Trees have long held a special place in mythology. From Europe to Asia, to the Americas – many ancient religions told of the world tree, a colossal tree trunk connecting our word to others, it’s top branches leading to the heavens, and it’s roots to hell. As the centuries rolled by, folklore came to describe all kinds of mysterious trees. Trees that grant eternal life to those who drink their sap. Or that speak and always reveal the truth. And that’s not to mention the countless mysterious trees associated with bad omens and the apocalypse. But strange trees are not entirely confined to myth and legend. Today we look at ten of the strangest and most mysterious trees in the world.
10 Chêne Chapelle
This large, hollow tree looks it’s called home by some kind of wizard. But in reality it’s a religious site. Two small chapels are hidden within this hollowed out trunk, both of which have been since the year 1696.
It all began with tragedy. At some point in the 16 hundreds, when the oak tree was already many centuries old, it was struck by lightning. This caused a violent fire that consumed the tree from the inside. And yet, the tree stood tall, in a remote French town. In their weird, French peasant minds, this was some kind of miracle. And so two chapels were constructed inside the now hollow trunk. Why two chapels when one alone would be unique enough? Good Question.
I just like the idea of having an entire religious building inside a tree. And it’s not the only one in France. I guess it’s just a thing they do. But none are more mysterious than Chene Chappelle. We don’t even know the trees age, just that it’s at least 800 years old. Some believe it is the oldest in France.
9 Tree of Ténéré
This is the world’s most remote and isolated tree… Or at least it was. The last of what was once a large group of trees, it stood here for roughly 300 years. Deep in the desert of Niger. Over time it became something of a monument in an otherwise lifeless desert. A romantic landmark witnessed by generations of passing nomads. Many even viewed it as a sacred or holy place. Then in 1973 a drunk driver crashed into it. And that was that.
Literally the only tree for 400 kilometers and some idiot still manages to crash into it. To be honest, I didn’t know they had drunk drivers in Niger. But I guess that’s the wrong thing to focus on. Today there is a strange metal sculpture left in the trees honour. The tree’s actual remains, on the other hand, is housed in a shrine in Niger’s capital city. It’s all a bit weird, and strangely, there are parallels with the legend of the Dry Tree.
The legend comes from Marco Polo. A single tree stood on the site of a battle between Alexander the Great and the Persian king. While dry and lifeless, it could grant new life to anyone who touches it’s branches. The only tree for hundreds of miles. The legend makes no mention of a drunk driver.
8 The Chained Oak
For more than 200 years, this tree in central England has been rapped in chains. As if it were some kind of prisoner. Nobody knows for sure why the tree is chained. All we have to go on are strange legends. The most prominent of such blames it on a local lord. A cruel man who once mocked an old woman begging for money. If he’d ever seen a horror movie, he would have known better. But this was the 18 hundreds, a time when movies were seen as cringe.
Tragically, the old woman put a curse on him. Pointing to the tree, she declared that whenever a branch fell, a member of his family would die. Being a silly goose, he simply laughed this off, and carried on with his day. But before long it started. Branches began to fall and members of his noble family did indeed start dying prematurely. Now realising what a terrible mistake he’d made, the lord had every branch physically chained up. It’s been that way ever since.
7 Man Eating Tree
In the year 1874 strange reports began to emerge from the jungles of Madagascar. Within months, newspapers across the world began describing a man-eating tree. The tree was unlike any other, with long curving branches that moved in the air like snakes. It was a disturbing sight. But according to the German explorer who told of this incident, it emitted a beautiful sweet smell. He found this alluring. But before it was able to draw him closer to the tree, a group of local natives pushed forward. Unlike him, they were there for a specific reason – human sacrifice. A young woman was thrown into the tree. In no time at all the branches were wrapped around her limbs and neck. No matter how hard she struggled, the tree was stronger, and slowly it ate her alive. Ever since, outsiders have feared the man eating tree of Madagascar.
6 Crooked Forest
In a forest in Poland can be found a mysterious grove of trees. 400 of them stand oddly crooked, and no one knows why. Planted around the year 1930, they somehow grow into a sharp bend, before rising 50 feet upwards. In those days this area was part of Germany. But with the second world war kicking off just a few years later, the whole story is murky. Some believe they were curved deliberately. Perhaps for the wood to be used in boat building. But modern researchers have no idea what method could have been used for this. Local legend tells that the Crooked Forest is haunted by the ghost of a deformed man. Others claim the trees were damaged by bombings during world war two. Or by some kind of snowstorm. But in my view, there is only one logical explanation. Gypsy curse.
