This green canopy is not a forest. It is a single tree. The world’s largest Cashew Tree of Pirangi also called (Maior Cajueiro do Mundo) in Natal, Brazil, covers more than 8,500 square meters, and its circumference is about 500 meters spreading across an entire city block. A natural giant hiding in plain view. It has the size of 70 normally sized cashew trees.
This tree is recognized {in 1994} by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest cashew tree.
Its immense size is attributed to a genetic anomaly that causes its branches to grow horizontally and bend downwards, rooting themselves in the soil and forming new trunks.
Only one of the tree’s five branches has a normal behaviour and stopped growing when it reached the ground. Locals call this branch “Salário mínimo”, or “Minimum wage”. The upkeep of Maior Cajueiro do Mundo is a somewhat controversial subject in the city of Natal. The tree is still growing and is now pushing against the boundaries of the park established for it. Without pruning, it will soon overrun one of the main roads through the city.
The tree produces 70 to 80 thousand cashew nuts or 2.5 tons annually.
Some say the tree was planted in 1888 by a hunter/fisherman called Luis Inacio de Oliver. Whilst others believe it is thousand of years old.
Strolling inside the sprawling canopy, you may think you are walking in an entire lush, green forest of cashew trees. Making the experience even more wonderful is the beautiful drive along the Brazilian coast down from Natal. Just follow the cashew-shaped signs and you will be at the tree in 20 minutes. Admission is cheap. Yes, they charge admission to a tree.
The tree is surrounded by an equal or greater amount of acreage dedicated to souvenir shops selling all sorts of cashew-themed souvenirs. The cashew-flavoured cachaca (a Brazilian sugar cane based alcohol) is highly recommended to bottle those memories of your visit to O Maior Cajueiro do Mundo, the World’s Largest Cashew Tree.
In the UK, heatwaves are significantly impacting trees, causing them to exhibit signs of stress like premature leaf drop, browning, and even branch drop. These conditions are exacerbated by the frequency of heatwaves, which reduces the trees’ ability to recover between events.
Here’s a more detailed look at the effects:
Direct Impacts:
Leaf Damage: Trees are responding to the heat by prematurely dropping leaves, which can be a sign of dehydration or a way to conserve energy and water. The leaves may also turn yellow or brown, especially at the edges, before falling.
Branch Drop: Trees may shed branches (summer branch drop) to reduce water loss and stress, which can be dangerous to people nearby.
Reduced Photosynthesis: Extreme heat can disrupt the process of photosynthesis, affecting the tree’s ability to produce energy.
Weakened Structure: Rapid growth stimulated by warmer temperatures can lead to weaker tree structures, making them more susceptible to wind damage and disease.
Disrupted Dormancy: Prolonged warmth can disrupt the natural dormancy cycle, leading to premature budding and flowering, which can be damaged by late frosts.
Indirect Impacts:
Increased Pest and Disease Risk: Drought stress can lower a tree’s defenses against pests and diseases, making it more vulnerable.
Competition: Warmer conditions can favor certain non-native species, potentially outcompeting native trees.
Changes in Growth: Rising temperatures can lead to faster but potentially shorter-lived growth patterns.
Specific Tree Species Affected:
Silver birch and rowan: are currently being most impacted by heatwaves, with early leaf turning being recorded.
Oak, ash, and Norway maple: are also showing signs of stress, including leaf drop and deadwood formation.
English oaks: are losing leaves and producing deadwood.
Magnolias: are exhibiting signs of stress.
Heatwaves leave London’s trees under extreme stress
This is one of two recent “sudden branch drop” incidents at Stanmore Recreation Ground
London has one of the largest urban forests in the world with over 8 million trees on private and public land. But this summer they are under extreme stress due to three heatwaves and a lack of rain.
A council in London has now warned people not to sit or congregate under large trees after a rise in the number of falling branches.
Harrow Council says there has been an increase of sudden branch drop syndrome, which it says has been made worse by the heatwaves.
And experts at the charity Trees for Cities are expecting to see an increase in trees dying or dropping branches as the climate warms.
Harrow council is advising people not to sit or congregate under large trees
With London expecting to see higher temperatures in the future due to a warming climate, trees are seen as being hugely important for reducing carbon and pollution, while also cooling areas.
The mayor of London has vowed to increase the city’s tree canopy by 10% by 2050 to combat higher temperatures.
But conditions are getting harder for certain native species to thrive.
Trees for Cities are a charity that plant and look after trees.
Seb Herst
Seb Herst is senior urban forest coordinator and says tree maintenance will become increasingly key.
“Obviously we don’t want to give up on all of the native trees that we have in the UK. They support a lot of the local wildlife and species from other places won’t support the same wildlife.
