About this podcast
Old trees are awe inspiring links to the past that fire our imagination. What are their stories? Seasoned arborist and amateur historian Doug Still interviews local experts, historians, and community people to celebrate the myths and uncover the real tales. If you're a tree lover, join in to look "beyond the plaque" at heritage trees and the human stories behind them.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 39 episodes
- El Árbol del Tule: Oaxaca's Axis Mundi · 1 h 2 min · Season 3 Episode 9In the small town of Santa María del Tule, in the heart of Oaxaca, Mexico, stands a Montezuma Cypress more than 2,000 years old. Its trunk is considered the widest of any tree on…
- The Washington Monument Mulberry · 1 h 2 min · Season 3 Episode 8A lone mulberry tree stands beside the Washington Monument. It is curious, unexpected, and impossible to ignore once you notice it. Who planted it? Is it historic? Is it one tree…
- Kongeegen, or "The King's Oak" · 60 min · Season 3 Episode 7Kongeegen, or the 1,500 year old “King’s Oak,” is deep inside a forest called Jægerspris Nordskov in Denmark. The tree is named after 19th century King Frederik VII, who owned a…
- Sa Melabrina and Sardinia's Monumental Trees · 1 h 2 min · Season 3 Episode 6Sa Melabrina is a Downy Oak tree the size of a small church, draped in moss and ferns. Her ancient arms spread wide in the surrounding forest near Illorai, Sardinia. She's the…
- On Defense: Estonia's Stadium Oak · 1 h 4 min · Season 3 Episode 5In the small Estonian town of Orissaare, football players dribble around a 150-year-old oak tree standing impossibly in the middle of their soccer field or "stadium." What seems…
- Arborists Live: Our Tree Stories · 1 h 0 min · Season 3 Episode 4What happens when six arborists come down from the trees to step behind the mic? Find out by listening to this special episode of stories by tree professionals told LIVE in front…
- The General Sherman Tree: First Encounters · 1 h 8 min · Season 3 Episode 3High up in California's Sierra Nevada mountains stands the largest tree on earth by volume - the General Sherman Tree. The famous giant sequoia has captivated millions of…
- S'Ozzastru and the Ancient Olive Trees of Sardinia · 1 h 5 min · Season 3 Episode 2Some trees are old — and then there's S’Ozzastru. Nestled near the village of Luras on the island of Sardinia, this ancient olive tree has stood for nearly 4,000 years. Also…
- The Ginkgo at Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple · 1 h 4 min · Season 3 Episode 1Have you seen those breathtaking aerial photos of a solitary ginkgo tree in a courtyard, its leaves creating a perfect golden carpet of fallen leaves? This isn't just any…
- Tree Story Shorts IV · 46 min · Season 2 Episode 10Welcome to the fourth edition of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, where guests get to tell their own tree stories! Salacious pepper trees, historic oaks, a tree named after…
- India's Kabirvad Banyan Tree · 1 h 20 min · Season 2 Episode 9Meet Kabirvad, a 500 yr-old, 4 acre banyan tree in the heart of Gujarat, India. The spectacular tree is a national treasure associated with Saint Kabir, a 15th century mystic…
- London's Charlton House Mulberry · 1 h 1 min · Season 2 Episode 8Did you know the British are mad about mulberries? A 415 yr-old black mulberry tree stands at Charlton House & Gardens, the oldest specimen in London and highly beloved. Its…
- Saving Seeds: Bartram's Franklin Tree · 1 h 2 min · Season 2 Episode 7John Bartram was a Quaker farmer near Philadelphia in the mid 18th century. So how did he become North America's first great botanist? And how did he and his son William find…
- The Tree That Owns Itself · 1 h 1 min · Season 2 Episode 6Legend has it that Col. William H. Jackson of Athens, Georgia loved his old white oak tree very much. So much, that he created a deed for the tree and the land immediately…
- The Mariner and the Mulberry · 56 min · Season 2 Episode 5A large old mulberry tree at Truro Vineyards on Cape Cod comes with a legend. A sea captain brought it back from the South Pacific and planted it for his young wife. Or his…
- Tree Story Shorts III · 36 min · Season 2 Episode 4Here's the third edition of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, where guests get to tell their own tree stories! Charles Darwin, bride and groom trees, a massive American elm…
- Europe's 2023 Tree of the Year: The Fabrykant Oak · 1 h 1 min · Season 2 Episode 3The Fabrykant Oak, translated as the "Factory Owner's Oak," received 45,000 votes to become Europe's Tree of the Year. Located in Łódź, it captures the hearts of people in its…
- The Emancipation Oak · 1 h 9 min · Season 2 Episode 2A 300 yr-old Live Oak tree on the campus of Hampton University in Virginia stuns visitors with its strength and beauty. It’s also an enduring symbol of a watershed moment in…
- The Autograph Tree · 1 h 2 min · Season 2 Episode 1A stunning copper beech tree in Ireland’s County Galway attracts tourists from around the world. Lady Gregory was its owner, and she drew legendary writers of her day to her…
- Trees in Song: Season 1 Finale · 58 min · Season 1 Episode 19This season 1 recap features thematic highlights from the first 18 episodes, Doug's favorite songs about trees, and an interview with Dee Lee, arborist and songwriter! Featured…
