No wonder these trees are considered one of the six national nature symbols, and they factor into Finnish folklore.
The birch was long considered a holy or sacred tree. The Finnish fairy tale “The Birch and the Star” describes two lost children who find their home by looking for their birch tree.
People in Britain would use birch brooms, called besoms, to sweep out bad witchcraft along with the dust and dirt.
Some gardeners today still believe that sweeping a birch besom over the garden will rid it of bad vibes. Hey, I’ll try anything to get rid of aphids…
Frigga and Freya of Norse mythology are linked to birches, and the tree represents new beginnings and renewal in Celtic myth. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called the birch the “the Lady of the woods.”
One of my favorite birches, and one of my favorite trees altogether, is the paper birch, B. papyrifera. I love the way the peeling, papery bark adds texture to the winter landscape.
Nature Hills Nursery carries this species.
River birches (B. nigra) do extremely well next to a river or pond, but you can plant them just about anywhere. They can reach a towering 80 feet and half as wide.
Visit Nature Hills to bring one home. They carry live, single-stem trees in #3 or #5 containers, and multi-stem trees in #5 containers, so you have options.
6. Cedar
I’m going to include both true cedars (Cedrus spp.) and trees in the genus Thuja here, which we know commonly as cedars but are actually arborvitae. Both of these hold special significance for the people who live in areas where they grow.
For the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest, western redcedar (Thuja plicata) is known as the “tree of life,” and some tribes called themselves people of the cedar, or cedar people, such as the Clatsop, Chinook, Kathlamet, Klatskanie, and Tillamook in Oregon.
Native people would gather at the base of redcedars for ceremonies and to rejuvenate, and the wood was often used to create totem poles.
This broad, tall tree can reach hundreds of feet in height and can live for at least 1,500 years.
Across the world, the demigod Humbaba was the guardian of the cedar forest in Mesopotamian mythology. The cedar forest is the place where the gods dwell, and people saw the trees as sacred for this reason.
In China, people believed planting a cedar tree would ensure that your lover stayed faithful.
Want to keep a cedar tree as a reminder of love in your life?
Deodar cedars (C. deodara) have a pyramidal shape with gracefully drooping branches and they make a grand gesture in the garden.
Pick up a live tree in a #5 container at Nature Hills Nursery.
7. Elm
While some plants are associated with bright things like new beginnings, elm trees (Ulmus spp.) are strongly associated with the underworld.
Orpheus journeyed to the underworld to rescue his wife, Eurydice, and when he was successful, he played his harp in celebration. An elm tree grew in that spot, according to the Greek myth.
Other tellings say that as Orpheus was about to emerge from the underworld, he looked back at his wife. This was forbidden and she was taken back to the underworld. An elm grew in her place.
Celts believed elms guarded the passage to the underworld. In Medieval London, two elm trees were used for hangings, earning the trees a dark reputation.
It’s fitting that the wood is a popular choice for coffins.
Personally, I love elms. They grow fast, tolerate all kinds of environmental conditions, don’t need a lot of pruning, and come in many shapes and sizes.
Lacebark elms (U. parvifolia) are tough as nails with rough, textural bark.
They add a nice element to the yard during the dormant season. Nature Hills carries this species in a #5 container.
DannaSpire is a columnar lacebark elm cultivar (U. parvifolia ‘DavesStraightUp’) that grows 25 feet tall and just five feet wide, at most.
It’s such a cool option for a small space or for creating a windbreak.
Find one in three- to four- or four- to five-foot heights at Fast Growing Trees.
Find our guide to growing elm trees here.
8. Foxglove
It’s an interesting name for a flower – foxglove!
But was this actually based on a belief that foxes wore gloves? Not exactly.
Foxglove is the common name for plants in the Digitalis genus, used in ancient times as a drug, and still used today in some heart medicines.
Digitalin, a cardiac glycoside that can be extracted from the plant, can help steady rapid heartbeats and arrhythmias when used in small doses.
However, the constituents of this beautiful flower were also used as a poison in old times, since these same cardiac glycosides are highly toxic – and best kept away from pets and small children.
Of course, foxes never wore gloves, but the name was recorded in England dating as far back as the 14th century. It is probably a distortion of “folks’ glove.”
According to Margaret Grieve in her tome on herbalism and lore, “A Modern Herbal,” “good folk” was the name sometimes used for fairies – and these little beings were said to live inside the flowers, perhaps responsible for their potencies, both good and bad.