“So it’s a mix of making sure the native species we have are cared for, but also picking the same species except one that’s more adapted to the changing climate. So for example taking an oak from southern France that can cope with the climate we are predicting here.”
He adds that “maintenance is also super important. London has very small tree pits for example, maybe we could have bigger tree pits? We have condensed soils. How can we aerate soil more so it can contain moisture and severe downpours?
“Now we are seeing the climate shift so we are going to have to change how we look after trees as well.”
Mete Coban is the deputy mayor for environment for London. He says climate change is affecting London now.
“We know the heatwaves are having a huge impact on species and trees.
“What we need to do is continue to roll out more trees so we can be more resilient to extreme heat, and the impacts of climate change.
“But also what we need to do is get the right types of trees and species and make sure we have the right infrastructure in place to protect our trees because ultimately we are going to see more and more hotter temperatures across our city. “
Georgie Power is senior urban forest coordinator at the charity Trees for Cities.
She was taking part in the work in Greenford, watering trees and adding bark mulch around the roots to help keep the moisture in.
She believes that with rising temperatures we can expect to see more trees under stress.
“What we think sudden branch drop syndrome is, is when trees are put under extreme heat and drought, it’s something similar to self-amputation. So the trees aren’t getting enough water into the branches and they’re cutting off branches to preserve the rest of the tree.
“We can see from this summer – April, May, June – they have been absolutely roasting this summer. All the trees have been under huge amounts of pressure.”
Georgie adds: “We know with climate change we are going to get more increases in temperature overall, because of that we are going to get more of things like trees dying but also the sudden branch drop syndrome as well.
“We do have to pick different species already with climate change. A good example is with the Alder tree. At the moment, Trees for Cities is planting a lot more Italian Alder because it is more climate resilient and more resilient to droughts and flooding as opposed to the common Alder.
“So we are already picking trees that are going to be better suited to our climate in the very near future.”
Located in the Perry Sandhills is a magnificent Murray River Red Gum Tree (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), which is over 500 years old. Over time, the sand has completely covered the trunk of the tree (perhaps 15’ to 20’), so that you are able to stand in the canopy of this age-old tree – a magnificent sight!
The God Tree can be found a ten minute drive from Wentworth in NSW via a sealed road, it’s located on its own, slightly to the left of the driveway and over the first sand dune. From this point you get a great view of this remarkable area, only 5km from the confluence of Australia’s two greatest rivers, the Murray & Darling, yet you could be in the Sahara desert.
The Perry Sandhills are named for George Perry, the first Land Commissioner to serve this area. Moorna Station, just past the Sandhills, was where the visiting dignitaries stayed whilst in the area – (Moorna was to become a new town and surveyor pegs are still able to be found on the property). The dunes are located just outside of Wentworth, (6km from PO), on the Old Renmark Road and are a unique land formation of continuously shifting sand dunes.
The four hundred acres of rolling red sandhills are geologically traceable to the Barkindji Aboriginal people and also the last Ice Age (approximately 40,000 years ago). Aboriginal burial grounds are in the vicinity of the dunes, (Snaggy Bend), and artefacts and fossils of Australia’s giant mega-fauna (large bear-animal – diprotodon; huge kangaroo – procoptodon golia; marsupial lion – thylacoleo; giant emu – genyornis newtonii and giant goanna – megalania prisca), have been found. Local artist Jim Curry has created mega-fauna replicas of the above mentioned and they can be viewed in a diorama at Wentworth’s Rotary Pioneer Museum. Also, bones of smaller animals, such as the hairy-nosed wombat, bilby and bettong, have been located in the dunes
The Pioneer Museum has good information which explains the early archaeological conditions in the area and how the dunes were formed. The archaeological ‘treasures’ indicate the area is of the same timeframe as Mungo National Park. However, the red sand of the region is highly fertile and with water available from the Darling and Murray Rivers, the district produces the grapes and citrus that Sunraysia became famous for when WW2 returned soldiers were granted small holdings of land.
The sandhills were used as a bombing range during WWII. Now, the area is used as the location of filming many scenes from Australian and international films, including “The Man from Snowy River II”, “Burke & Wills”, “Flying Doctors” and “Boney”. The children’s television series, “Ocean Girl” and “Thunder Stone”, have utilised the Sandhills for scenes, and the dunes have been used for many television commercials and also music videos (including Slim Dusty’s ‘Looking Forward – Looking Back’).
🌲 The World’s Oldest Tree — OLD TJIKKO (9,567 years old!)
