A 150-year-old Australian Moreton Bay fig is named among the most beloved trees in Europe
From The New Daily (21/3/25)…
A 150-year-old Australian Moreton Bay fig is named among the most beloved trees in Europe
An Australian seed that made the voyage from Sydney to Portugal 150 years ago has grown to be named as one of the most significant trees in Europe.
The Moreton Bay fig (Ficus macrophylla), sometimes referred to as an Australian banyan, is located in Coimbra’s romantic Quinta das Lágrimas Gardens and was this week named runner-up in the annual European Tree of the Year.
The competition, organised by the Environmental Partnership Association, is determined by voters all over Europe and looks to showcase beautiful and unique trees from across the continent.
The 2025 winner was a 300-year-old beech tree in Poland’s Dalków known as The Heart of the Dalkowskie Hills.
Its branches have sheltered concerts, reading clubs and Catholic masses, while tourists throw peanuts into a hole in its trunk “believing the tree makes dreams come true”.
Seeds for Coimbra’s Moreton Bay fig came from Sydney’s Botanic Gardens. Photo: Ana Rute
