The Octopus Tree (also known as the Candelabra Tree, Council Tree, and Monstrosity Tree) is a

Sitka spruce ''Picea sitchensis'', the Sitka spruce, is a large, coniferous, evergreen tree growing to almost tall, with a trunk diameter at breast height that can exceed 5 m (16 ft). It is by far the largest species of spruce and the fifth-larg ...

tree on

Cape Meares Cape Meares is a small headland on the Pacific coast in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The cape forms a high steep bluff on the south end of Tillamook Bay, approximately five miles (8 km) northwest of the city of Tillamook. Mu ...

Tillamook County, Oregon Tillamook County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,390. The county seat is Tillamook. The county is named for the Tillamook or Killamook people, a Native American tribe who we ...

, United States.

Description

The tree is approximately tall and has no primary trunk. Its circumference is approximately . The tree is estimated to be 250–300 years old and has been described as a "natural wonder". According to the ''Statesman Journal'', "historians say was used by local tribes for ceremonies and was trained into its distinctive octopus shape".

Reception

The Octopus Tree has been designated a state heritage tree by the Oregon Travel Experience. Jamie Hale included the tree in ''

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 185 ...

'' 2017 lists of "The 12 most iconic landmarks on the Oregon coast" and "The 40 best roadside attractions in Oregon". He also included the Octopus Tree in the newspaper's 2019 list of "The 12 best roadside attractions on the Oregon Coast Highway". The Octopus Tree has also been described as "famous" and "unique".

References

External links

*{{commons category-inline Individual trees in Oregon Tourist attractions in Tillamook County, Oregon