A tale of a tree
El Arbol del Tule has the world’s widest tree trunk
About 2,000 years’ ago, a small sapling grew next to a church in the tiny village of Santa Maria del Tule near Oaxaca, Mexico. The young sapling was barely tall enough to avoid being stepped on as people hurried to the church for Mass. The tree was a Montezuma bald cypress, Taxodium mucronatum, and belonged to the same family as the giant sequoia.
The tree wished to one day become as large and magnificent as its cousin, “Hyperion,” the giant sequoia living in California’s Redwood Forest that is the tallest living tree in the world on record with a height of 379.1 feet.
The little sapling lived at an elevation of 5,100 feet in a small valley nestled in the Sierra Mountains. During spring and summer, the weather was hot, rainy and humid. During winter, the days were cold, sunny and dry.
Years passed and the village of Santa Maria del Tule grew larger. The little sapling grew larger, as well. Centuries passed and the sapling grew into a mature tree towering skyward. The tree’s trunk was so wide that it took 30 people, arms outstretched, to reach around its base. Its sweeping branches stretched as wide as two tennis courts.
The villagers were very proud of their tree and named it El Arbol del Tule (the tree of Tule). They built a wrought-iron fence around it and invited people from throughout the world to view its magnificence.
Until recently, people thought El Arbol del Tule was not one tree but several that had grown together. However, scientists have studied the tree and determined that it is, indeed, one tree with a very large trunk. Depending upon the person measuring, the tree’s circumference is 137.8 feet, its height is 116 feet and its width is 46.1 feet.
After 2,000 years, El Arbol del Tule is proud to be the widest tree in the world and gladly welcomes visitors who journey to Santa Maria del Tule to gaze upon its ancient beauty.
Santa Maria del Tule has become a bustling city with heavy air pollution. The valley where El Arbol del Tule has lived for centuries is no longer a swampy marsh because the water table has dropped as the city’s water needs have increased. The city is working to keep their ancient tree healthy.
Hopefully, El Arbol del Tule will live for many more centuries and bring happiness to all who visit.
Trees to plant in Imperial Valley
Choosing a tree for your yard is an important decision. A tree adds value to your home, welcome shade and privacy. Trees can provide seasonal beauty with their spring flowers and attract wildlife with their protective branches and fruit.
Deciduous trees planted near east or west-facing walls will shade your home during the hot summer months and help warm your home in winter when they are leafless. Evergreen trees make perfect habitats for many varieties of birds and can screen windows and patios from public view.
Before planting a tree, make sure the location will accommodate its size at maturity so its branches won’t rub your home’s walls or roof. Choose a location where the tree will not interfere with overhead power lines or underground utilities. Do not plant a tree near a septic tank where its roots will interfere with the functioning of the septic system.
This fall, when temperatures cool, plant a tree in your yard and enjoy the many benefits it will offer.
Flowering trees:
Royal poinciana (35’x40’) Jacaranda (30’x25’) Ornamental pear (20’x20’)
Texas mountain laurel (15’x10’)
Chaste (20’x20’)
Deciduous trees:
Chinese pistache (40’x35’)
Honey mesquite (10’ to 20’x15’ to 20’)
Velvet mesquite (15’x15’)
Evergreen trees:
Sweet acacia (20’x20’) Texas ebony (15’ to 25’x15’)
Afghan pine (50’x30) Australian bottle tree (25’x10’)
Low-water trees:
Sweet acacia (20’x20’) Guajillo (15’x15’) White thorn acacia (10’x15’)
Leather leaf acacia (10’x8’)
Willow acacia (30’x15’)
Shoestring acacia (30’x20’) Cascalote (15’x15’) Desert willow (30’x25’)