A man dressed as a tree was arrested by Portland police on Tuesday (Oct 25) for obstructing traffic.

A video of the arrest - showing what looks like a pine tree being escorted by two police officers - has since gone viral in the United States.

Asher Woodworth, 30, covered himself in branches and stood in the middle of a busy intersection.

He was told to move by police officers but refused.

When arrested, he moved at a "glacial pace", Time reported. The act was meant to be performance art, CNN said.

Woodworth later told Time that he was an advocate for slowness and stillness.

"I guess I was just meditating one day, and this very clear vision of this performance came into my head. I knew I needed to do it," he told the magazine.

He also wanted to see how the obstruction would impact people's "social choreography", he said.

Woodworth, who has no criminal record, was released from jail on bail of $60, the Portland Press Herald said.

Netizens could not resist botanical puns such as: "They'll probably plant some evidence on him..."