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10 Amazing and Magnificent Trees
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
January 08 2008 | 74,041 views

Nature is filled with amazing and magnificent trees, but these are some of the most majestic, and undoubtedly some of the most unusual.

Take the “Circus Trees” created by bean farmer Axel Erlandson, for example. As a hobby, he pruned and grafted trees into fantastic shapes.

Refusing to divulge his techniques, he took his tree shaping secrets to his grave.

circus trees, axel erlandson, trees

sequoia trees, general sherman, trees

The Giant Sequoias only grow in Sierra Nevada, California, and hold the title as the world’s biggest trees, at least in terms of volume. General Sherman, located in the Sequoia National Park, is the largest of them all, standing over 275 feet tall and weighing over 6,000 tons.

It’s about 2,200 years old – and each year, the behemoth grows enough wood to make a regular 60-foot tall tree.


The Chêne-Chapelle (Chapel-Oak) of Allouville-Bellefosse is the most famous tree in France. But it’s actually more than just a tree; it’s a building and a religious monument, and a tree, all in one.

In 1669, a lightning bolt hollowed out the old oak and a priest built a small altar within to the Virgin Mary. Later on, a chapel and staircase was added.

chapel oak, oak tree, france

the tule tree, mexico, tree of life

“The Tule Tree” in Mexico is an enormous specimen of the Montezuma cypress. It has the largest trunk girth – 190 feet, and a trunk diameter of 37 feet. Local legend says you can make out animals like jaguars and elephants in its trunk, earning it the nickname “the Tree of Life.”


The amazing Baobab or monkey bread tree can grow up to about 100 feet tall and 35 feet wide. Their most astonishing feature is the fact that their swollen trunks are actually water storage. Each tree can store as much as 31,700 gallon (120,000 l) of water to endure harsh drought conditions.

The baobab tree is the national tree of Madagascar, but can also be found in mainland Africa and Australia.

baobab, monkey bread tree

The amazing thing about the internet is the ability to share not only information about serious issues such as health, but also to open up the world and share the unlimited beauty and wonder that is planet Earth.

To learn about the rest of the 10 most fascinating trees, click the link below.


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