Hi welcome to the first Finn’s Forest of the year.
I haven’t been walking in the forest much even though the sun has been shining. I still miss my walking partner, our dog Sara. My husband gets home too late or dark for our walk. I don’t mind running into wild animals, but I’d rather not do it alone… Another reason to stay inside is the pollen from the cedars. It’s covered everything like a blanket of snow. So I’ve been making use of my mini trampoline.
Usually, the rains wash away this pollen this time of year. We’ve had a usually dry January. But it made me wonder about what the trees were doing. After some research, I found out they release pollen after a cold front and it’s dry and windy out. It is how they reproduce with the help of the wind. This requires a high amount of pollen to get the job done. This seems to work for them, I find little cedars everywhere. They’re considered weeds here since we need to keep our forest cleaned up for the fire season. The Ashe Juniper tree in Texas is in the cedar family and does the same thing.
Now I know why they do release their pollen in January, but digging deeper IÂ found some interesting information:
- Cherokee tradition believes that the cedar holds powerful spirits that protect them. A spiritual leader may carry cedar wood in their medicine bag. It can also be placed above entrances for protection.
- Native Americans used the cedar for medicine for things like joint pain, fever, cough, and other issues. Considered one of the four sacred medicines.
- Ancient Sumerians believed it was where the divine ones lived.
- Its general spiritual meaning believes the tree connects us to our earthly roots. It is a symbol of nobility, strength, and incorruptibility. It’s been called the Tree of Life protected by the gods and believed to have healing properties.
- Can be used for smudging to clear a space and is believed to carry prayers and wishes from the earth into the sky.
- Tea can be made from the leaves for respiratory issues. You can also use the leaves in steam for congestion, cedar oil for skin conditions, or in a bath with the essential oil or leaves. Always consult your health provider, there can be side effects and allergies. Not recommended if pregnant, breastfeeding, or have kidney issues.
- The tree can detour termites and carpenter ants, along with discouraging mold.
- The smell can relax you and the trees purify the air.
- On the more negative side, I found one superstition that if you plant a cedar, which I haven’t, when it grows tall enough to shade a grave, it’s your time to leave the earth.
Our forest is filled with cedars. We have a huge one right outside our bedroom window protecting us. I won’t complain when they release their pollen anymore but it would be fun to add some of this to a story. What if a character is allergic and drank some tea? Maybe a character needs healing. Cedars can add that extra dimension to a story even if it’s just in the setting.
Embrace your inner child, take a walk in nature, and then read a book. D. L. Finn
I love walking in forests. I wouldn’t do it night though. You had a lot of interesting facts about Cedars. The last one about planting a cedar and it shadowing a grave was a bit creepy. I learned something today.
Too many forest animals out and about at night, Thomas 🙂 That is creepy about the cedar growing tall enough to shadow a grave.
Cedars are amazing trees. I love the smell. My daughter has some on her island off the coast of BC. I had heard of the medicinal uses. I think they should be in a book.
They are amazing, and I love the smell, too, Darlene. They have so many uses including medicinal. I learned a lot about them. Yes, they deserve a story.
Great post, Denise! My first thought is, how long does it take for a cedar to grow tall enough to shade a grave? Perhaps it takes long enough for a person to reach old age (or at least, back when this saying became a thing…lol!). I love the information you shared, and I agree with you. It could make for a great story.
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Thank you, Yvette 🙂 I thought the same thing. They would grow faster if they had more sun and space, but hopefully, this would take many decades. The sequoia we planted is towering now, but luckily, it’s not a cedar as it would cast that shadow! Yes, I think it deserves a story like the redwoods.
These are great tidbits. I love this kind of thing.
Thank you, Craig 🙂 I love where a bit of research and curiosity ends up.
I love the smell of cedars. Relaxing, like you said, but for me it’s also a dopamine hit or something because it makes me happy.
Such a soothing smell, Priscilla 🙂 I think you may be right about the dopamine hit, they make me happy too!
This is a nice informative post, Denise, with so much information I did not know. Native Americans’ belief in its healing power is particularly interesting to me, and I wonder if that comes from the pleasant odor of cedar wood.
Thank you, Timothy 🙂 That surprised me too and loving learning about Native American beliefs. Perhaps their soothing scent and they remind me of the majestic redwoods.
I love cedars, Denise. They’re such beautiful trees. You have some lovely ones, but I know how pollen season makes a mess. Thanks for sharing all the benefits and beliefs about the tree. It doesn’t surprise me at all that they have so many uses in healing (body and soul).
They are beautiful trees, Diana 🙂 I loved finding out they are healing not only on a spiritual level but physical too. I have a renewed respect for them.
That’s a heck of a lot of pollen, but I never knew is was through the pollen that they procreate. I am allergic to Cedar, but I do burn it occasionally along with Sage to purify. Thanks for sharing this information about the many uses of cedar!
