Man-eating trees are the stuff of legends. Legendary carnaverous plants large enough to kill and consume an animal or a person don’t exist… or do they?

The earliest man-eating tree legend originated as a hoax in 1881 when German explorer Carl Lich wrote about a sacrifice performed by a tribe of Madagascar which gave humans in sacrifice to this eating tree. It was spoken about later on in a book by former Governor of Michigan Chase Osborn called “Madagascar, Land of the Man-eating Tree” in 1924.

The only really known carnivorous plant large enough to sometime consume small animals is the “Nepenthes rajah” which produces traps up to 14 inches in height, and thus is able to “eat” small mammals from time to time… but really, is it the only plant able to consume large objects? When time is on its side, some trees will reveal to be quite hungry, as this picture collection proves…

And currently on eBay…

From Seed to Apple Tree US $17.11 Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:09:45 PST   | Watch this Item

RUSTIC ABSTRACT LANDSCAPE TREES ART OIL PAINTING 7414AL US $19.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:09:53 PST   | Watch this Item

Flame Tree US $10.20 Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:09:55 PST   | Watch this Item

3 bald-cypress trees--Taxodium distichum-2 to 3 ft tall US $8.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:10:04 PST   | Watch this Item

G11054 10pcs Scale Train Layout Set Model Trees HO 11cm US $7.51 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:10:20 PST   | Watch this Item

He’ll wake up with the keyboard stamped to his face.