Gallery: The Most Ancient and Magnificent Trees From Around the World
Beth Moon01Heart of the Dragon
*Heart of the Dragon*. Socotra, Yemen, 2010. Living up to 500 years, these bizarre trees are unique to the island of Socotra. Growing in severe conditions, the tree has raised its branches upward over time in an effort to obtain moisture from the highland mists. Once part of a vast forest, these remaining trees are now classified as endangered.
Beth Moon02The Sentinels of St Edwards
*The Sentinels of St. Edwards*. Stow-on-the-Wold, England, 2005. Planted sometime in the 18th century, these two yews are probably survivors of a celebrated, formal avenue that led to the door of the church.
Beth Moon03Bowthorpe Oak Trunk
*Bowthorpe Oak Trunk*. Manthorpe, England, 2002. The legendary Bowthorpe Oak with its rugged bole, gnarled branches and a great spread of crown stands in a grassy meadow behind a stone farmhouse in Bourne, Lincolnshire.
Beth Moon04Avenue-of-the-Baobabs-02
*Avenue of the Baobabs*. Elegant in shape and form, these strange and magnificent baobabs seem to rise effortlessly to heights of 98 feet, found only on the island of Madagascar.
Beth Moon05Rilke's Bayon copy
*Rilke's Bayon*. Siem Reap, Cambodia, 2007. Buddhist temples are straddled by the immense trunks of huge ficus trees whose serpentine roots pry apart the ancient stones in a desperate journey to find soil.
Beth Moon06Great Western Red Cedar of Gelli Aur copy
*The Great Western Red Cedar of Gelli Aur*. Llandeilo, Wales, 2006. This grand multi-trunked Great Western Red Cedar is thought to have been planted in 1863.
Beth Moon07Kapok-01
*Kapok Tree*. Palm Beach, Florida, 2004. Kapoks of this size usually inhabitant the rain forest, but Moon found this one in Florida on a private estate, with roots that rise 12 feet above the ground.
Beth Moon08general sherman
*The Lovers*. Morondava, Madagascar, 2006. Local legend tells of a love story with an unfortunate beginning that finally resolves itself with this embracing pair, bound together for all eternity.
Beth Moon09bristlecone pine 2
*The Crowhurst Yew*. Crowhurst, England, 2003. Amongst tombstones in a churchyard in Crowhurst, stands a medieval ancient yew, estimated to be over 1,500 years old.
Beth Moon10Angkor Passage copy
*Angkor Passage*. Siem Reap, Cambodia, 2007. The temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia represent one of man’s most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements.
Beth Moon11Devil's Pulpit
*Devil's Pulpit*. Chepstow, Wales, 2004. This tree growing on top of a pillar of rock, must have been covered with soil at some point, but hundreds of years of wind and rain have washed away the earth, challenging this resilient yew to find creative ways to survive.
Beth Moon12The Major's Oak copy
*The Major's Oak*. Edwinstowe, England, 2005. With its distinctive broad crown and imposing stature, this handsome tree has become one of the most famous oak trees in Britain. It has a girth of 33 feet, an estimated weight of 23 tons, and a probable age of 800-1,000 years. According to local folklore, Robin Hood met with his merry men under this tree, while hiding from the Sheriff of Nottingham, and slept under its boughs at night.
