- [Narrator] What would we
really do without trees? They provide us with
oxygen, food, medicine, habitats for animals,
prevent soil erosion. While all trees are nothing
short of spectacular, some really stand out! Coming up are some of the most
amazing trees in the world you've probably never heard of. - Amazing! - Rainbow eucalyptus. This tree looks like a work of art. The tree's colorful patterns are a result of sections of bark shedding at different times during the year. It starts off a light
brown and then a led green which over time turns
into hues of dark green, blue, pink, red purple, orange, and every other color of the rainbow. This isn't the only thing that's very interesting about this tree, the rainbow eucalyptus is
the only eucalyptus tree indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere. Growing in the Philippines, New Guinea and forest they get a lot of rain. It's also one of the fastest growing trees at over three feet per year and its trunk can get quite large, up to a diameter of six feet. I'm pretty sure this tree
would make Judy Garland think to herself, "What
a wonderful world." The Hyperion. The Hyperion is a coast
Redwood in California that is 115 meters or 380 feet tall making it the world's tallest living tree. It was found in a remote area of Redwood National and
State Parks in August, 2006. It's estimated to be
at least 600 years old. Though some reports say it's
about 700 to 800 years old. Can't picture just how
tall the Hyperion is? Well, just imagine it's
about 75 feet taller than the statue of Liberty and about 63 feet taller than Big Ben. Dragon's blood tree. This tree is native to a remote Island 200 miles off the coast
of Yemen called Socotra. Its unique umbrella-shape is distinctive and it gets its name based
on its bright red sap. The sap is used as a dye and
was used as a violin varnish and as a folk remedy for various ailments. Dragon's blood trees can live
to be thousands of years old and take a long time to
mature before they reproduce. Unfortunately, these trees
are becoming endangered as several of them were uprooted when the Island was hit by
numerous cyclones since 2015. Web tree: Look at this
remarkable banyan tree in the Guangxi province of China that stands on a whole web of roots. Originally the roots of the
tree grew against a wall. When this wall was dismantled, the tree was uprooted to a new location and the roots became its trunk. They're known for their
extensive roots around the world similar to strangler fig
trees like this one Nanning, which is also in Guangxi. These strangler trees grow around objects and even wrap around other live trees sucking the nutrients out from their roots causing the original treat at die. They're a lot like the
Tetrameles Nudifloras which is shown here to be slowly engulfing the ruins of Cambodia's
historic Ta Prohm Temple. Clearly these trees are all
about survival of the fittest. Quaking aspens. You might also think these
trees are on the list because of its stunning
canary-colored foliage but their true beauty lies
below the surface, literally. Above the ground, these trees
seem to stand individually but actually, they're joined
together by their roots which can form one large organism that can expand up to 20 acres wide. The quaking aspen in
Bryce Canyon National Park is even estimated to be 80,000 years old. Now this is a specimen that proves there is strength in unity. Boab prison tree. Baob trees grow in low-lying
areas in Africa and Australia. They're unique to other trees as their trunks can grow very large and their bark is smooth and shiny. Because of their shape, they're
also known as bottle trees and are excellent for storing
water during droughts. Their strange looks have
always attracted sightseers but this particular tree
in Western Australia probably draws more than others. Known as the Boab Prison Tree, it was alleged to have
been used as a holding cell for Aboriginal prisoners in the 1890s. Though it looks the part, researchers say that there is no evidence
to prove this claim and they are pushing for it to be renamed and respected as a sacred site based on its significance
to Aboriginal people. Trees of Life. This next tree seems to defy the boundaries of life and death. Known also as the Tree Root
Cave or the Kalaloch Tree, this freak of nature is located just north of the Kalaloch
Lodge in Washington. It is from the largest family
of spruce, the Sitka Spruce, and is noted for its
height and wide trunk. But while erosion and other elements should have taken its life, this tree continues to
thrive with its roots exposed and holding onto nothing but air. But what about a tree
thriving in a desert? The Sharajat-al-Hayat or
Tree of Life in Bahrain stands alone in an
extremely harsh environment and has been doing so for over 400 years. Even though it is known for
holding a great deal of water, you can't help but wonder from where since there is no water source in sight. These are true survivors or
should I say, tree survivors. The Divi Divi tree. This tree is one of the
largest of its kind ever found, at around 50 foot, or 15 meters tall. Formally known as Libidibia coriaria, this tree looks contorted because its constantly hit by trade winds that batter the coastal
sites where it often grows. That means it's a natural compass, and always points southwest. It's a landmark of the countryside on island nations like Aruba, where this picture was taken. When allowed to grow in
regions without the wind, it looks like a normal tree. Apart from its unusual shape, its also amazing because we use its pods to extract tannins for leather production. But these are not the only trees that seem to succumb to gale-force winds. Look at these wind-swept trees at Slope Point in New Zealand. The fierce, cold south-westerly
