- Thu Nov 27, 2025 9:04 pm#9306
11. Trees are great for wellbeing
There’s an ever-growing pile of evidence that reveals the massive health benefits of being around trees. This was brought into focus even more during the pandemic. A 2021 Forest Research study showed that woodland visits in the UK boosts mental health and is estimated to save £185 million in treatment costs annually. More and more research is being done to explore the benefits of nature and eco-therapy. However, so far the signs clearly suggest that being around trees, nature and green space can reduce stress, create feelings of calm, as well as tackle mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
12. There’s a ‘Tree of the Year’ award
In a wholehearted celebration of trees and their stories, the Woodland Trust run an annual Tree of the Year award. In 2022, that title belongs to an ancient yew in Waverley Abbey, Surrey. This yew, said to be thousands of years old, is our UK entry to the 2023 European Tree of the Year awards.
13. England’s largest forest is in Northumberland
Kielder Forest is a breathtaking treescape 378 square kilometres in size. It largely features coniferous trees such as spruce and pine.
14. The world’s oldest tree was around when the pyramids were built
The world’s oldest tree is a great basin bristlecone pine tree. This ancient tree has been fondly given the name Methuselah (the man with the longest lifespan in the Bible). The tree, which is in Inyo County, eastern California, is almost 5,000 years old. This means it was well established during the ancient Egypt civilisation. We’ve got some pretty old trees here in England too: the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest is around 1,000 years old, and the Crowhurst Yew in Surrey is said to be up to 4,000 years old.
15. The world’s tallest tree is taller than Big Ben
The tallest tree on our planet is Hyperion, a coast redwood living in California. It measures 115 metres in height and its location is kept secret. For scale, this is taller than London’s Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben), the Sky Plaza in Leeds and the Dock Tower in Grimsby.
16. The smallest ‘tree’ grows up to 6cm high
In contrast, the world’s smallest tree is the dwarf willow, which lives in cold and high parts of the world. The jury’s out on whether this plant can really be called a tree, but it is a single-stemmed woody plant which produces tiny lateral branches.
17. There’s a tree with rainbow-coloured bark
The rainbow eucalyptus, which is native to parts of south east Asia and Papua New Guinea, is unique. Its smooth orange bark sheds in uneven strips, leaving behind shades of green, red, orange, yellow, purple and blue.
18. The world’s rarest tree is in New Zealand – and there’s only one of them in the wild
The rarest tree in the world is Pennantia baylisiana, or the Three Kings kaikōmako, which is endemic to the Manawatāwhi islands near New Zealand. Discovered in 1945, this tree has been propagated, but only one exists in the wild.
19. Treebeard is a hybrid of an oak and a beech
Perhaps one of the most famous trees in literature is Treebeard from J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy novel series ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Treebeard is said to be a combination of an oak and a beech. As part of the lore, Treebeard the ‘oldest living thing that walks beneath the sun’ in Middle Earth – although that reference to walking may suggest he’s not strictly a tree.
20. Trees are sacred for many people
The sacredness of trees is central to mythologies, religions and philosophies worldwide. They’re generally seen to represent deep, philosophical concepts like life, death and immortality.
The Tree of Life, while interpreted in different ways, is often seen as the foundation of existence – and something that bridges the gap between the physical and spiritual worlds. An example of this is Yggdrasil, an ancient ash tree in Norse mythology. In popular culture, the Tree of Life is depicted in the Disney film ‘The Lion King’ as a safe haven for wildlife.
There’s an ever-growing pile of evidence that reveals the massive health benefits of being around trees. This was brought into focus even more during the pandemic. A 2021 Forest Research study showed that woodland visits in the UK boosts mental health and is estimated to save £185 million in treatment costs annually. More and more research is being done to explore the benefits of nature and eco-therapy. However, so far the signs clearly suggest that being around trees, nature and green space can reduce stress, create feelings of calm, as well as tackle mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
12. There’s a ‘Tree of the Year’ award
In a wholehearted celebration of trees and their stories, the Woodland Trust run an annual Tree of the Year award. In 2022, that title belongs to an ancient yew in Waverley Abbey, Surrey. This yew, said to be thousands of years old, is our UK entry to the 2023 European Tree of the Year awards.
13. England’s largest forest is in Northumberland
Kielder Forest is a breathtaking treescape 378 square kilometres in size. It largely features coniferous trees such as spruce and pine.
14. The world’s oldest tree was around when the pyramids were built
The world’s oldest tree is a great basin bristlecone pine tree. This ancient tree has been fondly given the name Methuselah (the man with the longest lifespan in the Bible). The tree, which is in Inyo County, eastern California, is almost 5,000 years old. This means it was well established during the ancient Egypt civilisation. We’ve got some pretty old trees here in England too: the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest is around 1,000 years old, and the Crowhurst Yew in Surrey is said to be up to 4,000 years old.
15. The world’s tallest tree is taller than Big Ben
The tallest tree on our planet is Hyperion, a coast redwood living in California. It measures 115 metres in height and its location is kept secret. For scale, this is taller than London’s Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben), the Sky Plaza in Leeds and the Dock Tower in Grimsby.
16. The smallest ‘tree’ grows up to 6cm high
In contrast, the world’s smallest tree is the dwarf willow, which lives in cold and high parts of the world. The jury’s out on whether this plant can really be called a tree, but it is a single-stemmed woody plant which produces tiny lateral branches.
17. There’s a tree with rainbow-coloured bark
The rainbow eucalyptus, which is native to parts of south east Asia and Papua New Guinea, is unique. Its smooth orange bark sheds in uneven strips, leaving behind shades of green, red, orange, yellow, purple and blue.
18. The world’s rarest tree is in New Zealand – and there’s only one of them in the wild
The rarest tree in the world is Pennantia baylisiana, or the Three Kings kaikōmako, which is endemic to the Manawatāwhi islands near New Zealand. Discovered in 1945, this tree has been propagated, but only one exists in the wild.
19. Treebeard is a hybrid of an oak and a beech
Perhaps one of the most famous trees in literature is Treebeard from J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy novel series ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Treebeard is said to be a combination of an oak and a beech. As part of the lore, Treebeard the ‘oldest living thing that walks beneath the sun’ in Middle Earth – although that reference to walking may suggest he’s not strictly a tree.
20. Trees are sacred for many people
The sacredness of trees is central to mythologies, religions and philosophies worldwide. They’re generally seen to represent deep, philosophical concepts like life, death and immortality.
The Tree of Life, while interpreted in different ways, is often seen as the foundation of existence – and something that bridges the gap between the physical and spiritual worlds. An example of this is Yggdrasil, an ancient ash tree in Norse mythology. In popular culture, the Tree of Life is depicted in the Disney film ‘The Lion King’ as a safe haven for wildlife.
- By bdchakriDesk