Tree nerd: Someone who stops in their tracks to admire a tree.
It could be for its bark, the branching, the age, the canopy. The reasons vary, but the feeling of bliss makes stopping a necessity.
When I stand under the canopy, it is with awe, respect and a fair amount of sheer delight at discovering a new old friend.
I have many photos of a great trees including some world record holders in New Zealand where I lay on my back nestled between roots with camera pointing to the sky and took shots of the canopy. I have other photos including Redwoods in California, Kapoks in Florida, Joshua trees in the desert and dozens of others growing in parks, gardens and backyards.
I seek out champion trees and have fond memories of climbing trees as a child including an amazing beech tree that I later introduced to my child. We climbed it together.
On a walk, bike or drive, I can’t help but notice color, structure, bark, shape and size. A decade ago, I started taking photos of trees that stood out for one reason or another. I added another recently and decided to start a category on this blog to highlight these beauties.
I’m calling it Log: magnificent trees.
Beginning with the Rainbow Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta) pictured above.
This is a striking, fragrant tree with extraordinary bark rich with color: reds, oranges, greens, purple, and yellows. In the U.S. it needs a zone 10 location with lots of water and room to grow as it can reach 125 feet.
The bark and breadth of this tree are glorious.