The Wish Tree
Species: elm (Ulmus sp.)
Age: 700 years years
Region: Nisovo, Ruse region, Bulgaria
The 700 years old elm tree in Nisovo is also known as the Wish tree. The centennial is the only memory of the old village of Galitsa devastated by plague in 19th century. Back then, only an old watermill had remained after the awful disaster. It was run by Hadji Dobril and his blind grand-daughter Zlatitsa. As a former dancer from the local Ottoman bey harem she was used to dancing around all the time and cheer up the people who had come to mill their grains. Once Zlatitsa fell asleep after dancing the whole day. While she was sleeping the Hadji Dobril apprentice Jano took several drops of the tree juice and put it onto the girl’s eyes. When she woke up her voice could be heard in the whole valley: “I can see! I can see!” Since then the elm tree is believed to make every wish come true.
Tree of the year 2012
6071 votes
3rd place
Nominated by:
National contest organizer: Bulgarian Environmental Partnership Foundation