The Impressive Tule Tree

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN MEXICO

THE tallest trees in the world are the redwoods of California, reaching heights of 360 feet [110 m] or more. However, the Mexican cypress, a relative of the sequoia, holds the record for circumference. The most famous specimen of this tree is located eight miles east of the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, in the town of Santa María del Tule. It is known as the Tule tree. Its base measures an impressive 150 feet [46 m]. To give you an idea of its size, it would take at least 30 people standing with arms outstretched to encircle the buttressed trunk, and over 500 could find refuge in its shade!

The Tule tree is estimated to be over 2,000 years old. When it was pruned in 1996, ten tons of deadwood was removed. Locals call the tree El Gigante (the Giant). In Mexico this species is known as the ahuehuete, which in the Nahuatl language means “old one of the water,” as it generally grows by water or in swampy places.