As many people here at Active Rain know, because I talk about it a lot in December and January, is that I love traveling to Oaxaca, Mexico in January. We are going to Italy again this year, September, but the Mexico trip is what I am looking forward to.

One of the sites to see near Oaxaca is a tree in the nearby town of Tule. The tree is more than 2000 years old and it is 42 meters in diameter.  They estimate, to give an idea of the size, that it would take more than 300 people holding hands to circle it around the base. It is an amazing tree and nearby is a very pretty church. This is a must-see if a person is in the area around Oaxaca, Mexico.

 

        

        

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14 Comments on World's Widest Tree -- Oaxaca, Mexico

JUN
11
2011
1,379,570 Points 7 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Howdy and evening to you Steve

Steve, that there sure is a mighty fine looking and old tree, there in Oaxaca, Mexico. It sure would be a site for folks to miss.

Have a good one
Dale in New Hampshire

8:25pm • #1
239,220 Points Localism Sponsor Attended Rain Camp

Never been to Mexico Steven but it looks like a nice place to visit.
8:47pm • #2
229,889 Points 1 Featured Post Called Shot Master

If you go to Oaxaca at Christmas, you can catch the Noche de los Rádones in the main Square. It's a Radish festival, of all things. Radishes carved up into creches, Jesus figurines, churches, entire vistas, all out of radishes.
10:01pm • #3
468,501 Points 8 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I would really like to see this in person!
11:19pm • #4
JUN
12
2011
875,418 Points Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Steven - 42 meters is a very wide tree. I like to see the tree one day. Thank you for the detailed quality blog.
12:15am • #5
225,754 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I have twice visited the 'General Sherman' tree in Sequoia National Park, which is believe is the largest in terms of overall volume.  In addition to the height, it has a massive circumference.  For those who have never been to Sequoia Park, it is well worth your time and effort.
2:56am • #6
293,498 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Steve,

That is one cool tree. Just needs a tree house then it would be perfect ; )
4:16am • #7
977,390 Points 352 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Lovely!  Do they similarly calculate how many squirrels could get lost in its branches while on vacation?
6:09am • #8
155,778 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Interesting, What kind of tree is it? Looks like it could be a 'weeping willow'.

The photo has part of a person in it. That gives relative scale. I think it might be 4.2 meters wide. 42 meters would be longer than half a football field.

At 300 people to encircle it they must be talking about encircling the canopy spread. For me the base is the trunk and there 12 people would be enough with some left over.

Still a very impressive tree though.
9:43am • #9
1,150,674 Points 53 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Robert,

The tree is 42 meters in diameter, not a typo. The circumference is 54 meters. These are taken at the base. It is the largest around tree in the world.  Believe me, 12 people standing side by side would not cover hardly any of this tree. It is way bigger around than the visual you are getting here. The official word is, and I did not count them of course, is 300 people side by side. And I think that is probably about right. The photo is deceptive, hard to get all the tree in. Alot of the tree is behind the part of the trunk that you see. Here is a link to info on the tree. http://www.delange.org/Tule/Tule.htm

Scroll down to the last photo of the trunk at the bottom, which gives a better idea of the size and shape of the thing.
10:11am • #10
JUN
13
2011
155,778 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

The link is a better set of pictures. The mans arm in you photo would ordinarily give scale in a graphic photo. So you photo has to be distorted optically, i.e. not graphic.

It is a huge tree. awesome really.

However the sign in your link says "DIAMETRO:   14.05 MTS." (Diameter 14.05 meters.)

I think thats about right. I've worked in metric for half my life so it did not look like 42 meters. That's the height "ALTURA'.
12:47am • #11
1,150,674 Points 53 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Robert,

I had seen that text of 42 meters at a couple places in articles, including in the body of that one. Probably Spanish speaking people and, like you say, they got height mixed with diameter something lost in translation from the sign to text. Most sites put the circumference in the neighborhood of 50 meters plus. Anyway, it is the widest tree in the world and I think they are right about it taking several hundred people to circle it.
9:37am • #12
JUN
14
2011
155,778 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Circumference I can see being 50 meters and hundreds of people to encircle it (shoulder to shoulder). No doubt its the widest, you're not going to turn the corner and see another one. All in all, absolutely awesome.
12:06am • #13
JUN
16
2011
548,645 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Wow Steven, to be in the presence of a tree like this must have been moving...
12:01pm • #14

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Steven L. Smith, Bellingham WA Home Inspector

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Steven L. Smith, King of the House Home Inspection, provides information for real estate buyers, sellers and real estate industry professionals. Blog posts emphasize issues commonly found in Bellingham, WA and Whatcom County. Smith is Washington State Licensed Home inspector #207, a state licensed structural pest inspector and one of the most experienced inspectors in the northwest corner of the Pacific Northwest. Steven L. Smith is lead instructor of home inspection at Bellingham Technical College and teaches classes for Washington State University and the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Steve was a two-term member of the state licensing board.


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