This story and so much more on many other plants can be found in Grieve’s masterpiece on botanical culture. It’s sold in two parts – find Volume 1 and Volume 2 on Amazon.
The blooms are heliotropic, following the light. During old times, when more people professed to believe in fairies, the plant was said to be moving towards any fairy person that passed by.
These flowers are biennials, producing leaves one year, and flower stems the year after.
The common foxglove, D. purpurea, produces delightful purple flowers.
There are also many hybrid varieties of foxglove available, as well as some in shades of apricot, white, and pink. You might like ‘Dalmatian Peach,’ which is available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Learn more about growing foxgloves in our guide.
9. Hazel
The Celts tell a story of nine hazel trees (Corylus spp.) surrounding a well that sat at the border between the gods and Earth.
The trees dropped nuts into the water, and these were eaten by salmon swimming in the water.
These salmon gained all the knowledge in the world, and the first person to eat one of these “salmon of knowledge” would gain that wisdom.
It’s not just the Celts believed these trees marked the border between the gods and mortals or the afterlife. The Greek god Hermes, and his Roman equivalent, Mercury, was said to carry a wisdom-granting staff made of hazel with him when he crossed between the worlds.
Norse myth says that Thor carried a staff made out of hazel to protect himself from lightning.
In China, it was believed that God gave hazelnuts to humans as one of the five sacred foods.
In North America, almost any hazelnut you can buy at the store comes from Oregon, where 63,000 tons of nuts are produced each year.
But you want your own, right? Grab an American hazelnut (C. americana) at Nature Hills Nursery in a #3 or #5 container.
Learn how to grow your own hazelnut trees in our guide.
10. Holly
Druids in ancient Ireland and England believed the evergreen foliage of a holly (Ilex spp.) could bring the sun into homes during the winter.
Turns out, there’s more than one reason to bring holly sprigs indoors beyond amping up your winter decor!
Native people in North America used Ilex vomitoria, commonly known as the yaupon holly, as both a ceremonial drink and to revive their spirits and bring focus.
They didn’t know it, but they were using the power of caffeine from North America’s only caffeinated plant.
Indigenous people taught the drink made out of the leaves could bring about clarity and peace.
By the way, ignore the specific epithet here. As with many things, European colonists didn’t understand the value of yaupon hollies when they named the plant, assuming it was being used to induce vomiting.
We now know that ingesting tea made from this plant doesn’t induce vomiting any more readily than drinking too much coffee.
There are endless Ilex options out there, so pick one that calls to you. Lately, I’ve fallen in love with ‘Needlepoint,’ a holly cultivar from the cornuta species.
The glossy green leaves aren’t edged in spines except for one at the tip of each leaf.
If you have unresolved trauma from scraped arms and legs from a childhood of hide and seek in holly bushes, this one will come as a welcome relief.
Plus, the red berries appear even without a second plant for pollination purposes.
Invite ‘Needlepoint’ to your yard by heading to Nature Hills Nursery for a live plant in a quart or #3 container.
Learn more about growing holly in our guides.
11. Lady’s Mantle
The wonderful Alchemilla mollis or lady’s mantle – a superbly hardy garden plant that can also seed itself prolifically – has ornate, cup-like leaves notable for catching and collecting beautiful beads of dew.
Well before the 18th century in Europe, alchemists thought there was something magical about the plant, and particularly the properties in the dew it collected.
They were said to use the drops to try and turn base metals into gold – hence the name Alchemilla, after the ancient practice of alchemy.
M. Grieve, who we talked about above, wrote that this dew was also added to magical potions.
Whether you’re considering whipping up a magical brew or you just want to add some jewel-like interest to your yard, Nature Hills carries live plants in #1 containers.
Learn how to grow your own lady’s mantle in our guide.
12. Laurel
Laurel trees and shrubs (Laurus spp.) have a long, regal history. You’ve heard of a poet laureate, right?
The word laureatus is Latin for “crowned with laurel,” and medieval universities would crown graduates with a branch of the tree.
It’s not just a tree of knowledge. Ancient Romans thought they would be protected from lightning strikes and plague if one took shelter under a laurel tree.
In Greek mythology, after a battle with the dragon Python, Apollo was said to have cleansed himself with laurel to provide protection from the slain dragon’s spirit.
During the witch madness of the Middle Ages, the wood of the laurel was thought to provide protection from witches as well as lightning.
And here in the US in modern times, many of us enjoy the flavor bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) leaves can add to our meals.
Whether you want to grow it in a container on your patio or in your yard, you can nab a bay laurel from Nature Hills in a #1 container.
