Cotton Tree is a historic symbol of the capital city of Sierra Leone, Freetown. It is a Ceiba pentandra and as the legend says, the Tree gained importance when in 1792 a group of former African American slaves, who had gained their freedom by fighting for the British during the American War of Independence, settled the site of modern Freetown.
As it is the most historic symbol and most important landmark of Freetown, nobody is sure how old the Cotton Tree really is. According to some locals the Tree is 500 years old, but it is for sure older than 200 years. This majestic Tree stands in the center of the oldest part of Freetown, and the Visit Sierra Leone logo pays homage to the Cotton Tree.
Occasionally there are bats and vultures which find refuge in the tree. As the first settlers prayed under the tree and made offerings, nowadays the Sierra Leonians continue the same tradition.
