Trees that can walk up to 20m per year

Socratea Exorrhiza, a tree that grows in a remote part of Ecuador can, reportedly, walk – yupp, like Ents do in The Lord of the Rings. OK, these leafy giants might not be able to wage war on the forces of Isengard, but they definitely have a thing or two in common with their fictitious counterparts, apart from their size. Their complicated system of roots is thought to serve as legs, helping the tree constantly move towards sunlight as the seasons change.

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!

The mysterious trees remind the visitors of Tolkien’s creations. Image credit: Peter Vrsansky
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.