Siamese Kauri, Ancient kauri tree in Thames-Coromandel District, New Zealand
The Siamese Kauri is a large tree in Kauri Grove, roughly 10 kilometers south of Coromandel township, where two trunks rise side by side from a shared base. Both trunks belong to a single root system and reach high into the canopy above.
The tree formed centuries ago when two young kauri seedlings grew so close together that their trunks eventually merged into one. During the 1940s, residents established one of New Zealand's first conservation groups to protect the grove from logging during wartime.
This kauri grows in one of the last mature kauri stands on the Coromandel Peninsula and represents natural heritage that locals value deeply. The tree serves as a reminder of the forest that once covered much of the region.
The tree is reached by walking through forest on a marked trail that starts near State Highway 309 in the area. Good footwear helps on the path, which can be muddy or slippery after rain.
Two separate seedlings grew so close over the centuries that their bark actually fused together, creating one living being from two independent trees. This type of natural fusion is uncommon in kauri trees and shows how adaptable these giants can be.
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