Photographs selected by Quentin Nardi

Poet Joyce Kilmer wrote, “I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree.” They provide wood, flowers, shade, fruit, nuts and, most importantly, oxygen. Besides what they supply for humans, trees are just beautiful to behold. With their outstretched branches, long trunks and colorful leaves, they add something scenic and serene to nearly any landscape.

Tie your hammock between two, pour a glass of coconut juice, enjoy some almonds and renew your appreciation for trees. Take a look.

Joshua Trees
It’s not certain how Joshua trees got their name, but some suggest that 19th-century Mormons named the tree after the biblical prophet. Gary Gwaltney, California, 2021
Brushstrokes
Like a work of art by a classical painter, the reflected leaves of the trees resemble small brushstrokes. Lori Vetter Bowers, Georgia, 2021
Palm Trees
On an Anjajavy beach, slender palm trees tilt toward the sun. Beverly Houwing, Madagascar, 2023

Tranquil
Trees dot a tranquil landscape, shrouded in fog, on a winter morning in Kalaw. Pyae Phyo Thet Paing, Myanmar, 2022
Autumn Hues
A tree with a shapely trunk sheds its colorful leaves, creating a kaleidoscope of autumn hues on the ground. Pete Saloutos, Washington, 2023
Perched Tree
A tree seemingly leans over to get a better view from its perch on a mountain range. Geoffrey Prior, California, 2023

Hiking Photos
One perk of hiking through the forest is viewing the beauty and serenity of trees as the sun moves through the sky, peering through their leaves and branches. Agnieszka Wieczorek, Canada, 2023
Twin Conifers
Late afternoon sunlight breaks through the needles of two nearly intertwined conifers in the eastern Sierras. Kyle Grandjean, California, 2021
Dragon Blood Trees
Mushroom-shaped dragon blood trees can live hundreds of years; however, the future of these flora, native to Yemen, is uncertain due to climate change. Matjaz Krivic, Yemen, 2023

Light Peeks
Light peeks through late-fall trees that look a bit like spiderwebs. Eleni Carr, Connecticut, 2023
Golden Trees
In autumn, the Altai Mountains transform and become golden when their trees begin to change color. Aleksandr Chekhonin, Russia, 2022
Aspens
In the fall, the chalk-white trunks of aspen trees are surrounded by brightly colored leaves. Debbie Angel, Arizona, 2022
Kenya
Billowing clouds against a clear blue sky frame the branches of a tree overhanging a desert road Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Kenya, 2023

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Tracy Scott Forson is a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine.