By Tom Hunt of 
The Plimmer's Oak has been nominated for New Zealand's tree of the year. Photo: Stuff / David Unwin
It is missing most branches and has a hole in its heart - but a landmark Wellington oak has been named a finalist in the tree of the year competition.
The Plimmer Steps oak was planted at least 172 years ago by English settler John Plimmer in what was then his garden.
In recent years, a large crack has appeared in its trunk and a hollow in its core.
To top it off, many of its branches have been cut off. The Plimmer's Oak, as it is called, has definitely seen better days.
Yet, despite it all, it is a finalist in the New Zealand's tree of the year competition.
"Tree of the year is not about the most beautiful tree, but about the stories and heritage that connect us to our trees," the competition website said.
When the crack appeared in 2021, Wellington City Council was weighing up whether the tree should stay or go, but council spokesperson Richard MacLean on Monday said its reprieve would last as long as it was not a danger to people.
Council sports and recreation operations manager Richard Wanhill said the tree was one of the oldest oaks in New Zealand but, being an exotic tree in a recently-colonised country, it was unclear what its lifespan was.
Oak trees in the United Kingdom can live for more than 1000 years, but the oldest oak in New Zealand was at Paihia until it died and fell over in 2005.
New Zealand's oldest exotic tree is a 200-year-old pear tree in Kerikeri, but it is in the same condition of a 500-year-old pear tree in Europe.
The condition of the Plimmer's Oak was a result of age and its "harsh environment" in the central city, surrounded by large buildings, Wanhill said.
The council's tree team regularly monitored the tree.
*This story was originally published on Stuff.
