15 Of The Most Magnificent Trees In The World

How do I love thee, tree? Let me count the ways; you change carbon dioxide into the oxygen we breathe, you sequester carbon, and you provide shelter for countless critters. There are many reasons for which we should all be tree-hugging hippies, but within the scope of this article, all we’ll focus on is how amazing some of them look.

Granted, not all of these amazing beautiful trees are trees (the Wisteria is a vine, Rhododendrons are shrubs, and bamboo technically belongs to the grass family), but we’ll give them a pass because they are amazing, huge and beautiful. So once you step outside and take a breath of fresh air, hug the nearest tree and say thank you! (H/T: Bored Panda)

1 | 125+ Year Old Rhododendron “Tree” In Canada

This huge 125-year-old old rhododendron is technically not a tree – most are considered to be shrubs. (Image credits: reddit)

2 | 144-Year-Old Wisteria In Japan

At 1,990 square meters (about half an acre), this huge wisteria is the largest of its kind in Japan. (Image credits: y-fu)

3 | Wind-Swept Trees In New Zealand

These trees on Slope Point, the southern tip of New Zealand, grow at an angle because they’re constantly buffeted by extreme antarctic winds. (Image credits: Seabird Nz)

4 | Beautiful Japanese Maple In Portland, Oregon

Image credits: Tom Schwabel

5 | Antarctic Beech Draped In Hanging Moss In Oregon

The antarctic beech is native to Chile and Argentina, though this specimen is from the U.S.’ North Pacific region. (Image credits: Drew Hopper)

6 | Blooming Cherry Trees in Bonn, Germany

This beautiful tunnel of cherry blossoms blooms in Bonn, Germany in April. (Image credits: Adas Meliauskas)

7 | Angel Oak In John’s Island In South Carolina

The Angel Oak in South Carolina stands 66.5 ft (20 m) tall and is estimated to be more than 1400 or 1500 years old. (Image credits: Daniela Duncan)

8 | Flamboyant Tree, Brazil

The flamboyant tree is endemic to Madagascar, but it grows in tropical areas around the world. (Image credits: Salete T Silva)

9 | Dragonblood Trees, Yemen

The dragonblood tree earned its fearsome name due to its crimson red sap, which is used as a dye and was used as a violin varnish, an alchemical ignredient, and a folk remedy for various ailments. (Image credits: Csilla Zelko)

10 | The President, Third-Largest Giant Sequoia Tree In The World, California

President, located in Sequoia National Park in California, stands 241 ft (73m) tall and has a ground circumference of 93 ft (28m). It is the third largest giant sequoia in the world (second if you count its branches in addition to its trunk). (Image credits: Michael Nichols)

11 | Maple Tree Tunnel in Oregon

Image credits: Ian Sane

12 | Rainbow Eucalyptus In Kauai, Hawaii

The rainbow eucalyptus, which grows throughout the South Pacific, is both useful and beautiful. It is prized for both the colorful patches left by its shedding bark and for its pulpwood, which is used to make paper. (Image credits: Christopher Martin)

13 | Jacarandas in Cullinan, South Africa

These beautiful Jacarandas, with their violet flowers, grow in South Africa. (Image credits: Elizabeth Kendall)

14 | Avenue Of Oaks At Dixie Plantation In South Carolina

This avenue of oak trees was planted some time in the 1790s on Dixie Plantation in South Carolina. (Image credits: Lee Sosby)

15 | The Dark Hedges In Northern Ireland

Ireland’s Dark Hedges were planted in the 18th century. This stunning beech tree tunnel was featured on Game of Thrones as well. Read more about it here. (Image credits: Christopher Tait)

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