Arbutus Tree and Bark by kirchypics on flickr

Bamboo Trees. Sri Lanka

A Corious Tree

Punta Arenas, Chile

1000+ year old tree on Greek island of Aegina

144-year-old wisteria in Japan, by tungnam.com.hk

Japanese Maple in Portland, Oregon, USA by falcor88

This huge 125-year-oldold rhododendron is technically not a tree – most are considered to be shrubs.

By Ian Sane

Ipe, Brazil

Jacarandas in South Africa, by Elizabeth Kendall

The flamboyant tree, Madagascar. By Salete T Silva

Sikura tunnel, Okera, Japan

By Tom Schwabel

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

Birch trees in snow

Parasite effect – Spiral tree at Coramba rainforest reserve, NSW, Australia. Photo by omnia on Flickr

Rainforest undergrowth. Tangled lianas (woody vines) covered in moss, Peru

Angel Oak Tree in Angel Oak Park on Johns Island, Southern Carolina

Strangler Fig Tree. Wrapping tendrils around the host tree.. By orenbrimer on Flickr

Quiver tree by Jason Webber on flickr

6 Sycamores were shaped, bent, and braided to form this tree

Baobob tree

California’s Sequoia national park.

Klamath, California

Tree of Tule, over 2000 years old

Silk floss tree, South America by alan_sailer on flickr

Trees on Slope Point, the southern tip of New Zealand, grow at an angle because they’re constantly buffeted by extreme antarctic winds. By Seabird

The dragonblood tree named because of its crimson red sap, used as a dye a violin varnish, an alchemical ingredient, and a folk remedy for various ailments. By Csilla Zelko)

Rainbow eucalyptus, by jwilsonnorton

The grove of ‘candelabra’ redwoods, known as the Enchanted Forest, Shady Del

by miladyellow on flickr

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. (By Daniela Duncan)

Abruzo, Italy by Vicenzo Mazza

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

Wax palms in Salento, Colombia

White cedar

Tunnel of cherry blossoms, Bonn, Germany in April. Image by Adas Meliauskas

Oak trees, South Carolina by Lee Sosby

Trees

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Dusky Pierce

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Trees are the oldest and the largest living things on earth. Some are weird, some extraordinary, some gorgeous, and some shaped by the human hand to fascinate and amuse. Please enjoy these images–or better yet, take a walk in the woods and greet them in person with appreciation.

As Patricia Hays suggested in the comments below, if you’re inclined, you can listen to Paul Robeson sing about trees while you meander through this post. Thanks to Tom Reiter for forwarding the link.