Ireland’s Hungry Tree
2 min read
We are within the grounds of The Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Ireland’s oldest school of law, founded in 1541 during the reign of King Henry VIII, where an 80-year-old plane tree is devouring an iron bench.
We know most trees feast upon a steady diet of carbon dioxide, water, and sunshine, which they absorb through their roots and leaves. However, it seems that some trees like to absorb other things as well!
The Hungry Tree in Dublin is an 80-year-old London Plane tree that’s currently in the process of eating a cast iron bench.
As the years have passed, the tree has grown, causing it to swallow the things that stands in its way. Its gnarled bark now spills over the back of the bench, making it appear as though the seat is being sucked into the tree’s trunk.
This isn’t the first tree to eat something that stood in its way. Other trees around the world have acted similarly when faced with an obstacle that intrudes upon their growth. Despite this, the Hungry Tree is listed by the Tree Council of Ireland as one of Ireland’s Heritage Trees. Don’t sit too long, or the tree might eat you too!
