A dragon tree on the Isle of Wight and a fallen ‘phoenix’ in London are among this year’s finalists

Mythical creatures are stalking England’s forests, at least in the tree of the year competition, in which a dragon and a phoenix are among the finalists for this year’s crown.

England’s tree of the year 2019 – the Woodland Trust shortlist Read more

The Dragon Tree grows at Brighstone on the Isle of Wight, with one of its many massive snaking boughs forming a bridge over the Buddle Brook, a stream powering a local mill that shut in the 1960s.

According to local legend, the oak was once a fearsome dragon that was slain by a knight returning from the crusades. On its final breath, the dragon turned to wood and laid down roots to become a tree.

In reality, the tree’s unusual shape is a result of having been blown down in a storm, after which it re-rooted, with the existing branches twisting to accommodate the new structure.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Dragon Tree in Brighstone, Isle of Wight. Photograph: Woodland Trust/PA

Another “phoenix” tree is the Fallen Tree in Richmond Park in south-west London. It, too, was blown over by high winds, but rose again. Its branches now grow all from the upward side of its trunk, each one reaching to the sky like a small tree in itself.

The other trees on the 10-strong shortlist may lack such mythical connections, but still give insights into the country’s heritage. Britain’s yew forests, thousands of years old and once prized for military reasons, as the supple wood was used to make longbows, have disappeared from all but a handful of places. One is the Kingley Vale on the South Downs, where the forest’s Great Yew has huge arching branches that form a large canopy.

Oaks were treasured in England’s forests for another military reason, as they were used to build the ships that gave Britain naval dominance for centuries. Few oaks are now being planted, leading foresters to warn of upcoming shortages and the need for imports, but their national importance is reflected in their position on this year’s shortlist: six of the 10 trees listed are oaks.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Great Yew in Kingley Vale, whose branches form a large canopy. Photograph: Edward Parker/Woodland Trust/PA

The Allerton Oak in Liverpool is believed to have been the site of the local court in medieval times. The large crack down the side of the tree is said to have come from the explosion of the Lottie Sleigh, a ship carrying 11 tonnes of gunpowder to the local docks.

Addison’s Oak in Bristol has a more recent origin: it was planted in 1919 when the MP Christopher Addison launched a city-wide housing scheme to build “homes fit for heroes”, for soldiers returning from the first world war.

Addison was behind the Housing and Town Planning Act, which led to building of the UK’s first council houses. As minister for health and an eminent doctor, he recognised that the squalor and slums ordinary people lived in were a prime factor in their poor health and wanted social housing and council planners to provide opportunities for green surroundings, light and fresh air.

Though the government has pledged millions of new trees, targets are not being met. Adam Cormack, the head of campaigning at the Woodland Trust, which runs the annual competition, urged people to value woodlands.

“Trees across the country are constantly under threat of felling due to inappropriate developments. The competition is all about helping to rise the profile of trees in order to offer them better protection,” he said.

Voting is now open and closes at noon on 27 September. Last year, more than 15,500 people voted for their favourite tree.