• About
  • |
  • Calendar
  • |
  • Multimedia
  • |
  • News
  • |
  • Publications
  • Español
  • |
  • Français
  • |
  • Portugués
  • |
  • 中文
  • |
  • عربى
  • |
  • Русский
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) logo

United Nations Environment Programme

environment  for  development
  Search
  • Climate Change Climate
    Change
  • Disasters and Conflicts Disasters
    & Conflicts
  • Ecosystem Management Ecosystem
    Management
  • Environmental Governance Environmental
    Governance
  • Harmful Substances Harmful
    Substances
  • Resource Efficiency Resource
    Efficiency
You are: www.unep.org > Plant-for-the-Planet  > Information Materials > Facts About Certain Species
Register | Login
  • Home
  • About
  • Partners
    • Corporate Partners
    • Founding Partners
    • International Organizations
    • Various Partners
      • Tree Planting
      • Adopt A Tree
      • Technical Support
      • NGOs and Associations
  • News
  • Get Involved
    • Register Your Pledge
    • Register Planted Trees
    • How To Plant A Tree
    • Trees And Humanity
    • SeeLatest
  • Information Materials
    • Facts About Certain Species
    • Press Releases
    • Fruits Of The Campaign
    • Logo Sheet
    • Statements
    • Publications
    • Maps And Graphics
    • Multimedia
      • Video
      • Photos
      • Audio
  • Where We Are
    • Greening The WorldMap
    • Roll Of Honour
  • Contact Us
The Baobab Tree
Found in Africa, including Madagascar, and northwest Australia, the baobab is thought to be a relic of the flora of Gondwanaland, the super-continent that was once comprised of Africa, Antarctica, Australia and South America. According to African folklore, when the gods gave every animal a tree, the hyena, having arrived late, received the Baobab. He was so disgusted that he planted it upside down.

Bristle-Cone Pines
Individual trees in this species are thought to be over 4500 years old, making it a species that is capable of living the longest of any known species.

Douglas Fir
This species has been renamed many times since its discovery. They have also been falsely labeled a spruce, hemlock, and even a pine; they actually are not even true firs. Its new name means "false hemlock." The Douglas Fir comprises over 50% of western forests and produces more timber than any other American species.

Eastern Cottonwoods
They reach to up to thirteen feet its first year and grow to five feet a year, being able to They’re one of the fastest growing trees.

Ginko
This species are the only survivor of an entire plant family. They are the world's oldest living tree species, their origins dating back to the Age of Dinosaurs. They were thought to have been extinct by the western world until 7 preserved Ginko trees were found in an ancient monastery in China. Years later, they were discovered growing wild in the remote valleys of eastern China.

Scotch Pines
These are the most widespread pine in the world.

Sequoias
The giant Sequoias average 10-15 feet in diameter when mature and can grow to heights of 250-300 feet. The largest Sequoia, known as the General Sherman Tree, can be found in Sequoia National Park in California. It has a trunk 30 feet across at the base and has a height of 275 feet. General Sherman, with a volume of 52,500 square feet, is considered the largest living thing in the world.

Witch hazel
The Witch hazel has seed pods that will contract as they dry and shoot out their contents like "bullets" over surprising distances. The forked branches of this shrub or small tree were used as divining rods to detect underground sources of water. In addition, several well preserved mammoth specimens were discovered with Witch hazel leaves in their stomachs, indicating a dependence on the plant for food.

White Mulberry
The leaves of this tree are the primary source of food for silkworms. Therefore, the cultivation of this tree is very widespread throughout many Asian nations due to the importance of silk to their economies.

White Oak
This tree’s wood is often used to make barrels for whiskey and sherry, giving rise to its alternate name, Stave Oak.

A-Z of UNEP
  • Art and the Environment
  • Billion Tree Campaign
  • Biodiversity
  • Biosafety
  • Business and Industry
  • Champions of the Earth
  • Children (TUNZA)
  • Climate Change
  • Climate Neutral Network
  • Disasters and Conflicts
  • Ecosystem Management
  • Education and Training
  • Energy
  • Environmental Assessment
  • Environmental Governance
  • Freshwater
  • Gender
  • Global Environmental Outlook
  • Governments
  • Green Economy
  • Green Star
  • Greening the Blue
  • Harmful Substances
  • Health and Environment
  • Indigenous Knowledge
  • Indigenous People
  • International Year of Biodiversity
  • Land
  • Major Groups and Stakeholders
  • Ozone
  • Poverty and Environment
  • Resource Efficiency
  • UNEP Resource Kit
  • Sasakawa
  • Scientists
  • SEED Awards
  • South South Co-operation
  • Sports and Enviromnent
  • Sustainable UN
  • UN REDD
  • UNEP Governing Council
  • UNite for Climate Change
  • Urban Issues
  • World Environment Day
  • Youth (TUNZA)
  • Regional Offices
  • Africa
  • Asia Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • North America
  • West Asia
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) home page
Copyright © United Nations Environment Programme  |  Privacy  |  Terms and Conditions       Contacts | Site Locator | Support UNEP | UNEP Intranet    

Follow UNEP

UNEP RSS feeds UNEP on Twitter UNEP on Facebook