Located between the towns of Grana and Casorzo in Piemonte,
Italy, is a very unique tree – well, they’re actually two trees, one
growing on top of the other. Locally known as ‘Bialbero de Casorzo’ or
the ‘double tree of Casorzo’, this natural oddity consists of a cherry
tree growing on top of a mulberry tree.
No one really knows how the cherry tree managed to take
root and survive in such a bizarre position. Locals believe that a bird
might have dropped a cherry seed on top of the mulberry tree, which then
grew its roots through the hollow trunk to reach the soil below.
Photo: agfa the frog
What’s really unusual about the double tree of Casorzo is
that both the trees are really quite large, which is not very common in
the case of parasitic growth. Such anomalies have occurred previously in
nature, but the parasite tree is generally very small and stunted. In
this case, however, the cherry tree is as large as any other normal
tree.
Photo: alfio cioffi
Both trees merged together make for an impressive sight, with their
branches spreading five meters across. And the double tree’s lifespan
has been surprisingly long, given the fact that the cherry tree receives
all its nourishment through the mulberry tree. Although not the only
double-tree, also known as an Epiphyte, in the world, the Bialbero de
Casorzo is probably the most impressive-looking.
Photo: greenme
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