Eucalypt at the site of Hiroshima Castle , 740 m from hypocenter. The tree survived the atomic bombing, while the castle was destroyed.

Hibakujumoku (Japanese: 被爆樹木; also called survivor tree or A-bombed tree in English) is a Japanese term for a tree that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. The term is from Japanese: 被爆, translit. hibaku, lit. 'bombed, A-bombed, nuked'[1] and Japanese: 樹木, translit. jumoku, lit. 'trees, woods'.[2]

Damage [ edit ]

The heat emitted by the explosion in Hiroshima within the first three seconds at a distance of three kilometres from the hypocenter was about 40 times greater than that from the Sun.[3] The initial radiation level at the hypocenter was approximately 240 Gy.[3] According to Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Physical, Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings, plants suffered damage only in the portions exposed above ground, while portions underground were not directly damaged.[4]

Regeneration [ edit ]

The rate of regeneration differed by species. Active regeneration was shown by broad-leaved trees.[4] Approximately 170 trees that grew in Hiroshima in 2011 had actually been there prior to the bombing.[5] The oleander was designated the official flower of Hiroshima for its remarkable vitality.[4]

Types of hibakujumoku [ edit ]

Hibakujumoku species are listed in the UNITAR database,[6] shown below, combined with data from Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Physical, Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings.

List [ edit ]