What’s the smallest tree in the world? It depends on what you define as a tree, but my favourite candidate has the most adorable name possible: the least willow.

Opioła Jerzy [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Now, some definitions of trees have height qualifiers, which makes a title like “shortest tree” irrelevant. But the least willow grows leaves (tiny leaves). It has branches (tiny branches). It has a woody stem (a tiny trunk). So I’m going to call it a tree. An adorable cute little tree.

• Salix herbacea

Categories: Plants & animals Sciences

The Generalist

I live in Auckland, New Zealand, and am curious about most things.