Jun 06, 2024 12:30:00

A 'walking tree' that is over 30 meters tall and appears to be walking through the middle of the plain wins Tree of the Year award

A '

walking tree ' - a giant tree that appears to walk across an empty plain - has been named the 2024 champion of the Tree of the Year, an annual competition run by the New Zealand Tree Society .

Tree of the year / Rakau o te tau | New Zealand
https://www.treeoftheyear.co.nz/

Northern rātā walks away with victory in Tree of the Year competition | RNZ News
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/518694/northern-rata-walks-away-with-victory-in-tree-of-the-year-competition

100-foot 'walking tree' in New Zealand looks like an Ent from Lord of the Rings — and is the lone survivor of a lost forest | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/plants/100-foot-walking-tree-in-new-zealand-looks-like-an-ent-from-lord-of-the-rings-and-is-the-lone-survivor-of-a-lost-forest

In the town of Karamea on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island , there is a large tree about 32 meters tall that is affectionately nicknamed the 'walking tree.'

Here is a photo of the 'walking tree.' There is a huge tree standing alone in the middle of an empty pasture, with its base splitting into two and appearing to walk on two legs, and it is said to look like the giant Ents , a tree-like creature from J.R.R. Tolkien 's ' Lord of the Rings .'

The exact age of the 'Walking Tree' is unknown, but it is said that about 150 years ago, when the surrounding trees were cut down, this tree was the only one left standing, standing alone in the plain as it is today. It seems that the local residents at the time also viewed this tree as something special.

The walking tree is a New Zealand endemic species called northern rata . Northern rata is one of the tallest trees in New Zealand, growing to over 25m in height, and in some cases can reach an age of 1,000 years.

A notable feature of the Northern Rata is that it spends the early part of its life cycle as a semi-epiphytic plant that parasitizes other trees. It first grows on other trees, then extends its aerial roots to the ground and becomes independent. This causes the Northern Rata tree to have a hollow trunk near the base.

When the first host tree dies, only the Northern Rata is left, like a 'walking tree.' As for why the base of the 'walking tree' is forked, there are several possible explanations, including that the host tree was too large, causing the Northern Rata to spread its aerial roots like a fork, and that the host tree split along the way, causing it to fork in two.

The Walking Tree was one of six finalists for the New Zealand Tree Society's Tree of the Year 2024 awards, and was selected as the champion with an overwhelming 42% of the votes.

The 'walking tree' is located on private property so it is not possible to get up close to it, but it can apparently be seen from nearby cemeteries and other places.