Deep in the wilderness of Fulufjället Mountain of Dalarna province in Sweden, stands a lone Norway Spruce named Old Tjikko — an ancient survivor that began its life over 9,567 years ago, shortly after the last Ice Age ended.
Discovered by geologist Leif Kullman of Umeå University in 2004, at an altitude of 1,100 meters. Old Tjikko holds the title of the oldest known living clonal tree on Earth.
It stands 5 metres (16 ft) tall. The trunk of the tree may die and regrow multiple times, but the tree’s root system remains intact and in turn sprouts another trunk. The trunk may only live for about six hundred years, and when one trunk dies another eventually grows back in its place.
The tree’s age was determined by carbon-14 dating of the root system, which found roots dating back to 375, 5,660, 9,000, and 9,550 years before 2008. Its root system has persisted long before the construction of the pyramids, the rise of civilizations, and even the invention of writing!
Just imagine what this ancient tree has witnessed:
🌊 Rising and falling sea levels 🐾 The migration of countless species 🏞️ The changing of entire ecosystems 🌦️ Millennia of storms, winters, and summers
Old Tjikko is a silent storyteller — a living testament to the power of resilience, adaptation, and nature’s deep time.
In a rapidly changing world, this ancient spruce reminds us of the enduring beauty and fragility of our planet.
Old Tjikko is a symbol of cultural and historical significance. It has been venerated by the Sami people, who have inhabited the area for thousands of years. The Sami people believe that is a symbol of life and renewal, and have been known to make offerings to the tree.
The tree has also been a source of inspiration for many writers and artists. It has inspired works of art such as the poem ‘The Old Tree’ by Swedish poet Gunnar Ekelöf, and the painting ‘Old Tjikko’ by Swedish artist Gustav Vigeland.
On July 1, 2024, it was reported that the Stockholm-based art studio Goldin+Senneby were building a climate-controlled installation at a new hospital campus in Malmö, Sweden. The installation houses a clone of Old Tjikko and was created using small twigs cut from Old Tjikko’s top branches, which were then grafted onto stems of other spruce trees. This process would thus result in saplings with DNA identical to that of Old Tjikko.
Ficus macrophylla, commonly known as the Moreton Bay fig or Australian banyan, is a large evergreen banyan tree of the mulberry and fig family Moraceae. It is native to eastern Australia, from the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland in the north to the Illawarra region of New South Wales. The infraspecies Ficus macrophylla f. columnaris is endemic to Lord Howe Island. Its common name refers to Moreton Bay in Queensland. It is best known for its imposing buttress roots.
DESCRIPTION – Ficus macrophylla is a medium to large, spreading tree 15 to 35 metres high with a similar spread. It often has a butressed trunk. In nature it is a strangler fig – the seed germinates in the canopy of a host tree where the plant grows as an epiphyte while sending down roots to ground level, eventually enlarging and enveloping the host tree and becoming free standing. The large leaves are oval-shaped to elliptical 100-250 mm long, dark glossy green above and rusty beneath. The fruits are 20-25 mm in diameter, yellowish and turning purple when ripe. They occur on stalks from 10-20 mm long.
Photo by Brian Walters
The oldest known Moreton Bay fig tree (Ficus macrophylla) is estimated to be around 270 years old and located in North Booval, Ipswich, Australia according to Ipswich First. It predates European settlement and is considered a significant heritage tree.
Planning, Development and Heritage Committee Chairperson Cr David Morrison said the tree has a wide and extensive canopy and buttress root system and is approximately 18m in height with an approximate canopy diameter of 30m.
CULTIVATION – The Moreton Bay fig has been widely used in public parks in frost-free areas, and was popular with early settlers of Australia. Around the beginning of the 20th century, the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Joseph Maiden, advocated the planting of street trees, generally uniform rows of the one species. He recommended Moreton Bay figs be spaced at 30 m (100 ft) intervals—far enough to avoid crowding as the trees matured, but close enough so that their branches would eventually interlock. Specimens can reach massive proportions, and have thrived in drier climates; impressive specimen trees have been grown in the Waring Gardens in Deniliquin, and Hay.
They can withstand light frosts and can cope with salt-laden spray in coastal situations, and their fruit is beneficial for urban wildlife. However, their huge size precludes use in all but the largest gardens, and their roots are highly invasive and can damage piping and disrupt footpaths and roadways; the vast quantities of crushed fruit can be messy on the ground.
USES – The soft light timber has a wavy texture and is used for cases. Aboriginal people traditionally use the fibres for fishing nets. The fruits are edible and taste like other fig varieties.
