A Magical Myrtle
By Jenna Boyle
Published: 06/16/2013  Updated: 08/08/2019
Oregon's Largest Myrtle Tree
Oregon's Largest Myrtle Tree  Photo by Gary Hayes

Near Gold Beach, you'll find Oregon's largest known Myrtle Tree.

Just ten miles east of Gold Beach stands Oregon's largest known Myrtle tree, an enormous deciduous specimen that reaches 88 feet tall with a sprawling 70 foot canopy. Myrtle trees (also known as Myrtlewood or California Bay Laurel) are specifically adapted for fire; the roots can survive even the fiercest blaze and will sprout new trunks after the smoke has cleared. This Myrtle is estimated to have 200-year-old branches, a 400-year-old trunk and a root system so old that the experts won't even take a guess. Its colossal, moss-covered trunk has been hollowed by fires over the centuries, giving the tree a mystical quality that will have you searching for fairies. The Myrtle Tree Trail is located on Forest Service road 3533 ten miles east of Gold Beach.
A Magical Myrtle