Learn more about growing bay laurel in our guide.
13. Linden
Baucis and Philemon of Ovid’s “Metamorphosis” were granted the gift of staying together for their whole lives and dying at the same time by the disguised gods Zeus and Hermes.
Baucis and Philemon earned this gift after they generously hosted the gods, not knowing who they were, when all their neighbors refused. When they died, they turned into a linden (Tilia spp.) and an oak, respectively.
As a result, the Greeks associated lindens with eternal love and hospitality.
Norse gods Odin and Freya and the Celtic goddess Arianrhod are associated with lindens, and people believed that the trees could provide love and harmony.
People in Slavic countries viewed linden trees as the link between life and death, and they are often planted to ward off evil.
In Chinese folklore, the trees are thought to be able to tame a rebellious heart or provide clarity on a difficult matter.
I remember my first experience with a linden. I was walking around my childhood neighborhood and encountered a tree that blew my senses away.
It was like I had walked into a cloud of honey, the fragrance was so intense, and I could practically taste the sweetness. Accompanying the scent was the buzzing of bees, a sound so loud that I could feel it vibrating my entire body.
If there was ever a tree that could inspire love and harmony, the linden is it. I felt a swelling of joy, and I just wanted to sit under the tree and enjoy the brilliance.
There are many excellent linden options out there. The American linden (T. americana) is a little harder to find, but I think it’s worth seeking out this North American native.
I love the huge, heart-shaped leaves and stately shape.
Nature Hills Nursery carries this species in #3 containers if you’ve fallen in love with lindens as much as I have.
14. Mint
Next time you stumble across a bit of mint (Mentha spp.) that has escaped its garden spot, think twice about pulling it. According to Greek myth, mint is actually the goddess Minthe, transformed by a jealous Persephone.
Since Hades (aka Pluto, in Roman myth) couldn’t restore Minthe to human form, he gave her a pleasant scent so everyone could appreciate her charms.
Ancient Romans thought Venus (Aphrodite in Greek myth) wore a crown of mint and that the plant could incite lust.
Personally, I’m more concerned about flavoring my cocktail than inciting lust, but maybe you’re looking to do both? If so, pick up some M. spicata ‘Kentucky Colonel’ plants at Burpee.
This cultivar is the classic choice for mint juleps. I think Minthe would approve.
Learn more about growing mint in our guide.
15. Mulberry
Depending on where you come from, the beautiful mulberry (Morus spp.) is either an evil tree or shrub, or it’s a marvelous one.
Considered a sacred ancient tree (fusang) in China and an essential part of the silk industry, since it’s a host of the silkworm, people there believed the 10 birds that represent the sun live in a mulberry tree.
In German folklore, the devil uses the roots of the mulberry to shine his boots.
In Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” the characters Pyramus and Thisbie meet under a mulberry tree, and when Thisbe finds Pyramus wounded and dying there later, she takes her own life.
People in some US municipalities feel the same way that the Germans do, though for different reasons.
Some species of this tree are banned in certain areas because of their heavy pollen production and invasive growth.
If it’s legal to grow in your area, a red mulberry (M. rubra) can be had at Nature Hills Nursery.
Mulberries are delicious and many types of wildlife adore the fruit, so if you can safely and legally grow them, they’re beautiful and productive trees to have around.
Read our guide to learn how to grow your own mulberries.
16. Mullein
A favorite for use in plant borders, Verbascum thapsus has many common names.
You may know it best as mullein, which derives from the Latin word mollis for soft, because of its downy, velvety leaves.
Another common name is hag’s taper, or you may hear it referred to as the candlewick plant.
The wooly flowering stems, growing up to six feet tall, were often dipped in fat and lit as tapers, and the leaves were sometimes used as floor coverings and insoles for shoes. Maybe giving this a try with your favorite pair of gardening shoes would be worth a shot?
Lighting a hag’s taper was said to ward off bad witches and sorcery, and the dried fluff from the leaves and stems was made into wicks for candles.
There was also a superstition that witches would use the tapers themselves for practicing their magic – another great tidbit of folklore on mullein found in M. Grieve’s herbal from the early 1900s.
A most useful plant, mullein is still sometimes used today among herbalists and as a home remedy.
The leaves and flowers contain anti-inflammatory and demulcent compounds, including polysaccharides, saponins, and glycosides, which are said to be especially helpful for treating coughs and lung issues.
While traditional use is strong, medical research on these effects is weak.
