In tribute to the world’s 3.04 trillion trees, we present a gallery of exceptional examples. Some have witnessed remarkable events. Others have provided inspiration. Still others are venerated for their spiritual value. Each and every one has a special story to tell.  

Though all trees have value that’s quantifiable—scientists at the University of California at Davis and the United States Forest Service, for example, calculated that New York City’s 600,000 street trees provide an annual benefit of $122 million in pollutant removal, carbon sequestration, and building energy reduction—these particular trees are, in a sense, priceless. 

Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore, a writer, photographer, and editor for National Geographic in its early days, visited Japan for the first time in 1885 and was enchanted by