Which is the best tree?

[purplepoppy]

It's time for the UKs tree of the year contest and 10 have been short listed. I've picked out 5 based on them having a decent photo or story behind them.

My favourite is the one growing out of a church tower. Yews are normally planted in graveyards to prevent grazing but I wonder why this one was allowed to grow.

Bendy tree. Ireland. Wych elm 150 years. Result of sea winds

Crowhurst yew. England. 4000 years. Hollow once used as a meeting room

Culmstock yew England 200 years. Probably planted to protect against evil

Lightening oak Scotland 475 years. Once badly damaged by lightening

Coast path oak, Wales. Age unknown as growth stunted by harsh conditions.

A total of 25 votes were cast: 8 girls and 17 guys. See detailed results

[Sunrising]

I've chosen the Crowhurst yew, I imagine the meeting inside the tree was a cosy affair.

Did you know trees have biological sexes?

Dioecuous trees are strictly male and female individual trees, with only male trees producing pollen, and only female trees producing fruit and seeds. Examples include Ginko trees, hollies, and willows.

So there might be more to it than it seems when you see warning signs on roads of plants crossing the roads? Could this be randy trees uprooting and wanting a night of passion?

But I prefer females bushes than trees lol.

75% to 85% of trees are cosexual or hermaphroditic, they have male and female reproductive organs inside a flower. Examples include apples, magnolias, and cherry trees.

Monoecious (single housed) trees have separate male and female flowers on the same individual plant. Examples include oak, birch and pine trees.

[mstbooblover]

A tree that age deserves respect. It's a miracle that tree has survived 4000 years through all possible natural and mostly human induced catastrophies...

[canamlusciouslad73]

To say nothing of dogs peeing on it !!!

[purplepoppy]

Plus someone hit with a cannonball

[canamlusciouslad73]

A fat broad?

[FreyaRed]

Crowhurst sound like German Krähenhorst.

I think this tree saw some unspeakable things in its 4k years long life.

[purplepoppy]

Same thing, both German names original just the English slowly changed over time

[Nikki1989]

Bendy tree.

[browsingthroughthe]

@purplepoppy the coast tree (the last one) sure would've made for pretty post-wedding photos after the church tree - hmmm? 👀💘😅

[browsingthroughthe]

One to suggest to your friends someday or to yourself, if you ever marry someday

[browsingthroughthe]

@purplepoppy has Poppy been to any of these trees yet in her lifetime thus far? Maybe check out that church tree someday. Is it, Catholic lol, or Protestant lol? Ah well. Or maybe the coast someday. I like how it's in an open field 🌲🌴 but I do like a good Church @purplepoppy

[NathanDavis]

the bendy one, for sure...

what a trooper

[Staximus]

It’s a damned shame the limers chopped down all the trees in the UK like 200+ years ago. Bunch of bloody savages

[AngryCarl3]

I like the idea of holding meetings in a hollow tree.

[AviatorTom]

I'm old, and I vote for the oldest tree.

[xawyx-3]

A, D, and E are my top three favorites.

[Abbycado]

I pick two.

[Markella83]

Crowhurst looks the coolest.

[Paige2006]

Bent tree

[WhitneySnow]

Crowhurst yew

[eagle1951]

oak.