Go outside and hug a tree.
On May the 16th it’s National Love a Tree Day!
There are some weird holidays out there. The 10th of September is national ‘Sewing Machine day’, the 29th of August is ‘More Herbs Less Salt’ day and the 8th of April is ‘National Draw a Bird Day’… Well May the 16th is national ‘Love a Tree Day’, which is one we can actually get on board with.
Trees have a special place in our heart for the obvious reason; without them, Wooden Blinds would not exist! Then where would we be? But it has to be said, trees are pretty awesome in their own right. They are the cornerstone of many of the world’s eco systems, some of them are staggeringly beautiful and they also produce the oxygen we breathe, you know, to live.
There are roughly 75 bazillion trees on Earth (give or take), and while every tree is beautiful and unique, there a few that stand out from the rest.
Methuselah
Methuselah, at 4,846 years old is not quite the oldest tree in the world. The actual oldest tree is reported at over 5,000 years old, but its image and exact location is a closely guarded secret. This is because the United State Forestry Service accidentally cut down a tree named Prometheus which, at the time, was thought to be the oldest tree (it is now thought to be the third). Both Methuselah and the mystery tree are Great Basin Bristlecone Pines and are located in California, in Inyo County and the White Mountains respectively.
The Biggest
The biggest tree in the world is a bit subjective. If we are talking about height then that title goes to Hyperion which is a Coast Redwood. Found in a remote area of the Redwood National State Park, California, it has a verified height of 115.55m, or 379.3 ft. But, if you define big as the heaviest then it is the superbly named General Sherman (above). A giant sequoia located in the aptly named Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park, California. It weighs in at an estimated 1909 metric tons!
Lone Tree of Lake Wanaka
Just for it’s desolate beauty, we had to include the Lone Tree of Lake Wanaka.
Bonsai
You may be surprised to learn that Bonsai trees are not mutated or genetically modified in any way. Instead they are planted in small pots and are cultivated to look like much older and larger trees. After a fair bit of trawling we decided our favourite was this 800 year-old tree found in Shunkaen, cultivated by Kunio Kobayashi.
Dragonblood Trees
The Dragonblood tree, or Dracaena cinnabari, is so named because of the red sap that it leaks when it is cut into. Dragons Blood sap has been used as dye, a stimulant, toothpaste, breath freshener, lipstick, a coagulant, a cure for diarrhea and dysentery, and is still used as a varnish for Violins.
The Bodhi Tree
The Bodhi Tree is the tree under which Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was meditating when he achieved enlightenment. It is now one of the four main Buddhist pilgrimage sites. It is said, when Buddha awoke after achieving enlightenment he stared at the tree unblinking for an entire week in appreciation. It is a nice tree, but a week is pushing it…
The Trembling Giant
A single clonal-colony of Quaking Aspen in a grove in Utah is known as the Trembling Giant, or Pando (Latin for I spread). It is the heaviest living organism on earth weighing in at an astounding 6,000,000kg! It is also one of the oldest living organisms on earth at an estimated 80,000 years old. The reason for its successful flourishing is because frequent forest fires have kept competing conifers at bay. And it is so old that the climate has changed around it, stopping younger Aspen’s establishing a foothold.
Of course, the crowning glory, without which this list would be woefully inadequate. The glorious and unsurpassable, Tilia Americana. Also known as Basswood. It is a pale white to light brown in colour and is very light, yet sturdy, which is why it is the most commonly used material used for Wooden Blinds. It has a distinctive grain pattern that makes 800 year old Bonsai’s look like a common garden shrub. Its leaves are also shaped like hearts, which is surely a sign that this love is mutual, and not weird at all. You just keep being you Basswood, because what you are, is awesome.
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