The world is home to some truly extraordinary trees. Some grow almost entirely beneath the ground, others are poisonous, and there’s one that’s estimated to be almost 5,000 years old.
Then there are the big ones – the really big ones. Some of these titans rise more than 100 metres into the sky, while other more squat specimens grow as wide as houses.
This gallery of breathtaking tree photos includes a selection of the most striking arboreal giants on the planet.
The General Sherman Tree – a giant sequoia in California’s Sequoia National Park – is the world’s largest tree (by volume). Credit: Getty
The Cathedral Fig Tree in Danbulla National Park in Queensland, Australia. Estimates suggest this specimen could be 500 years old. Credit: Getty
Coastal redwoods line the verges of the Avenue of the Giants, a scenic highway passing through Humboldt Redwoods State Park in California, USA. Credit: Getty
Avenue of the Baobabs in Madagascar, Africa. The trunks of baobabs store thousands of litres of water to help these distinctive-looking trees survive in dry climates. Credit: Getty
Branches and hanging roots of a giant banyan tree growing on the Pipiwai Trail in Maui, Hawaii. Credit: Getty
Yakusugi cedar tree on the Shiratani Unsuikyo Trail, Yakushima Island, Japan. Credit: Getty
Roots of the Lupuna tree, or Kapok tree, in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. Credit: Getty
El Árbol del Tule (The Tree of Tule) is a Montezuma cypress. It has the largest trunk diameter of any tree in Mexico. Credit: Getty
The Giant Rain Tree in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, is over 100 years old. Credit: Getty
A spectacular giant ficus tree in Tenerife, Spain. Credit: Getty
Top image: Sequoia National Park. Credit: Getty
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