winds from Antarctica make these trees look
like they went for a drive in a convertible with the top down. Chapel Oak. While some people might
turn to church for answers about the Trees of Life, what about if the tree itself is a church? Le Chene Chapelle or the Chapel Oak in the small village of
Allouville-Bellefoss, France, houses not one but two small chapels. It's said to have been
growing a thousand years ago which would make it one of
the world's oldest trees. In the 1600s, the tree
was struck by lightning which caused it to burn
right through the center and created a hollowed-out trunk. It miraculously survived and
the local Abbot Du Detroit and father Du Cerceau
decided to build a shrine to the Virgin Mary in
the hollow of the tree. Another small chapel and a
staircase was later added. During the French revolution, a mob threatened to
burn down the Chapel Oak as it became a symbol of the old way but a local quickly renamed
it to the Temple of Reason and it was spared. Quick thinking or divine intervention? Circus Trees. Swede Axel Erlandson settled in California which is where he observed
the process of inosculation, which is when one tree bonds to another. He then decided to create
his own set of odd trees. It took him many years to shape, graft and prune these trees. He opened his tree circus in 1947 with his transplanted tree featuring ones such as the Four Legged
Giant and the Basket Tree. He sent Robert Ripley a few pictures and Ripley featured the trees
in his cartoons 12 times. Despite this, the Tree Circus
didn't have many visitors and so Erlandson had to sell it. It was close to being bulldozed when finally, Michael
Bonfantes bought them and moved them to his amusement
park called Gilroy Gardens and about 25 of the trees,
they are on display. Arbol del Tule. The fame of this next
tree spreads far and wide. Very, very wide! El Arbol del Tule or Tree of Tule is a formidable Montezuma cypress located in the town center
of Santa Maria del Tule in Oaxaca, Mexico. With a diameter of 11.62 meters, it's considered the
widest tree in the world. It's so wide that it was once assumed to be a merger of several trees but modern DNA analysis has
proven that the Tree of Tule is actually just one individual tree. Estimated about 1,500 years old, it is also one of the
world's oldest trees. It is said it would take about 30 people with arms outstretched to
join hands and encircle it, given that the heavily
buttressed circumference ranges somewhere between 137 to 170 feet. In its knots and crooks, visitors have found
likenesses of human faces, lions, elephants, goblins
and other creatures. The tree is even the inspiration
of an annual festival celebrated on the second
Monday of October. Lone Cypress. This iconic Monterey cypress
grows alone on a granite cliff overlooking California's
beautiful Pacific Coast. The 250-year-old tree
attracted many visitors and the owner of the Pebble
Beach Golf Links and Resort registered a drawing of the tree as the company trademark in 1919. The tree has survived many
harsh weather conditions including storms and
drought but a recent storm in February 2019 broke
off one of its branches. 149-year-old Wisteria. This Wisteria plant located
in Ashikaga Flower in Japan may not be the largest in the world but it still covers an
impressive 21,000 square feet, around 2,000 square meters. It can be traced back to as early as 1870. While wisterias might look like trees, they are actually vines. What makes this wisteria
attract so many visitors is its glorious beauty, it looks like a magnificent
late evening sky with splashes of pink and
purple, truly a stunning sight. The vines tend to get very heavy so the structure is held
up on steel supports which allow visitors to
walk below its canopy and truly take in its beauty. Japanese Maple. This might be one of the most
elegant trees you'll ever see. The Japanese maple is a
species of woody plant native to Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Eastern Mongolia and Southeast Russia. It's one of the most
versatile small trees. Its twisting branches
and variegated leaves of green, yellow and red
makes this iconic tree look beautiful in any season. Antarctic Beech. The Antarctic beech or nire
is native to Argentina, Chile and the Eastern
highlands of Australia. These spectacular trees
can be extremely old. Ancient specimens can be
about 12,000 years old, meaning they've been
around during the ice age! What makes this particular
beech in Oregon spectacular, is something that would usually
not be so desirable - moss. This tree is fully draped by hanging moss but it gives it an eerie and
almost enchanting beauty. So, I would say it is making
the most of this moss. Bonsai tree. Last but certainly not the least, or maybe it is the least in terms of size, is the bonsai tree. Well, the bonsai is not
exactly a tree but an art form. And no, I am not being philosophical, bonsai trees are normal
plants that have been trained using sophisticated techniques
such as regular pruning and wiring to keep them in miniature size and yet preserving the aesthetic
qualities of the plant. The term bonsai simply means
planted in a container. There are a number of amazing bonsai trees that are very extraordinary
and worthy of mention. Look at this popular one in Shunkaen. It's known to be 800 years old! Or this exotic blue
Japanese wisteria bonsai. Not to mention these amazing tiny bonsai or cho-mini bonsai trees. It takes a lot of patience
to sculpt these trees but it seems worth the work. So, there you have it, some of the most amazing
trees in the world! Which one was your favourite? Let me know in the comments
below and thanks for watching! (playful music)
