The Spout of Dinoša: When a Tree Becomes a Fountain
In the quiet village of Dinoša, nestled in the rugged limestone landscapes of southeastern Montenegro, nature occasionally performs a feat that blurs the line between botany and hydraulics. Here, an ancient Mulberry tree (Morus nigra) does more than just bear fruit—it breathes water.
The Seasonal Spectacle
For most of the year, the Dinoša Mulberry appears as any other centenarian of its kind: gnarled, sturdy, and silent. But when the heavy rains of spring or autumn saturate the Adriatic basin, the tree undergoes a startling transformation. From a hollow cavity roughly five feet above the grass, a steady stream of crystal-clear water begins to erupt, cascading down the bark like a natural spring.
Locals first witnessed this bizarre “gushing” in the 1990s. Since then, it has become a seasonal pilgrimage site, a place where the earth’s plumbing takes center stage for a few fleeting days.
A Subterranean Surge
The explanation for this “magical” fountain is rooted in the unique karst topography of the region. The meadow where the tree stands is a honeycomb of underground springs and limestone channels.
The physics of the phenomenon are remarkably straightforward yet rare in the wild:
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The Pressure Cooker: During periods of intense rainfall, the subterranean reservoirs become overwhelmed. The rising groundwater has nowhere to go, building immense hydraulic pressure.
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The Relief Valve: This particular mulberry tree, estimated to be between 100 and 150 years old, has a hollowed-out core that reaches deep into the saturated earth.
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The Eruption: Finding the path of least resistance, the pressurized water is forced up through the trunk, turning the living tree into a literal relief valve for the flooded aquifer below.
A Global Rarity
While the Dinoša tree is a local legend, it belongs to a rare class of hydraulic wonders. It shares a spiritual cousin in the Witch’s Well of Tuhala, Estonia—a site where an old well “boils” over, spouting water onto the forest floor due to the pressure of a hidden underground river.
“In Dinoša, the tree doesn’t just survive the flood; it gives it a voice, acting as a bridge between the hidden rivers of the underworld and the sunlit meadow above.”
As of 2026, the Gushing Water Tree remains a protected and cherished anomaly. It stands as a reminder that the most fascinating stories in the natural world are often written in the hidden depths beneath our feet, waiting for the next great storm to be told.
