Machilus of Changseondo Island, Namhae

The machilus is a tree belonging to the laurel family that grows in warm southern island regions such as Jeju Island and Ulleungdo Island, and is also found in Japan, Taiwan and southern China. It grows mainly along coastlines, and its bark and fruit are used as medicine. Because the tree has a magnificent and beautiful form, it is planted as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks, and is also used as a windbreak. Growing amid farmland in front of the village, the Machilus of Changseondo Island, Namhae is estimated to be about 500 years old and stands 11.0 m tall, with its trunk dividing into eleven branches at a height of about 1 m above the ground. According to tradition, about 500 years ago an elderly fishing couple in this village once caught a large fish and found a seed inside its belly. Finding this strange, they planted the seed in their yard, and it grew into the present machilus tree. The villagers regard the tree as sacred and hold a rite every year praying for the village's peace and an abundant catch. The Machilus of Changseondo Island, Namhae is a tree that has lived for centuries under the care and attention of past generations, and it is designated and protected as a natural monument for its high folkloric, cultural and biological conservation value.

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Where it is

Region

Namhae, Gyeongnam

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물