That wasn’t even the worst of the pollen drop, Jan….lol can make allergies bad this time of year. Sorry you deal with that. I haven’t used cedar to purify, although we use the wood in our fires, so maybe that works too. Fascinating how many uses and healing it provides us.
That was fascinating, Denise. I’m wondering how you clean that skylight. Maybe rain does it???
Thanks, Jacqui 🙂 I’ve been waiting for the rain to clean it, but snow does the best. I’ve been tempted to drag out the hose out of winter storage and rinse it off but never get that far…lol. Luckily, the rains are returning at the end of week.
We are just getting into Cedar Fever season. The pollen is lie snow and is everywhere. I have to wear a mask. This was a great time in the forest, Denise.
Yes, it’s that time, and without rain to tamper it down, I limit my time outside. A mask would make a huge difference, though. Thanks, John:)
Thanks for the cedar lesson. As others have mentioned, they give off a lovely smell. My only symptom is a little more sneezing during pollen season.
Glad to share what I learned, Pete:) Facintating tree that gives a lovely fragrance to our forests. I get the sneezing and sinus issues, but a nice rain will help with that 🙂
They’re calling for rain this weekend up our way. Hopefully, you get the same.
Us too, but I think the coast is getting more. Fingers crossed!
Nice to meet you, Denise! We are connected on BlueSky through a blogging starter pack. I am so happy I checked out your blog today and will be sharing on BlueSky. I enjoy nature and live in a forested area. I love your writings about the spirituality of cedar trees and cedar, I found it interesting and informative.
Many Blessings
Lisa
Hi Lisa 🙂 Nice to meet you here too! Thank you for sharing my blog, much appreciated! So we both live in the forest, amazing place! I loved all the new things I found out about cedars. Blessings back xo
It was nice to learn a little bit about these magnificent trees. When I lived in Seattle for a few years, there was one tall one near our townhouse that would blow against the wall in a severe storm. Outside, it never appeared close enough to do that.
They are beauties, Dan 🙂 I’ve noticed those branches can stretch and reach and a good wind can bend the tree. So far we’ve only had a branch or two hit the house.
Hi Denise, we have a high pollen count for 9 months of the year. The other three months we battle with dust. Hay fever paradise. I’ve hear of several of these uses for cedar.
That’s tough to have that many high pollen months, Robbie and dust the rest if you have allergies. They have a lot of use I didn’t know about, but good to know they can heal.
Some fascinating facts there, Denise, and I love the photo of that bark. I love trees – they are so useful in so many ways to other living things and some of them are so ancient they inspire awe in me.
I learned a lot about the cedars looking up their pollen, Alex:) I love trees too, they give us so much. Yes, the ancient one inspire, I like to think about the changes together have lived through.
I had no idea there is so much folklore associated with cedar trees!
So many interesting facts about cedar trees! Thank you for sharing them Denise. I enjoyed reading about them.
Thanks, Balroop! So happy you enjoyed them, it was a fun research session to learn more than I expected.
Really interesting, Denise. I had no idea how amazing a cedar actually was. It is a bit magical. I love it. And you have lots of them around you!
Thank you, Joy 🙂 Good way to put it, they are a bit magical. Yes, surrounded by them!
Thank you for sharing these interesting facts, Denise. Cedar forests are beautiful. In our area, we have a lot of old cedar rail fences, some are a few hundred years old. I also think you have the makings of a great story.
Thank you, Mark:) They are beautiful and offer us so much more than their beauty. Yes, they do last in building material, too. I think they may show up somewhere for sure.
I’ve always enjoyed walking through forests – as long as the wild animals and snakes stay in their lane. I didn’t know about the healing properties of cedars – they provide more than just a good smell!
Nothing like a walk through the forest. We have a rule here, we don’t bother them, they don’t bother us, but I never push that. I learned a lot about cedars and have new respect for them.
Pollen already? Yikes.
Great info. Maybe only seniors should plant cedars. Hehe.
Sandra
Thanks for sharing these cedar facts, Denise. I might be sneezing up a storm, but the trees are beautiful. And I’m with you, I wouldn’t want to run into any wild animals alone. 🙂 And the negative you shared at the end is a pretty powerful negative! I imagine a story is coming soon. I hope so!
It was fun to research and learn about something I’ve lived with my whole life. Only thing I want to run into alone is a cute squirrel or bird. I’m with you on sneezing. Never know where this all might lead. Xo
Denise, that cedar lore is fascinating. Thanks for including it. Horsefeathers, I never thought about the cedar pollen! It would likely be the death of me. I don’t think I’ve ever been around the pollen, but just the wood (untreated) is too much for me. My mother had a cedar chest, and the fumes from it — one day I was going through the contents and I passed out. Allergies are such weird beasts…
Thanks for this delightful, chatty, newsy post. Hugs.
Thanks, Teagan, I dug deeper than I intended to, but glad I did. You would’t want to be around it if you are allergic! There is so much. That is awful you passed out, must have been from the oils? I agree allergies are very weird beasts! Hugs right back to you xo