The image shows a tall pine tree reaching up towards a cloudy blue sky. Pine trees are known for their distinctive needles, which are arranged in clusters, and their scaly bark. There are many different types of pine trees, and they can grow to be very tall, with the sugar pine being the largest and tallest species. Some pine trees, like the Scots pine, have orange-brown bark, while others, like the Bhutan pine, have blue-green needles. The tallest living pine tree is a ponderosa pine in Oregon, which is over 268 feet 4 inches (81.79 meters) tall.
This Ponderosa Pine was found in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, specifically on the Wild Rivers Ranger District. The tree was measured using laser technology and direct climbing methods, confirming its height.
Structural Lumber
Ponderosa pine is extensively used as dimensional lumber in light construction. Its timber is easily milled and was one of the first western woods shipped in quantity to eastern markets in the early 20th century. Common construction uses have included framing (studs and joists), roof decking, and sheathing in houses where only moderate strength is required. By the mid-20th century, annual production of ponderosa pine lumber was very high; for example, harvests exceeded 3 billion board feet per year by the late 1930s and peaked at over 4 billion board feet in 1941.
In addition to sawtimber, ponderosa pine is used in round log form for various purposes. The straight trunks were historically sought for utility poles and fence posts; when properly dried or treated, the wood has fair durability in these uses. Early 20th-century mining operations also used ponderosa pine for mine timbers and tunnel supports. The wood from younger, fast-grown ponderosa pines tends to warp, limiting its use in structural applications. Historically, the highest quality heavy timbers came from large, old-growth trees.
In Nuclear Testing During Operation Upshot–Knothole in 1953, a nuclear test was performed in which 145 ponderosa pines were cut down by the United States Forest Service and transported to Area 5 of the Nevada Test Site, where they were planted into the ground and exposed to a nuclear blast to see what the blast wave would do to a forest. The trees were partially burned and blown over.
Hafren Forest, located near Llanidloes in Mid Wales, is a popular destination for walking and enjoying the scenery, particularly around the source of the River Severn. The forest is named after Afon Hafren, the Welsh name for the River Severn, and offers various trails that lead to the river’s source and waterfalls, including the famous Severn-Break-its-Neck.
The forest itself was planted in the 1930s by the Forestry Commission. It’s lined with thousands of Pine and Spruce Trees. Offering around 15 square miles of breathtaking scenery and abundant wildlife. Home to a variety of rare bird species, including buzzards, goshawks, red kites, and merlins. In addition, nearly all of the UK’s native freshwater fish species can be found in its waters, making it a biodiversity hotspot.
Location: Situated in the Cambrian Mountains, about 6 miles (9.65km) west of Llanidloes
River Severn: The forest is known for the River Severn, with its source located just outside the forest boundary on the slopes of Pumlumon.
Walking Trails: There are several waymarked trails, ranging from shorter walks to the waterfalls within the forest to longer routes leading to the river’s source. Walks through the forest will take you between 30 minutes and 4.5 hours, with terrain ranging from a man-made boardwalk to loose stone and steep slopes depending on what you pick.
Accessible Trail: A boardwalk trail provides access to a viewing platform over the cascades.
Other Activities: The forest also offers opportunities for picnicking, wildlife spotting, and enjoying the natural landscape
Historic Interest: The forest includes some heritage features, such as a standing stone and the remains of a mine.
Commercial Forestry: While managed for recreation and wildlife, Hafren Forest is also a commercial forest, producing timber for various uses.
Get in touch Location: Hafren Forest, near Llanidloes, Powys
The Bottle Tree, scientifically known as Pachypodium lealii, is a unique native plant to Namibia and Angola.
It’s characterised by its swollen bottle neck trunk which stores water for survival in dry environments. The plant also has slender spiny branches and leaves clustered towards the tips.
But it should not be underestimated, as the milky sap is toxic with a lactic juice that was used as an arrow poison by Namibian hunters causing blindness if it gets into the eyes.
Pachypodium lealii is one of the giants of the genus; it is the largest of the continental African species, occasionally obtaining a height of over 8 metres (26 ft) in height. Of the continental species, P. lealii has the most arborescent form. It grows with a single, or sometimes double trunk, though damaged plants may have multiple trunks. The bark is pale and varies in colour from grey to creamy to tan to pinkish. The trunk is generally conical, tapering gradually from base to top. In very old plants the trunk can be more parallel-sided.
However tall P. lealii grows, it’ll be almost entirely branchless until the very top. The leaves grow on slender branches and are jealously defended from herbivores by sharp spines.
Around May to November the leaves will all drop off as the Bottle Tree diverts all its effort into growing surprisingly extravagant flowers. The flowers are pink to white and dark red towards the centre. It has shiny, leathery leaves which can measure up to 20cm in length.
The plant is protected and listed on CITES 2, according to Namibian.org
Tree Weaver 