Large Trees of Culture in Korea
See large trees telling historical and cultural stories in Korea
Yew in Mt. Seorak Korea National Arboretum
What is a large tree?
Large trees refer to giant and old trees that have grown naturally. Arboretum botanists define that large trees are the ones with a trunk which has more than 3 meters in diameter and other trees with a 2-meter wide trunk and small trunks more than 3 meters when combined.
Pine tree in Uljin Korea National Arboretum
Small ecosystem
Large trees have great value when it comes to playing a role as a small ecosystem. Large trees provide scenic grandeur of landscape and represent the history of forest ecosystem. Many species live on the trees and make forests more vibrant. They are crucial to the food pyramid.
Many-stem Korean red pine at Seonwoon-sa Temple Korea National Arboretum
My international organizations, including International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO), governments, and research institutions, have participated in the protection and conservation of large trees in order to maintain biodiversity.
Oriental arborvitae at Changdeok-gung Palace Korea National Arboretum
Cultural trees
Large trees have many cultural backgrounds. Giant trees growing in Korea tell the culture, legends and life of Korean people.
Yew tree at Mt. Odae Korea National Arboretum
Enjoy fascinating stories from large trees across Korea.
Juniper at Songgwang-sa Temple Korea National Arboretum
Divine Juniper Tree
This species of tree, juniper, has played a significant role in East Asian culture. They were considered to ward off evils and bring in good spirits. Junipers were commonly planted everywhere including palaces, temples, Confucian schools and even small villages.
Juniper at Changdeok-gung Palace Korea National Arboretum
Kings' juniper
This juniper is located at Changdeok-gung Palace in Seoul. Their leaves were used as an incense for ancestral worships in the palace. This is why this tree was planted near the ceremonial hall for the royal ancestors. It is estimated to be 750 years old.
Juniper at Songgwang-sa Temple Korea National Arboretum
Legendary juniper
Legend has it that two Buddhist monks stuck their canes into the ground and those walking sticks became these giant junipers. The unique shape of trees' spirals is a distinctive feature and locals describe them as 'ascending dragons'. They are thought to be about 700 years old.
Juniperus chinensis in Ulleungdo Island, South Korea Korea National Arboretum
2,000 year old Juniper in Ulleung-do Island
Some juniper trees maintain their population by taking root in barren coastal cliffs. They have a tendency to grow on slopes. Since these seaside environments have been damaged and contaminated due to human intervention, many of its population is thought to have been lost.
Juniper's natural habitat in Ulleung-do Island Korea National Arboretum
Daepunggam, meaning a place where you wait for the wind, is the name of the rock where these junipers live.
Juniperus chinensis population on a rocky hill Korea National Arboretum
This juniper habitat in Ulleung-do Island is virtually inaccessible. Thanks to its remote location, it has maintained a well-reserved juniper population.
A giant tree in Pyeongdae-ri, Jeju Island Korea National Arboretum
Nut-bearing torreya in Jeju Island
On Jeju Island, famous for its beauty and distinctive volcanic nature, there are 2,800 nut-bearing torreya trees. It is academically important since this size of nut-bearing torreya forest is rarely found elsewhere in the world.
Nut-bearing torreya in Jindo Korea National Arboretum
600 years old Nut-bearing torreya
Jindo is also home to the bija tree, which is estimated to be over 600 years old. Traditionally believed to have medicinal properties, the tree was once planted by a nearby temple to make an antiparasitic remedy.
Fir tree at Cheonghwang-sa Temple Korea National Arboretum
Fir trees
This fir stands near Cheonghwang-sa Temple in Jinan. It clearly shows the typical shape of a fir tree. Although firs are very vulnerable to typhoon damage, this tree has endured for four hundred years.
Fir tree in Mt. Jeombong Korea National Arboretum
Fir trees have plenty of uses. They were planted near palaces and Buddhist temples so that they could be used for timber in case as needed. Firs were preferred because it was thought that they give emotional peace and arouse religious feelings.
Yew tree Korea National Arboretum
The oldest yew in Korea
This yew, located in Duwibong, Gangwond-do, South Korea, is the oldest yew in Korea. Research has been done to reveal the age of this tree and it is thought to be 1,400 years old. Its remote location prevented it being cut down and so it survived for over a thousand years.
Yew tree at Mt. Hambaek Korea National Arboretum
Taxus cuspidata Siebold & Zucc. is the botanical name of yews. The word taxus finds its root in the Greek language tóxon, “bow” since ancient Greeks made bows out of yew wood.
Yew tree at Mt. Odae Korea National Arboretum
The yew's Korean name, Jumok (red wood), comes from the color of its bark and the central core of the trunk. The hard-grained wood was used to carve statues of the Buddha. Traditionally, yew go boards were considered the best, so that this species can only be found in remote areas.
Pine tree in Mt. Jiri Korea National Arboretum
Pine of Millennia
This pine tree lives in Mt. Jiri, the highest peak in mainland South Korea. Like other famous pine trees, locals believe this tree has a divine power to protect them. To this day people practice traditional rituals for the tree.
Pine tree at Seonghwanggol Korea National Arboretum
This 500 years old pine tree in Seonghwanggol, Gunwi, is regarded as 'a tree that grants wishes' by locals. This type of tree is called 'Dangsanmok', the divine tree of the village.
Pine tree in Hapcheon Korea National Arboretum
This pine tree is located in Hwayang-ri, Hapcheon. It is estimated to be 500 years old. Locals have long been protectors of this tree as they believe the pine is the guardian of their village.
Black pine in Haenam Korea National Arboretum
Black pine
This tree has a well known history. After the war with Japan in the 16th century, people planted this tree in order to commemorate the victory at war on a site where the local governor's office was located. This now still stands in front of the Haenam county office.
Oriental arborvitae at Changdeok-gung Palace Korea National Arboretum
Scholar's tree
Oriental arborvitae was considered the tree of Confucian scholars, as it represents the virtue of faithfulness. They believed being evergreen is far from being a hypocrite.
Lace-bark pine at Jogye-sa Temple Korea National Arboretum
Lace-bark pine
This tree is thought to be more than 500 years old. The Buddhists believe that the asymmetrical shape of the tree, being inclined to the prayer hall of the Joggye-sa Temple, represents its willingness to embrace the Buddhist faith.
The Korean National Arboretum conducts information collection and on-site research in order to understand the biodiversity of large trees across South Korea. We have published ' 100 Large Trees of Korea ' based on analyzing a number of scientific data for the 353 trees of 84 species in 72 mountains. Visit our official website for more information.
Continue to explore more about a special tree living only in Korea, Korean fir, here
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