Fred Hageneder

The tree is beloved as Mother Nature's visible symbol of power and grace. The Meaning of Trees is a beautiful celebration of their lore and spirit, botany and history. Genera from aspen to willow are captured in 70 dramatic photographs that illustrate their brilliant seasonal transformations. Featuring 50 different types of tree, this informative compendium describes each by way of botanical qualities; medicinal uses for their leaves, bark, and wood; cultural symbolism; magical associations; and so much more. Fascinating facts abound: the Druids believed that only the wood of the yew tree was fit to make wands; a Ukrainian tonic of birch leaves contains the same healing properties as aspirin. A visually stunning and engaging guide, The Meaning of Trees is a fitting tribute to this most majestic of natural wonders.

Botany - History - Healing - Lore

The Meaning of Trees

"Botanists around the world marvel at the unique characteristics of the yew, Europe’s most ancient species of tree. It is a ‘conifer’ without resin or cones but with juicy scarlet fruits that feed many birds and animals; it has foliage that is poisonous to livestock but which wild animals can eat; and though it has an extraordinarily low rate of photosynthesis, it can grow where other tree seedlings and plants just wither and die. The yew’s lower branches can root themselves, and it can also produce ‘interior roots’ inside a hollowing trunk, renewing itself from the inside out. It was in the Palaeolithic Era that humans were first struck by the yew’s regenerative powers and began to associate it with concepts of life and death, the afterlife and eternity. Yew trees can be found at the sacred sites of Native Americans and Buddhists, and Shinto shrines in Japan, as well as in Christian churchyards, where they became a symbol of the Resurrection"--Back cover.

The Silence of Trees

A definitive guide to the sacred place trees hold for cultures around the world, exploring the natural history, folklore and symbolism that give each genus of tree its unique character and fascination Throughout time, trees have stood as sentinels, wise yet silent, patiently accumulating their rings while the storms of history have raged around them. Trees and humankind have always had a symbiotic relationship. Throughout the centuries trees have offered us shelter from the cold and the heat. They have provides us with a multitude of nutritious fruits, leaves, flowers and roots for food and medicine. They have given us wood with which to make our tools, weapons and toys, not to mention timber for houses, fences, boats and bridges. But perhaps most significant of all, trees have provided us with fuel for fire, which, once it was tamed hundreds of thousands of years ago became the engine of civilization. Trees are our strongest allies. The Living Wisdom of Trees is a richly illustrated guide to the human significance of 55 trees, from alder (Alnus) to oak (Quercus), looking in particular at their botanical characteristics; their place in world myth, magic and folklore; their healing properties; and their practical contribution to society. Featuring beautiful hand drawn evocative illustrations, The Living Widsom of Treesis for all who seek acquaintance with the fascinating lore and the profound spiritual wisdom of trees.

A Guide to the Natural History, Symbolism and Healing Power of Trees

The Living Wisdom of Trees

The yew is the oldest and most common tree in the world, but it is a plant of puzzling contradictions: it is a conifer with juicy scarlet berries, but no cones; deer can feast on its poisonous foliage, but it is lethal to farm animals; and it thrives where other plants cannot because of its extraordinarily low rate of photosynthesis. Exploring this paradoxical plant in Yew, Fred Hageneder surveys its position in religious and cultural history, its role in the creation of the British Empire, and its place in modern medicine. Hageneder explains the way the yew is able to renew itself from the inside by producing interior roots and how early humans, fascinated with its regenerative powers, began to associate the tree with concepts of life and death, the afterlife, and eternity. As such, it can be found at the sacred sites of Native Americans, Buddhists, and Shinto shrines in Japan, and it has become a living symbol of the resurrection for the Christian faith. He describes how churchyards saved many yews during the Middle Ages, when the trees were used for the mass production of the longbow, which laid the foundation for the British Empire. Finally, he discusses the latest scientific discoveries about the yew, including its use in cancer treatments. A comprehensive and richly illustrated history, Yew will appeal to botanists and other readers interested in the history and symbolism of the natural world.

Descubra el valor sagrado que subyace tras la belleza de los árboles. Adéntrese en el folclore y el simbolismo que confieren a cada género un carácter único y un enorme poder de fascinación para las diferentes culturas del mundo. Con información detallada sobre más de 55 árboles desde el aliso hasta el roble. Análisis en profundidad de la historia, el folclore, la mitología, la magia, el simbolismo y las propiedades curativas de los árboles. Más de 80 fotografías realizadas por el prestigioso fotógrafo especializado en árboles Edward Parker.

Fred Hageneder

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