The Walking Trees of Ecuador: They Reportedly Move Up to 20 Meters Per Year (Video & Video)

There are over 2500 different types of palm trees. A species of palm tree is perhaps the only mobile tree on this planet. Apparently, these walking trees can apparently move up to 2-3 cm per day, or 20 meters per year. That may not sound like much, but it’s quite a marathon by tree standards. Details in the article.

The mysterious trees remind the visitors of Tolkien's creations. Rainforest guides in Ecuador have long been telling tourists about the incredible walking trees. The most commonly told story is that the tree slowly 'walks' in search of the sun by growing new roots towards the light while its old roots to die. John H. Bodley suggested in 1980 that it is its stilted roots that allow the palm to "walk" away from the point of germination. Whether that's true or not, the tree's unusual roots, split from the trunk a few feet above the ground, definitely add to the illusion of the tree having legs. Image credit: Peter Vrsansky