In the rolling green paddocks near Karamea on New Zealand’s South Island, a solitary giant stands tall, its sprawling roots and gnarled branches evoking the image of an ancient guardian from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. This is no ordinary tree—it’s the “walking tree,” a northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta) that has captured hearts and imaginations, earning the prestigious title of New Zealand’s Tree of the Year for 2024. With its leg-like trunks and an uncanny resemblance to an Ent, this arboreal marvel has strode past all competition, claiming 42% of the public vote in the New Zealand Arboricultural Association’s (NZ Arb) annual contest.
Rising to an impressive height of 105 feet—equivalent to a seven-story building—this northern rātā is a testament to nature’s resilience and mystery. Standing alone in a field next to a cemetery, it is the last survivor of a forest that vanished around 150 years ago. “The farming family back then clearly thought it was special because they left it,” said Brad Cadwallader, the competition organizer, in an interview with Radio New Zealand. The tree’s striking appearance, with roots that seem to stride across the earth and arm-like branches reaching skyward, has made it an “exceptional feature” and a symbol of New Zealand’s rich natural heritage, according to NZ Arb president Richie Hill.
The walking tree’s origins are as fascinating as its appearance. As an epiphyte, it began life high in the canopy of a host tree, drawing sustenance from air and rainwater. Over time, it extended aerial roots to the ground, weaving around its host in a unique embrace that shaped its distinctive “walking” form. The host tree, long since decayed, may have been a massive giant or perhaps leaned against another fallen tree, splitting the rātā’s roots near the ground and creating its ambulatory illusion. “That host tree has now gone,” Cadwallader explained, leaving behind this living relic of a bygone forest.
Though its exact age remains a mystery, the walking tree is believed to be centuries old, potentially approaching the northern rātā’s lifespan of up to 1,000 years. Once a dominant species in New Zealand’s lush forests, northern rātā trees are now classified as nationally vulnerable by the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Their decline is driven by deforestation, hybridization with the closely related pōhutukawa trees (Metrosideros excelsa), and the invasive common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), which feasts on their leaves and gnaws at their roots. Adding to the threat is myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii), a pathogenic fungus from South America that first appeared in New Zealand in 2017, further endangering this iconic species.
The walking tree’s triumph in the 2024 Tree of the Year award is a celebration of its enduring beauty and resilience. “It just strode out into the lead right from the very start,” Cadwallader noted, reflecting the public’s admiration for this natural wonder. As the lone sentinel of a lost forest, the walking tree stands as a poignant reminder of New Zealand’s ecological heritage and the urgent need to protect its remaining treasures. For now, this majestic Ent-like giant continues to guard its paddock, its roots firmly planted in history and its branches reaching toward the future.