A 150-year-old wych elm in Newcastle, County Down, has been crowned UK Tree of the Year 2026. Securing over 30 percent of the national public vote, this landmark achievement marks the first time a tree in Northern Ireland has claimed the title since the Woodland Trust launched the competition in 2014.
The public poll ran from July to September with a 10-tree shortlist centered on the theme “Against all odds.” This category highlighted trees across the UK that survived severe environmental adversity, physical damage, and historical challenges.
Weathering the Elements and Disease
Locally known as the “Bendy Tree,” the wych elm features a distinct near-horizontal trunk shaped by over a century and a half of exposure to powerful coastal winds from the Irish Sea. Planted in the mid-19th century alongside a row of similar trees on Newcastle’s original promenade, its purpose was to shelter the town’s main street from harsh sea breezes.
While urban redevelopments in the 1980s led to the removal of the other elms in the row, the Bendy Tree remained as the last survivor. , the tree successfully resisted Dutch elm disease (*Ophiostoma novo-ulmi*), a fungal pathogen imported from North America in the 1960s that wiped out an estimated 30 million elms across the United Kingdom.
Community Impact and National Recognition
Today, the tree’s rainbow-shaped canopy provides essential shade and shelter for residents and visitors using a town center bench situated beneath its branches. John Martin, Northern Ireland director for the Woodland Trust, noted that the tree’s whimsical form and deep resilience have made it a beloved local landmark.
“When you look at this astonishing and bizarre tree, there’s no doubt about what it has endured. The Bendy Tree has been blasted by extreme winds, over and over again, for well over a century. But it has continued to exist and remain rooted, adapting to its surroundings and flourishing into this unusual shape that is providing shade and joy to its community,” said May Chemais, Ancient Tree Inventory lead for the Woodland Trust.
Top Contenders in the 2026 Competition
The competition drew tens of thousands of votes nationwide. The top five trees in the 2026 UK Tree of the Year public vote were:
- Bendy Tree: Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland
- Crowhurst Yew: Crowhurst, Surrey, England
- Balloch Castle Ash: Loch Lomond, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland
- Culmstock Yew: Culmstock, Devon, England
- Preston Twin: Brighton, Sussex, England
Organized by the Woodland Trust and supported by Postcode Lottery funding, the annual competition highlights the cultural, ecological, and historical value of veteran and ancient trees throughout the British Isles.
