A remarkably resilient and unusually shaped wych elm, standing on the central promenade of Newcastle in County Down, has been officially crowned the UK’s Tree of the Year for 2026. The historic victory marks the very first time a tree from Northern Ireland has secured the prestigious national title, capturing the imagination of voters across the United Kingdom and highlighting the extraordinary endurance of urban nature.
Known affectionately by locals as the "Bendy Tree" due to its near-horizontal trunk, the 150-year-old specimen emerged as the decisive winner in the Woodland Trust’s annual competition. It secured more than 30 percent of the national public vote, triumphing over a highly competitive shortlist of ancient, historic, and visually spectacular trees from England, Scotland, and Wales.
The theme for this year’s competition was "Against All Odds." The Woodland Trust curated a shortlist of trees from across the UK that represent impressive, beautiful, and sometimes utterly baffling examples of how the natural world can survive extreme adversity, human interference, and environmental change.
John Martin, the Northern Ireland director for the Woodland Trust, expressed his pride in the tree’s landmark victory, noting that he had been enthusiastically rooting for the whimsical specimen to win the top prize. He stated that the fact that tens of thousands of people across the UK cast their votes for the County Down elm is a testament to the deep, universal connection people feel toward unique natural landmarks. He described the win as a great testament to the resilience of nature.
Standing Tall Against All Odds
To claim the national title, the Newcastle wych elm had to overcome stiff competition from nine other shortlisted entries, each boasting its own remarkable story of survival against the elements and human history.
Among the competitors was a small yew tree that has managed to grow directly out of the stone masonry of a church tower in Devon for two centuries, defying the lack of soil and harsh exposure. Another contender was a resilient Scottish ash tree that managed to survive a devastating, direct lightning strike. The shortlist also featured a historic yew in Surrey, inside of which early 19th-century villagers discovered an embedded English Civil War cannonball, physical proof of the turbulent history the tree had witnessed.
Despite these formidable contenders, it was the distinctive silhouette and local charm of the Newcastle wych elm that captured the public’s heart. Its victory brings national recognition to a tree that has become a beloved symbol of Newcastle’s coastal identity and a living reminder of the area’s Victorian past.
