Santa María del Tule

One of the main reasons I chose to visit Santa María del Tule is to see its most famous landmark, a 1600-year-old Montezuma cypress tree, known as 'Tule Tree'. It takes first place for being the stoutest living tree in the world, standing at 140ft (42m) with a girth measuring 137ft (42m) and a diameter of 38ft (12m).

Looking at its trunk, it would be easy to assume that the tree consists of three trunks instead of one. Was it possible that three seeds sprung up simultaneously and became conjoined as they grew? Certainly, Alexander von Humboldt, a prominent early 19th-century German naturalist, declared that to be the case when he visited in 1803, stating: “that sabino (Spanish for cypress) which is such a surprise to travelers is not a single individual but a group of three trunks united”. Of course, DNA analysis was not possible during his time, and his assumption would have been based on his observations and the knowledge available then. Fast forward to the late 20th century and the advent of DNA profiling. Using a technique called “random amplified polymorphic DNA", or RAPD for short, the genetic makeup of the tree’s branches was examined. It was concluded that the tree’s genetic composition was very similar and that, likely, it is a single tree, not three. As such, its circumference and position as the widest tree in the world remains uncontested.

This species is usually found in wetland environments, where they thrive in waterlogged soil. The Tule Tree, however, is located in a churchyard, which can be explained by the fact that Santa María used to be a lake surrounded by marshland where many cypress trees grew. Unfortunately, environmental degradation, increased urbanization, and irrigated farming have altered the natural flow of water, diverting it away from the aquifers that sustained these magnificent trees. In the 1990s, the Tule Tree was showing signs of slowly dying due to a lack of water, pollution, and increased traffic. Fortunately, local authorities took action and now ensure it is watered regularly.

The Montezuma cypress is also Mexico’s national tree. This tree is native to the country and is often associated with the Aztec and Maya civilizations, who regarded it as sacred. The cypress was often planted near important landmarks such as temples, palaces and ceremonial centers.

The tree is so revered in Santa María that an annual celebration in its honor takes place on the second Monday of October. The festival is one big party with traditional Oaxacan entertainment, tasty food and local beverages.

Before I return to Oaxaca City, I will tour the tree, looking for interesting shapes in its gnarled trunk. If I look hard enough, I may see figures of jaguars and elephants in its knots. This is also why the tree is sometimes nicknamed the ‘Tree of Life’.