This photo I took by happenstance in passing while out on a peak ascent in the San Gabriel Mountains. The unique nature of the tree stood out to bring into remembrance the tales of J.R.R. Tolkien.
“The first White Tree of Gondor came from a fruit that Isildur, at great personal risk, managed to steal from Nimloth the Fair, the White Tree of Númenor, before that one was destroyed at Sauron’s insistence. He suffered many wounds at this mission, and he came near death, but when the first leaf opened in the spring, Isildur was healed of his wounds.
This sapling was brought to Middle-earth on Isildur’s ship, and it was eventually planted in Minas Ithil before the house of Isildur. But when Sauron returned to Middle-earth, he launched a sudden attack in S.A. 3429 that captured Minas Ithil, and he burned the White Tree. Isildur escaped taking with him again a sapling.”
Source: White Tree of Gondor
