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The Tree That Owns Itself
Local legend holds that this tree in Athens, Georgia was formerly owned by Colonel William Henry Jackson. His will stipulates that this tree would be 'deeded to itself' and given ownership of land within 8ft of its base. Lawyers doubt the story, but locals maintain the myth.
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The Oak of the Golden Dream
Supposedly, this oak on Placerita Canyon Road, outside of Santa Clarita, California is the site where the first gold of the 1842 Gold Rush was discovered. It's said that a travelling prospector, Francisco Lopez, napped under its boughs and dreamt of a river of pure gold.
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When he awoke, he was hungry, and so he dug up some wild onions that sprouted around the base of this tree. As he pulled up the vegetables, he noticed they were flecked with gold… Whatever the story, the Gold Rush was real, and it drove thousands out west in search of riches.
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The Tree of Hippocrates
On the island of Kos is the Tree of Hippocrates, under which the ancient Greek doctor is said to have gathered his students and taught the fundamentals of medicine, nearly 2500 years ago. Though the current tree is only 500 years old, its said to be a direct descendent.
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The Cedars of God
These cedars are the last remnants of a huge forest that once covered the Kadisha Valley of Bsharre, Lebanon. They earned their name as they are described in some of the very earliest human writings, from the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh, to the Biblical Psalms of King David.
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Oak at the Gate of the Dead
Known in Welsh as Derwen Adwy'r Meirwon, this thousand year old oak is located near the site of the 1165 Battle of Crogan in Wales. It has been described as 'the only living witness to the battle.' The dead are said to be buried around its base.
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Hangman's Elm
Otherwise known as The Hanging Tree, this tall elm on the northwest corner in Washington Square Park in New York City isn't actually known to have been used for hangings. That said, in 1820 an enslaved woman named Rose Butler was hanged for arson not far from this site.
