A Japanese camellia from the centuries-old gardens of “Vila Margaridi”, in Guimarães, Braga, has won the seventh national edition of the Tree of the Year competition and will represent Portugal in the international competition, with voting taking place in February.

According to the organisers of the competition, an initiative of the Union of the Mediterranean Forest (UNAC), the camellia obtained 3,900 votes, with the so-called “king's cork oak”, in Mafra, Lisbon, coming in second place, with 3,075 votes.

UNAC highlights in a statement that for the second time in a row, an exotic species (a eucalyptus tree in the previous year) has won the Tree of the Year competition.

The winner represents Portuguese history and commercial relations between Portugal and Japan, says the organisation, remembering that the introduction of the species in Portugal occurred through sailors on the ships of the discoveries who brought and carried seeds of different species between the various ports of the world.

The winning specimen, a century old, was considered to be of public interest due to its bell-shaped design, measuring more than six metres in diameter and several metres in height.

In total, the 10 trees in the competition received almost 25,000 votes. Online voting began on November 30th and ended on the 5th.

The European Tree of the Year competition has been held since 2011. In the last edition, Poland won the award for the second consecutive year.

Portugal came in first place with a cork oak, in 2018. In the last edition it came in fifth place, with a eucalyptus.

UNAC represents the interests of forestry producers in the Portuguese Mediterranean area before national and European institutions.