Pretty But Unusual

I found this unusual looking tree in a park one Sunday morning. The trunk was huge and it didn't have branches like other trees do. Instead, its trunk was surrounded by long, spikey vines that grew from the trunk itself. That was the first time I've seen a tree like this.

The tree had no leaves, but abundant buds and flowers grew from the vines. The flowers looked like a cross between apple and magnolia blossoms and, they were so pretty but unusual.