150-Year-Old Plane Crowned Tree of the Year

The 2025 Tree of the Year competition has come to an end, with seven exceptional trees from seven towns competing in the final. The winner was ultimately the Tree of Memories (Emlékek fája), a plane tree over 150 years old located in the Gerla district of Békéscsaba (eastern Hungary). The tree was nominated by the Gerlai Wenckheim Society Association and won first place with 720 votes in the online poll held between May 10 and June 30. 

Second place went to the “Guardian oak” (“Vigyázó tölgy”) from Kiskunhalas (southern Hungary), while third place went to the willow tree from Farmos (central Hungary), which entered the competition under the title “Gateway to the Farmos salt marshes; passageway to nature.”

The title of “Hero Tree” (“Hős Fa”), that is awarded not by the public but by the professional jury of the Ökotárs Foundation, went to the “Tree of Szada” this year:

a 170-year-old black mulberry tree with a split trunk, located in the Székely Garden of Szada (village near Budapest).

The tree was entered by Szada Nova Nonprofit Kft.

This year’s special prize was awarded by the National Forestry Association to the famous oak tree standing in the former Gyürky-Solymossy castle garden of the Selye János Hospital in Komárom (northwestern Hungary). The tree was entered by Márton Juhász, a volunteer caretaker of the park.

The aim of the competition is to draw attention to the trees in our immediate environment, their history, and their role.

The competition does not focus on the beauty, size, or age of a tree, but on the community history associated with it and its impact on its environment.

Following the example of the European Tree of the Year competition, the voting results were kept secret until the final announcement, adding to the excitement.

Via evfaja.hu, Featured image: Facebook/Év Fája