An Ostereierbaum (Easter egg tree) in Saalfeld, Germany

© Rudi Sebastian/Alam

How many Easter eggs?. An egg-stra special tree

In Germany or Austria around Easter you’ll see trees, branches and bushes decorated in colourful eggs like these. The Ostereierbaum (aka Osterbaum or Easter egg tree), is a German tradition dating back centuries, although no one's quite sure of the exact origin. Eggs have long been a symbol of rebirth and spring, and the sight of colourful eggs hung by a ribbon can melt even the coldest of hearts.

This Ostereierbaum is perhaps the most famous Easter egg tree in all of Europe. Volker and Christa Kraft of Saalfeld, Germany, started decorating this apple tree in 1965, when it was just a sapling and could only hold 18 plastic eggs. Fast-forward to the 21st century, when more than 10,000 hand-blown and painted eggs decorated the fully-grown tree. Sadly, the Krafts ended their tradition in 2015, but the memories of the glorious Ostereierbaum live on in photographs like this one.