Rumskulla oak


The Rumskulla oak, also known as the Kvill oak, is an oak tree near Norra Kvill National Park in Rumskulla socken, Vimmerby, Kalmar County, Småland, Sweden. It is the oldest oak in Sweden and one of the largest trees in Scandinavia, and was first described in 1772.

History

The tree is more than 1,000 years old and was first described by Magnus Gabriel Craelius in 1772 in Försök till ett landskaps beskrivning. It is high, with a trunk approximately in circumference and a volume of approximately, making it one of the largest trees in Sweden. According to Eksjö Municipality, it is the oldest tree in Scandinavia and the largest in circumference.
There was an iron band around the trunk to support it, thought to have been put there in the 19th century. It was partially replaced after being cut in 2005 by someone who said he wanted to "free" the tree. It was replaced in 2013 by an arborist. A chain a little higher up prevents the trunk from splitting; the tree is now completely hollow. Climbing has been forbidden since 1998 and there is a fence around the tree; going closer than is not permitted.
The hollow trunk of the tree was the location for sex scenes in I Am Curious , a 1967 film by Vilgot Sjöman. The film was controversial when first released, including being banned in Massachusetts; in a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, it was ultimately determined not to be obscene.

Nature reserve

The Rumskulla oak is registered as a national natural object of interest with the Swedish National Heritage Board and in 2008, the Kvill Nature Reserve was created around it as the first nature reserve in the municipality. The preserve was created to preserve a traditionally open landscape with large oaks and other deciduous trees which contrasts with the nearby pine woods. It is adjacent to Norra Kvill National Park. The tree is accessible for disabled people.

Close-up views of trunk