Bendy elm still standing against all odds crowned UK tree of the year
A 150-year-old Wych elm in Northern Ireland, known for its unusual sideways growth, has been named the UK Tree of the Year. The tree is celebrated for surviving Dutch elm disease and providing shade to the local community.
Why it matters
It highlights the importance of conservation and the cultural value of ancient trees in urban environments.
The tree has somehow resisted Dutch elm disease, a fungus that has destroyed most of the UK’s 30m elms. Photograph: Michael Cooper The tree has somehow resisted Dutch elm disease, a fungus that has destroyed most of the UK’s 30m elms. Photograph: Michael Cooper Trees and forests Bendy elm still standing against all odds crowned UK tree of the year Hundred-and-fifty-year-old Wych elm in Newcastle, Co Down has grown sideways owing to strong winds
Prefer the Guardian on Google The “astonishing and bizarre” Bendy Tree in Northern Ireland has been crowned the winner of this year’s tree of the year competition.
The 150-year-old tree has resisted Dutch elm disease, a fungus that has destroyed most of the UK’s 30m elms, making it a worthy winner of the competition’s “against the odds” theme.
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