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All the United Kingdom England London World's Largest Potted Plant
World's Largest Potted Plant is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

AO Edited

World's Largest Potted Plant

The cedar tree in Highgate Cemetery earned its title by accident.

London, England

Added By
Sebastian Poreba
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The Cedar of Lebanon.   sebastianporeba / Atlas Obscura User
Highgate’s Cedar of Lebanon.   Fiomaha/CC BY-ND 2.0
  jlord7 / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Circle of Lebanon (tree removed)   KrystalPeach / Atlas Obscura User
The new tree.   Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
The Circle of Lebanon mausoleums.   Ian Yarham/CC BY-SA 2.5
Mausoleums inside the Circle of Lebanon.   Saperaud/CC BY-SA 3.0
Original Cedar Tree Removed   KrystalPeach / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
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About

At the heart of the west side of Highgate Cemetery is the Circle of Lebanon. This round of mausoleums creates a massive pot, containing the ancient Cedar of Lebanon.

The tree long predates the graveyard surrounding it. Highgate Cemetery was originally the grounds of Ashurst House. When the manor was sold in 1830 and demolished to make way for St. Michael's Church, the tree was already around 100 to 150 years old. It was left standing as the cemetery developed around it.

Some of the earliest tombs in Highgate were constructed around the cedar in the modish Egyptian style of the 1830s. The outer circle of tombs, built later, are in a more classical style. This circle of mausoleums surrounding the cedar is known as the "Circle of Lebanon," and it created a gigantic pot befitting the size of the tree inside it. The tree, still growing despite its age, is now a sort of bonsai with its roots constrained inside the pot.

Update as of August 2019: Significant decay was found in the tree and it was in danger of collapsing. The tree has since been removed and the search for a replacement is underway. 

Update as of July 2021: Unfortunately, the cedar tree has not yet been replaced. 

Related Tags

Plants Trees World's Largest World's Largest Trees Cemeteries

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The tree can be seen during guided tour of Highgate Cemetery West.

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sebastianporeba

Edited By

salmson2a2, Molly McBride Jacobson, MagnumPI, Steve 55...

  • salmson2a2
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • MagnumPI
  • Steve 55
  • Snowdrop68
  • SEANETTA
  • KrystalPeach
  • jlord7

Published

February 28, 2017

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  • http://www.shadyoldlady.com/location.php?loc=1875
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  • https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/dms-decimal
World's Largest Potted Plant
83 Swain's Lane
London, England
United Kingdom
51.568489, -0.149755
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