The gnarltree was a species of tree that thrived on Dagobah, which is a planet located within the Outer Rim Territories. These trees flourished particularly well in swampy environments, characterized by their prominent, contorted root systems. It was common to find Dagobah pythons inhabiting the spaces among these roots. Furthermore, bogwings frequently built their nests within the gnarltrees, while creatures such as dragonsnakes and scrange often sought refuge among the trees' roots.
A grove of gnarltrees
During his time in exile on Dagobah, when Jedi Grand Master Yoda decided to establish a more permanent dwelling, he selected a small hill at the base of a large gnarltree, adjacent to a dark lagoon, as the ideal location for his new hut. In addition, he utilized wattles crafted from the roots of gnarltrees as a component in his construction efforts.
Gnarltrees initiated their life cycle as delicate, light-colored shoots, subsequently developing into massive structures with roots so extensive that they formed natural, cave-like spaces. Knobby white spiders also became a part of these trees as they grew.
The gnarltrees were initially showcased in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, which is the second film within the original trilogy of the Star Wars saga. The initial design concept for what ultimately became the gnarltrees was conceived by conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie, who drew inspiration from the enormous banyan trees commonly found in real-world swamp regions.
When production designer Norman Reynolds was assigned the task of fabricating these trees for the Dagobah forest set, he opted to model them after those present in the swamps of Nigeria. Reynolds began the construction of the trees using tubular steel frameworks, which were then shaped with wire mesh and textured using plaster. The resulting trees reached heights of forty feet and had circumferences of up to ten feet. Each individual prop was treated as a distinct set in its own right, and Reynolds ensured that he considered how each tree would have evolved after standing exposed in the marshy environment of Dagobah for millennia.