The Meaning of a Willow Tree

The Celts believed that the first humans were descendants of these trees.

There are many folklore tales and beliefs about willow trees. Some of the most prominent sources are Greek and Native American lore, and the Victorian-era "language of flowers," and the willow, especially the weeping willow, has often been used as symbol in art. The weeping willow is a native of China and was not introduced into the Western world until the 15th century. The tree's association with life, death and rebirth stretches back into ancient times.

Greek Mythology

Mythology tells us that the poet Orpheus received his gift for music and poetry after touching a willow in a grove sacred to Persephone, and the willow was linked to those skills. Music was especially linked to the willow, and the sounding boxes of lyres of the time were carved from willow wood. When he journeyed to the underworld, attempting to bring back his dead love, Orpheus carried willow branches with him for luck and protection.

Native American Lore

The Osage tribe of Oklahoma tells the tale of a young man whose mind was racked with questions about the meaning of life. He journeyed out into the world to seek wisdom from dreams. He had no dreams until he came to an old willow tree. The legend is about the wisdom that comes with age, and for the Osage the willow represented the stability and strength of age and experience.

Language of Flowers

The Victorians believed that flowers and plants had a language of their own, and that giving specific flowers or tree cuttings as gifts communicated a specific meaning. In this language of flowers, the willow appears repeatedly. The water willow represented freedom and frankness, while the weeping willow stood for mourning and sadness.

Symbolism in Art

The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) was very popular in the funerary art of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was used most often to symbolize immortality and rebirth, likely because of its swift-growing habit. A cut willow tree can re-grow quickly as long its roots are unharmed, sometimes several feet in a single season. A cutting from the willow can grow into its own tree, even if it's planted upside down in the soil.

Modern Symbolism

Today the weeping willow is the one most widely known and recognized. The image of a willow growing on a riverbank with its cascading leaves falling over the water is a familiar one, evoking the concept of life, death and rebirth.

References

• Oakdale Cemetery: Funerary Art Symbolism
• Trees for Life: Mythology and Folklore of the Willow
• First People: The Wisdom of the Willow Tree