5 Wych Elm Bella
In the middle of world war two, something terrible was discovered inside the hollow trunk of a tree. As with most things terrible, it all began with a group of mischievous young boys. Having no television and nothing better to do, they spent their time searching trees for bird eggs. Then one day they came across a large wych elm. A species of tree long associated with folklore. The boys did not find any bird eggs. But on noticing the tree had a hollow trunk, one of them reached in. And to the shock of all, he pulled out a skull. It was unmistakably human, with human teeth and a clump of hair. Local police soon descended on the tree, recovering a full skeleton from it’s hollow trunk. But who was it, and how did they get here?
Forensic investigation revealed the remains to be of a woman. Middle aged and 5 feet tall. She had been dead for more than a year and a half. She seemed to have died of strangulation. But there were no local cases of missing women like this, and no real sign of her identity. Then in December of 1943, graffiti began to appear in the local area, reading: who put Bella down the Wych Elm?
A Supernatural Cause
Many took this to mean the dead woman was called Bella. Especially as the graffiti kept popping up around town. Yet still, police were unable to identify the skeleton. Or a suspect. No progress has since been made on the case. Many suspect a more paranormal explanation. In their defence, the skeleton was hidden inside a Wych Elm. It was missing one of it’s hands. According to the folklorist Margaret Murray, this is a sign it may have been a black magic ritual. A ritual to create what’s known as a hand of glory. That’s a magical severed human hand that can open locked doors and lead to hidden treasure. But to this day, the skeleton tree remains one of the most mysterious trees in the world.
4 The Devil’s Tree
A tree in South East Florida has long been said to be haunted. Known as the Devil’s Tree, it is connected to the serial killer Gerard Schaefer. A corrupt cop suspected of killing at least 28 victims. Like most people in the 1970s, he had a habit of picking up and murdering hitch-hikers. But unlike most, he would bind them to a tree and horribly mutilate them. According to local legend, this is that tree. Some believe his murders were a form of sacrifice to an evil spirit that lives in it. Or that his own spirit now haunts it. Either way, it is one of America’s most infamous landmarks. Drawing in all kinds of disturbed visitors. Many have also tried to kill the tree. Setting it on fire on multiple occasions and filling it’s hollow holes with concrete. But the devil’s tree lives.
3 Five Zelkovas of Kami-Itabashi
In the middle of a street in Tokyo, five historic mysterious trees seem out of place. If there’s one thing Japanese people hate, it’s out of place trees. And so there have been many attempts to have them removed. But according to local legend, they are protected by a strange curse. This area was not always part of Tokyo. Before the 20th century, it was a small village just outside of the city limits. But as Tokyo rapidly expanded, the village was absorbed. Compelled by law, the local landowner gave up his claim to the area. But he had one condition. His favourite five trees must not be removed. Since that day, any attempt to remove them has resulted in tragedy… Or so the legend tells.
Usually, this takes the form of illness. Developers attempting to axe the trees fall sick. Those who ignore this ghostly warning will in time die prematurely. And if we’re being honest, few people hate awkward trees enough to risk that. Not even if they’re Japanese.
2 Methuselah Tree
This is the oldest known living tree. In fact, it’s the oldest known living thing in the whole world. And yes, that includes your mother. Known as the Methuselah Tree, it is known to be more than 4,800 years old. It’s age is a result of it’s location, being high in the mountains of California. Very little rainfall occurs here, and the soil quality is woeful. Over millions of years, this has led the mysterious trees that do survive here to mutate. As a result they have evolved to age at an incredibly slow rate. They also grow in strange twisted ways in order to resist harsh wind. So it’s no wonder the tree looks haunted.
Methuselah’s exact location is not known to the public. For fear somebody will cut it down, that’s a closely guarded secret. And there is good reason to fear this. Until 1964 there was a much older tree in Nevada. But for no clear reason, it was cut down.
1 Tree of Death
In central London is a small park, creatively named Green Park. Originally, the land it was built on was a swampy marshland. But for a long time was a burial ground for people who died with leprosy. Believe it or not, that’s a bad place to build literally anything. And today countless eerie legends are set in the park. First of all there are is the ghostly highwayman, who emerges on misty mornings. Or the haunting wails of hundreds of dead lepers. Some even claim there is a strange hideous creature who lives there. So hideous that anybody who sees it with their own eyes dies of a heart attack. But the most well known legend of Green park concerns one of the parks many mysterious trees.
It is known as the Tree of Death – because, again, British people are bad at naming things. According to the stories, the tree itself is cursed. Animals and insects will naturally avoid it. As would humans if we were more wise. Press your ear up to it’s trunk and you will hear a strange groan. Cut it open and it will bleed blood instead of sap. But the longer you spend up close to the tree, the sooner you will die. The problem is though, people disagree about where exactly it is in the park. So it’s probably better to just not go there at all.