Who are you rooting for to win Tree of the Year?

A tree growing almost parallel to the ground. It is beside a road. Three people are sitting on a bench under it. There is a bus stop and businesses in the background. — Image caption,
This tree, known as 'bendy tree', is in Newcastle in Northern Ireland

6 hours ago

Voting for the 2026 Tree of the Year is now open.

The annual competition, run by the Woodland Trust, celebrates amazing trees all over the UK.

It also aims to raise awareness of rare, ancient or at-risk trees.

Last year, a tree in Scotland won the gold.

And this year's theme is "against all odds".

There are some very tough survivors, like an oak that survived a plane crash or a yew that was hit by a cannonball.

So, are you feeling stumped about which one is the most tree-mendous?

Well then, drumroll please...let's take a look at the nominees.

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1. Bendy Tree

A tree growing almost parallel to the ground. It has lots of bright green leaves and is growing beside a road. — Image caption,
Hello bendy tree. We see you defying gravity

Found in Newcastle in Northern Ireland, 'bendy tree' is growing almost horizontally.

This gravity-defying tree is a wych elm and is more than 150 years old.

2. Crowhurst Yew

A large tree with a wooden door in its trunk. — Image caption,
Rooted in history - this tree is 4,000 years old

Not only did this yew tree survive being hit by a cannonball, but it also once had a room with tables, chairs and a door in it.

The roof collapsed during a storm in the 1800s, but the tree still stands in Surrey in England today despite being 4,000 years old!

A large tree with lots of light green leaves. It is growing in a field with long bright green grass. — Image caption,
This oak tree is thriving on a farm in England despite being involved in a plane crash

3. Bomber Oak

Incredibly, this oak tree in Rutland was hit by a bomber plane in 1945 with the impact slicing the top of the tree off.

But miraculously, it lives on. It is around 180 years old.

4. Preston Twin

A large tree covered in green leaves pictured on a sunny day with blue skies. It is surrounded by grass, a path, green grass and other trees/plants. — Image caption,
This tree used to have another elm of the same age beside it, that's why it's a twin

This ancient tree in Preston Park in Brighton is likely to be the world's oldest English elm.

When a disease started passing through trees, Brighton used beetle traps, pruned infected branches and dug trenches to prevent it spreading.

Thanks to that, the tree still stands despite being around four centuries old.

5. Culmstock Yew

A tree with dark green leaves growing from the walls at the top of a stone building. — Image caption,
No one really knows how this tree got here

Leaning from the top of a 20-metre-high church tower is one of the last places you'd expect to see a tree.

But this one has growing high above Culmstock village for at least 200 years.

No one really knows how it got there, but reports suggest a seed could have been accidentally mixed into mortar during repairs or been carried by a bird.

6. Bollihope Burn Birch

A tree with a lot of light green leaves growing from the side of a cliff. — Image caption,
This tree grows from the side of a cliff!

Clinging to a cliff face above the Bollihope Burn in Durham, this tree appears to have twisted and stretched to maintain its hold on the cliff edge.

It's not known how old this one is but it's definitely pretty tough.

7. Wales Coast Path Oak

A tree with dark green leaves and a small trunk growing surrounded by grass, plants and in the background, there is a forest. — Image caption,
The Wales Coast Path Oak is small for its species

This tree in Ceredigion in Wales has endured years of storms and draughts.

Such harsh West Wales weather may have affected its growth, making its age harder to judge.

8. Earlstoun Lightning Oak

A tree with an unusually shaped trunk. It is growing in a field with long green grass and the tree has dark green leaves. — Image caption,
A lightning strike didn't stop this tree

This tree was hit by lightning but still, this ancient oak continues to stand its ground in Dalry, in Scotland.

The tree has a huge scar and the trunk grows at an angle after being almost split in two by the lightning strike.

9. Balloch Castle Ash

A large ash tree with green leaves growing with a castle in the background. — Image caption,
This tree has survived a lot of different challenges

This ash tree is believed to have survived a lightning strike, as well as a 1968 hurricane, multiple storms and now a disease affecting trees.

It grows on the lawn of the disused castle at Balloch Castle Country Park in Scotland and is thought to be more than 150 years old.

A tree with green leaves and a dark brown trunk surrounded by green plants. — Image caption,
This oak tree survived a war

10. Donnington Castle Oak

This ancient oak would have been a young tree during the English Civil War (1642-1651).

It stands little more than the length of a football pitch from the walls of Donnington Castle in Berkshire.

And amazingly, survived undamaged from repeated attacks on the castle many years ago.

So which is your favourite?

The public can vote for their favourite tree until late September and the winner will be announced in early October.

The winner will then represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals.