Population of Red Leaf Willows in Chunghyo-dong, Gwangju

The Red Leaf Willow (wangbeodeul) is a tree of the willow family that grows in warm regions of Korea and elsewhere, including Japan and China. It is called wangbeodeul, or "king willow", because it is taller and broader-leaved than the common willow, and it can be readily identified by the reddish colour of its new leaves. The tree has a fine shape, and is especially beautiful when its deep-pink, candle-like new shoots emerge, making it an excellent choice for urban park and street planting. The Population of Red Leaf Willows in Chunghyo-dong, Gwangju, consists of three trees, 10 to 17 m tall with a circumference at breast height of 7.7 to 8.5 m; the innermost tree (No. 3) is the largest. The grove was planted as the symbolic and bibo forest of Chunghyo Village — a grove created to supplement or protect the village's geomantic fortunes — and is also known as the Kim Deok-ryeong Tree, with well-preserved stories and anecdotes attached to it, giving it great historical and cultural value. It also surpasses, in age and scale, other Red Leaf Willows currently designated and protected as natural monuments, and its form and vigour remain good, giving it great biological value as well; for these reasons it has been designated and protected as a natural monument.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Buk-gu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물