Social Question

dalepetrie's avatar

If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

Asked by dalepetrie (18029points) December 14th, 2009

OK, this is based on the question for which Barbara Walters was widely lampooned in the early 80s, the story was that she asked this question of Katherine Hepburn. Reality is that Katherine Hepburn told Barbara Walters that she would like to be a tree, thus initiating the topic, and Barbara simply responded “what kind of tree?” But of course as legends have a way of snowballing, this one took on a life of its own.

So, for years, I was under the mistaken impression that this was just some weird left field question that Barbara asked someone out of the blue one day, and because of that, it always fascinated me. And even once I learned the difference between the truth and the legend, it still fascinated me, because the question is so confounding. I mean, I have no idea how I would answer that question. I simply have never had the desire to be a tree, and do not know enough about the individual characteristics of different types of trees to form an analogy to my own personality. I guess if I HAD to answer it, I’d probably want to be a palm tree because if I had to live my life outside naked, I’d want to do it in a warm climate.

But it intrigues me nonetheless, and even if I am the first person to ever seriously ask this question, so be it. How would YOU answer that question, if you were a tree, what kind of tree would YOU be?

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48 Answers

troubleinharlem's avatar

Maple!
because i’m so sweet.

chesspiece's avatar

The kind of tree that gets pushed around by his wife and hates his job.

Snarp's avatar

Giant sequoia. Or sycamore. Sequoias are long lived, fire resistant trees. So I’d be around a while. Sycamores are also long lived (though not nearly as long as sequoias), and are less likely to be targets for logging. Also, I just really like sycamore trees.

Cotton101's avatar

ummm..very interesting question Dalepetrie! Would be a strong huge Oak tree. That way would stand up to all the perils of lfe. We must be strong in this life to overcome things throw at us!

erichw1504's avatar

An Emerald Green because I’m skinny.

dalepetrie's avatar

I really should have put this in the question details, but I’m also curious to hear why for anyone who answers.

aprilsimnel's avatar

The Larch.

The…

LARCH.

OK, that’s a Python joke!

But I think ash trees are rather pretty and hardy, so I’ll go with that.

Les's avatar

@aprilsimnel – Damn it!

Jude's avatar

Laura “Petree”. Loving wife of Rob “Petree” and mother of Dale..

Willow.

dalepetrie's avatar

Wow, two people came up with the same Monty Python reference within 5 minutes of my posting the question, and I didn’t even have to mention Spam.

Arisztid's avatar

@aprilsimnelMr Larch, you heard the case for the prosecution. Is there anything you wish to say before I pass sentence?

Les's avatar

@dalepetrie – We’re just that good.

Talimze's avatar

Well, naturally, you could just answer the question with the first tree that comes to your mind. Do you suppose that would be cheating? Do you actually have to think about what kind of tree you would be?
Just in case it is cheating, I’ve thought about it, but it’s hard for me to translate human traits into plant traits. So, I just picked a tree that I think no one but me would think of.

I would be a Queen Sago. A cycad, definitely not a palm tree.

anoop66's avatar

OAK tree, living on for 200+ years and producing acorns :)

dalepetrie's avatar

@Les – I’m doubly surprised that neither of you opted to go with the more obvious Pythonesque answer…

A SHRUBBERY!

Les's avatar

@dalepetrie – Again, we’re that good. ;-)

Mavericksjustdoinganotherflyby's avatar

A Red Japanese Maple. Mostly because they are usually planted by someone who really enjoys being in their presence in a nice garden or next to a Koi pond.

75movies's avatar

A Catalpa tree. Perfect for tree forts. And what do boys hide in tree forts? Nude-y mags. If I have to be a tree I’d still want to enjoy some boobs.

Snarp's avatar

@aprilsimnel But then you have to worry about the Emerald Ash Borer.

CMaz's avatar

Tree of life.

aprilsimnel's avatar

Dammit! Little buggers! Who let them in here? Can’t I be an ash tree in Scotland?

@dalepetrie, I did the shrubbery joke in a thread two days ago. C’mon, lad, keep up, keep up! ;)

JLeslie's avatar

Something that grows in the warm weather all year round so I can get back to the sunshine. Maybe a palm tree?

holden's avatar

@dalepetrie spam?
SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

Pine.Yep,I’d be a pine tree :)

dalepetrie's avatar

Come to think of it, a cherry tree might be kind of nice…I do so like cherries.

But I don’t like SPAM.

holden's avatar

I guess I’d be a willow tree. Don’t reallly know why, though.

anon's avatar

We used to have a Weeping Willow tree in our front garden when I was a kid. It was beautiful; planted on a raised patch of ground with a small grey-bricked wall surrounding it. It was like something out of a storybook. I went back a few years ago to see if it was just as I remembered it gone. It was a sad day.

Anyway, if you didn’t guess already, I would like to be a Willow tree.

Or an Oak; solid, reliable and wise (if any tree can be wise, an Oak tree would be) – just as I’d like to be thought of.

aprilsimnel's avatar

@holden – It’s all those cartoons you watched as a kid where willow branches bounce and dance in time to the music, right? Looked like fun to me!

forestGeek's avatar

Old Growth Douglas Fir, in Mt. Rainier National Park.

zephyr826's avatar

I think I’d be a mulberry. A little Messy, a bit gnarly, somewhat of a nuisance.

Anyone familiar with Drop Dead Gorgeous? (starts at about 9:00)

Snarp's avatar

@zephyr826 I have a mulberry in my back yard. It makes for some beautiful colors in the bird poop on my windshield.

SuperMouse's avatar

I would be a jacaranda in full bloom. Bursting with color, slightly high maintenance, but worth the effort.

dalepetrie's avatar

@SuperMouse – bursting with color and slightly high maintenance? I’ve known a few women whom I’d describe in exactly that manner.

Cupcake's avatar

A maple tree.

Strong, versatile, reliable, practical, sweet, seemingly plain yet surprisingly colorful in the fall.

IBERnineD's avatar

A cherry tree! My flowers would be pink and people could shake them off me to make it “snow”! Also, cherries are delicious.

benjaminlevi's avatar

TREE!?! I am no tree! I am an Ent!”

Berserker's avatar

I’d be a Weeping Willow cuz I’m so gawth.

wundayatta's avatar

Carpentry, I believe.

Blondesjon's avatar

I will give the same answer my oldest son (18) gave me when I asked him at the tender age of 3.

A blue one.

aprilsimnel's avatar

@Arisztid, I’d just like to say, m’lud, I’ve got a family…

randomness's avatar

I’d be a gum tree :)

Beta_Orionis's avatar

I’ve actually been asked (and asked of others) this question seriously more times than I can remember in my short lifetime.

Liquid Amber the leaves are star-shaped and beautiful in the Fall. Plus I’d get to drop those spiked-seed pods on the heads of passersby!

or

Quaking Aspen Lovely, subtle sound as the wind rushes past. They’re also generally connected and part of a few to many thousand (think Pando) neighboring aspens.

absalom's avatar

Whatever tree is destroyed in The Lorax. They’re so cool. And, like me, they are skinny and have crazy hair.

NaturalMineralWater's avatar

A cactus. Harsh and uninviting on the outside.. but can save you in the desert.

CyanoticWasp's avatar

I could see being a white oak, cedar, white pine, fir, live oak (though less likely) or teak, of course. I say “of course” because any one of those has a good likelihood of ending up on a beautiful wooden sailing vessel (or at least a boat with some beautiful teak trim). And that would not be a bad way to spend a hundred years or more.

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