Tree of life, the immortal tree of Kalaloch

There is an extraordinary tree on Kalaloch Beach, inside Olympic National Park in Washington, which some people call the “Tree of Life” because of the way it hangs in a huge hole and clings to life through its lateral roots, when it could have died long ago.

The tree is a stika spruce (Picea sitchensis), and is located north of Kalaloch Lodge, near Kalaloch Campground, on a cliff that, due to erosion, has partially collapsed – right under the tree.

It’s a miracle that the tree is still breathing and thriving and putting out green leaves every spring, despite having no soil underneath. Nobody knows how the tree hasn’t toppled over during the intense storms that hit the region.

The tree’s roots grow at a slow pace, year after year, and can traverse the most hostile and difficult soils in search of the nutrients needed for its leaves and branches. Kalaloch’s Tree of Life lives and endures. Its roots continually struggle to anchor themselves in the soil. It is an extraordinary tree that teaches us to resist even in extreme situations with limited resources.