Photo of the week – The oldest and the widest tree in Mexico Tule Tree
When you visit Oaxaca, you have to take a tour to Santa María del Tule, a small village 14 km from Oaxaca in Mexico. It was named after the tule (from náhuatl; in Spanish called espadaña, in English bulrush) which used to grow everywhere around here years ago. Tule is not a tree, but a plant that needs a lot of water and very humid weather. Nowadays, you can still see it growing around the fountains.
There is a very cute small church next to the zócalo in Santa María del Tule which is surrounded by a tree on its right side (more than 1,000 years old) and another one on its left side. It is the famous tule tree – the oldest and the widest tree in Mexico and one of the oldest and the widest ones in the world.
The tree is 42 m tall, but it is actually wider than taller and has many trunks, hence the biggest in perimeter – 58 m. It weighs 636 tons and minimum 30 people have to hold the hands to go around the trunk.
The tree is known as Tule tree but it is not tule, it is Taxodium Mucronatum (sabino/ahuehuete in Spanish, cypress in English), called tule because like I said, the place started to be known as del Tule, so the tree got the name as well.
The inhabitants of Santa María del Tule are so proud of having the unique tree in their village, that they dedicate the second Monday in October to celebrate the Tule Tree.
There is an entrance fee of 5 Mexican pesos to visit the tree and the church.
My trip to Tule tree was sponsored by Hotel Aitana in Oaxaca together with Oaxaca Místico and done by the tourist guide Iván Zafra. A huge thanks to both of them. However, all the opinions in the post are honest and just mine.
Crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ VacayGirl:
It so is. Incredible!
Ian Roy Barros Pereira
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Live your life to the fullest :) that’s how life should be :) The tree is really nice
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Gracias ;)
VacayGirl
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Oh my goodness that is one humonganoid tree!
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Yes Norbert, Mexico is huge and amazing! It has so many places to visit, after 6 weeks here I still get surprised every day about its diversity :)
Norbert
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That is one HUGE tree! Loved the background info you gave of it. I’ve never been to Mexico, but I’ve seen that it has so many natural wonders. I need to go there… lol
Thomas
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I was supposed to go to Cozumel this year with some friends but it doesnt look like Ill be making it this time. Mexico I hear is really really nice. Thanks for the photos and happy travels.
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Thanks guys for the comments :)
Thomas, I’m going to Cozumel soon so will tell you how it is, but I’m sure amazing as I only go to awesome places haha
thepinaysolobackpacker
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ahhhh! Mexico! when can I see you!
Cool photos sis! and I love the outfit! =) keep exploring!