Red Leaf Willow of Jongdeok-ri, Gimje

The wangbeodeul, or red leaf willow, is a tree of the willow family that grows in warm regions of Korea as well as Japan, China and elsewhere. It is called the "king willow" because it is taller and has broader leaves than the ordinary willow, and its new leaves are tinged red, making it easy to identify. The tree has a fine shape, and it is especially beautiful when its new shoots emerge like deep pink candles, making it an excellent choice as a park or street tree in urban areas. The red leaf willow of Jongdeok-ri, Gimje is estimated to be about 300 years old (as of its designation); it is 10.8 m tall with a girth of 8.80 m at breast height, and its branches extend widely in every direction. The tree serves as a resting place for villagers and is revered as a guardian deity protecting the village; it is also believed that cutting even a single branch will bring misfortune to one's household. Every year, on the third day of the third lunar month and the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, villagers hold a rite and perform pungmul (traditional percussion and dance) for the peace and prosperity of the village. Having lived for generations under the care and attention of the village's ancestors, the red leaf willow of Jongdeok-ri, Gimje has high value as folkloric and biological material as preserved and has been designated and protected as a natural monument.

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Where it is

Region

Gimje, Jeonbuk

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물