The Two Trees of Valinor

Aeglos and Gorse

Alders

Alfirin and Mallos

“Alders always grow near water, and this close association is stressed in nearly every one of J. R. R. Tolkien’s references to these common trees or shrubs… Furthermore, a person can easily get lost in alder thickets, which are unpleasant because one almost always has wet feet after hiking through them. Thus, it is not surprising that alder habitats early acquired a reputation as hideouts or places of danger.” Writer Walter S. Judd

Real Life Comparison

Alder is a part of the birch family. The most commonly referenced alder in LOTR is black alder.

Location: Non-specific in LOTR although alder is shown to grow along the Withywindle in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. Alder is a sun-loving plant that grows mostly in wet habitats– swamps, along streams, wet floodplains, and bogs.

Usage: Historically, the wood is rot-resistant when submerged (the example given is that “much of Venice was originally built on alder pilings”). Wood is used for furniture and barrels, and also makes good charcoal.

Welcome to the Compendium

Hi guys, it’s @themerriweathermage. I made yet another side blog, but this one is mostly about a book I purchased, called Flora of Middle Earth. It’s written by botanists!

As a writer myself, I’ve often come across the dilemma of whether or not to use real world plants in the Tolkien verse, because it seems that all we ever hear about is Athelas. But this book features over a hundred plants and also has information about what the most likely real life comparison is. I hope that you’ll find it as useful as I do.

I also may occasionally post pictures of the only plant I’ve managed not to kill, (it’s a pothos), and you can ask me questions about plants and horticulture and I can do my best to answer them.

“It is not a pleasant plant, this relative of gorse; the gloom of its shade, along with its numerous, branched, and sharply pointed thorns, is off-putting, perhaps even ominous, and is counterbalanced only by its fragrant, white flowers. Aeglos (meaning snow-thorn) was later the name of the spear of Gil-Galad, so perhaps we see in this name a foreshadowing of Turin’s bravery in his soon-to-intensify struggle against Morgoth.” Writer Walter S. Judd

Real Life Comparison: Gorse (or whin, Ulex europaeus) is described as a similar plant but with yellow flowers instead of white.

Location: Aeglos only grew in Amon Rudh in western Beleriand. Gorse was more likely widely known in Middle-Earth in the Third Age due to growth west of the Misty Mountains and growth in Ithilien.

Usage: Flowers of gorse are edible. Leaves used as livestock feed. Wood of gorse is extremely flammable.