Encina del Tejón

Encina del Tejón

An holm oak classified as a ‘singular tree’ in the province of Córdoba due to its distinctive appearance and unusual trunk. It is situated some 400 m south-e...
This old tree stands out for its unusual, stocky form, in which most of the crown consists of the branches sprouting from a thick, horizontal main branch. From the base of this branch emerges a long, curved stump which gives the tree great character and a look that sets it apart from the other unique holm oaks listed in the inventory. Its thick trunk measures 5.60 m in circumference at a height of one metre, but it is hollow, having been damaged by wood-boring insects (particularly the holm oak longhorn beetle). With an estimated age of around 700–800 years, it is one of the oldest trees in our province and is now in a state of decay. According to the informants consulted, the name derives from the fact that its hollow trunk once served as a temporary den for the common badger (Meles meles).