The plants are biennial, forming a rosette of soft leaves in their first year, then blooming with striking flowers in their second year before they die.
There are a great many garden varieties to choose from nowadays, as several lovely hybrids have been produced.
Verbascum ‘Raspberry Ripple’ is particularly pretty, a cultivar of wild mullein chosen for its raspberry-red flowers, rather than the typical yellow flowers seen in mullein.
Another striking option is ‘Southern Charm,’ a hybrid with lavender, rose, and peach blossoms. You can purchase both seeds and live plants at Burpee.
17. Oak
If you’ve ever stood at the base of a massive oak tree (Quercus spp.) and looked up, you know how impressive they can be.
It’s little wonder that many cultures associate oaks with thunder. You can easily see a thunder god reaching down from the heavens and finding a mighty oak to be the closest thing.
Even if you don’t believe in supreme beings, it’s likely that an oak, as the tallest thing in the forest, would attract lightning bolts.
Oak trees are associated with thunder in Scandinavian folklore, and the god Thor. Russians had Perun and Lithuanians had Perkunas, both gods of thunder as well as oaks.
Ancient Greeks believed in Zeus, and the Romans Jupiter, and both were associated with oaks as well.
Ancient Hebrews believed the oak held special significance as it was the place where Abraham met with the Christian and Jewish god in the form of three angels disguised as travelers.
The Oak of Abraham, called Eshel Avraham, has drawn worshipers for centuries.
The Celtic people worshiped the goddess of the oak, Daron, and many of their rituals and ceremonies took place among oaks and using parts of the tree. The mistletoe that grows in the canopy of oak trees was also an important part of their ceremonies.
Druids believed the tannins in oaks had healing power, as did many Indigenous people of North America.
Native people also believed the trees offered strength and protection.
The Sioux have a tale of a sorceress who turns a man into an oak after he rejects her, and indigenous leaders of the Ojibwe and Dakota people in the Chippewa Valley in modern-day Wisconsin gathered around the council oak tree.
You can hardly be blamed if you want to make the majestic oak a part of your garden.
A mighty pin oak (Q. palustris) grows up to 70 feet tall and about two-thirds as wide. In the fall, it puts on an incredible show with bright red, orange, and yellow hues.
Fast Growing Trees carries this species in several sizes.
After you’ve brought yours home, read our guide to growing oaks to learn how to plant and care for your new addition.
18. Rose
The rose (Rosa spp.) has been an adored flowering shrub for centuries, a sentiment shared among people of different cultures all around the world.
Legend has it that once, all roses were thought to be white – until Venus, the Roman goddess of love, cut herself on the thorns and turned the flower red forever with her blood.
For that reason, many associate the rose with love and romance!
There is other folklore about the rose, however, that doesn’t have to do with the classic notion of romantic love.
The legend of the Cherokee rose, for example – or R. laevigata, the state flower of Georgia – centers around a species that came to the US originally from China.
It is said that after Cherokee mothers and women who walked the tragic Trail of Tears grieved all those who had fallen, their tears sprouted to become beautiful white roses, which spread all around the country as a reminder.
Do you want to grow the Cherokee rose? Well, you can!
R. laevigata is tolerant of most conditions but prefers well-drained soil and partial shade. It’s a tough and prolific plant, able to survive droughts.
This climbing rose can reach heights of 20 feet as an evergreen perennial in Zones 4 to 10.
Seeds are available from the Red Earth Seeds store via Amazon.
Learn more about growing roses here.
19. Rosemary
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) was once widely believed to be a protective herb. It was thought to ward off evil spirits and witches in the Middle Ages, and was sometimes dropped into graves so that a deceased loved one would not be forgotten.
In Christian mythology, it was said that rosemary had white blossoms until the Virgin Mary draped or dropped her blue cloak onto a plant, changing the hue of the blossoms forever, earning it the name “Rose of Mary.”
The Greek goddess Aphrodite was said to be draped in rosemary at her birth, and those who worshiped her regarded the plant as holy and powerful.
This is an ingredient beloved by cooks, and a fragrant evergreen addition to the garden. You can even use rosemary to create a tiny Christmas tree.
If you’d like to add a live plant in a five gallon decorative pot to your space, visit Fast Growing Trees.
Read more about growing rosemary here.
20. Rowan
Sorbus aucuparia is commonly known as mountain ash or rowan. But some people call it by its other name: witchwood.
Scots believed that if they planted witchwoods around their homes, it would protect them from witches. You could also hang branches of rowan trees over doorways to grant the same protection.
Kristine Lofgren
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