Trees Deserve Respect

by cmoneyspinner

Who cares if Pluto is or is not a planet? There are no trees there. Trees are the reason nobody wants to relocate to anywhere else in the universe.

Ailanthus altissima is an ornamental tree grown mainly for shade and also for its leaves which the silkworm feeds on. Sounds prettier when it is called by its unscientific name: "tree of heaven".

The acacia thrives in the wilderness of Paran (the location of several historic events in the Bible). Because it can flourish in a barren desert, Semitic tribesmen call it: "tree of life".

Frankly, every tree on the planet represents a heavenly gift from a Life-Giving Source. Trees are what make the earth inhabitable, and they should be shown respect. Not worship and adoration. Just respect.

The best ways to show appreciation for these marvelous creations is to plant, paint or photograph them. Being neither a talented photographer, artist or gardener, writing about them is my way of showing gratitude.

Having so many to choose from, the selection - the palm tree and the fig tree - was narrowed down based on two criteria: memories of my youth or plants that grow in a place that would be nice to visit.

palm trees

PALM TREES

Palmae Family

The Arabs say that "The palm tree has 360 uses".  Sorry.  I don't have the list to share with you.  But I will share what I know. 

In ancient times and perhaps even today, the branch from a palm tree symbolized peace and victory, success, or celebration. Palm trees are very easy to recognize.  They are tall, slender, with no branches.  Instead of branches, on top of the trunk is a crown of spreading plumes. 

Most people associate palms swaying in the breeze with a tropical environment like Florida or The Bahamas.

While others think of the date palm tree that grows in the Middle East.  Its fruit is part of the daily diet of millions of people.  The date can be eaten fresh or dried; incorporated as a key ingredient in a myriad of recipes; and the tree sap can be made into syrup or wine.  Jericho, which is in the Jordan Valley, has a tropical climate, and is known for its lush palm groves.  Once it has reached maturity, this tree can yield fruit for 100 years. 

Wherever they grow, if you see a palm tree, breeze or no breeze, it is hard not to be captivated by its striking beauty.

Learn more:  How to Identify Species of Palm Trees

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grass
ficus

FIG TREES

Genus Ficus

The fig plant can be either a low-lying shrub or a tall tree.  They grow wild; or domesticated in the Mediterranean region and in California.  In Israel, the fig trees usually sprout buds in late spring; by the month of June (early summer) the tree is full of leaves; and in just a few more weeks, the figs are ready for picking.

My late father used to buy Nabisco Fig Newtons.  Rather than enjoying this tasty treat with a glass of milk, they were viewed from the corner of my eye as "questionable".  They didn't look like chocolate chip or oreo cookies (???).  Children are so silly.

As an adult, realizing that the fruit of the fig tree is not only delicious but gorgeous (especially the purple ones), any delightful dish served up that includes this fruit will never again be refused.

Fig - Texas Blue Giant

Texas Blue Giant, Ficus carica 'Texas Blue Giant' - *Huge Purple Figs *Constant Harvest *Heat Tolerant* - mentioned several times in the Bible, this huge ever bearing fig with attractive purple skin and a delicious melting amber flesh. A winner in the south, it thrives in Texas and other hot desert areas or can be grown indoors in the North. Texas Blue Giant takes plenty of full sun and nice hot summers, but do keep it moist. If you live in warm-winter locations, easy-care and they are self-fruitful. Try this ancient fruit in your yard.

Limited inventory of plants and trees.  View entire selection: Buy Fig Trees

A big yet light breakfast that hydrates and energizes. Nutritious and very delicious. Here’s the recipe and some of the health benefits of the various ingredients.
Socotran Fig Trees, common fig's distant, wild relatives, grow wild only on Socotra in the Indian Ocean. This near-threatened bottle tree responds to precise growing conditions.
A pair of cinnamon eyes does not belong to a starved vampire. The look is the monopoly of the olingo. It keeps exotic pet and wildlife lovers from confusing olingos with kinkajous.
Socotran Frankincense Trees growing wild only on Socotra are vulnerable to climate and land use patterns but respond to cultivation under proper growing conditions.
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More About Trees

Throughout history trees have been used to represent kings and rulers, wealth and power. The chart below is a quick list of certain trees and their symbolic meaning for certain civilizations.

TREE SYMBOL
Pomegranate Eternal Life
Cedar Strength and Beauty
Amaranth Immortality
Balsam (Balm) Spiritual Healing
Evergreen (Fir) Blessings
Palm Righteousness
Fig Hope (if fruitful): Desolation (if barren)
Wormwood Calamity


Learning about trees really makes a person aware of how special the planet is that we live on.  The results of the research of my first study was published a few years back but the material is now unpublished.  The article was titled:  "Is Tree Sitting Really Necessary?"  Below is an excerpt.

 

Tree Sitting

Tree sitting is when a protester sits in a tree, to protect it from being cut down. It is an act of civil disobedience that sometimes results in forcible removal of the protestor from the tree. Zacchaeus was not a tree sitter. This article only briefly touches upon an arbitrary selection of a few trees mentioned in the Bible, and one legend created around a Bible story.

The famed cedars of Lebanon were not included because by the sixth century A.D., most of the beautiful groves had been destroyed and these days only a precious few remain. But hopefully this subjective medley, in a roundabout way, made it apparent that trees don’t just provide creature comforts and they’re not just the stuff of bible stories and legends.

Trees are of critical importance to our environment. The urgency of preserving, maintaining and cultivating trees can not be overstated or simplified. So heed the words of environmental activists and don’t be so quick to have them hauled off by hired tree-sit extractors. All the trees on our planet are “trees of life” and they can all contribute to healing the world.

******

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Intro Image Credit:

(Not a fig or palm tree. Just like the art.)
Growing your own fruit indoors, even in a flat or apartment is simple, easy and cost effective. As the price of fresh fruit goes up, try these tips to get your own all year.
You don’t have to strain your back or pull a muscle when gardening. The easy way is to use raised beds and garden without digging at all.
Lemon tree very pretty. Olive tree very pretty too! In fact, the olive tree has always had a significant role in much of the history of mankind.

Do You Love Trees?

Updated: 06/18/2021, cmoneyspinner
 
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cmoneyspinner on 12/15/2014

@DerdriuMarriner - Appreciate your comments. Thanks for visiting! :)

DerdriuMarriner on 12/15/2014

cmoneyspinner, Me, too, I also used to look askance at Nabisco Fig Newtons!
Writing about trees is fascinating, isn't it? There is nothing dull about trees.

cmoneyspinner on 01/03/2014

Point made. Point taken. :)

frankbeswick on 01/03/2014

The Romans did not care what trees they used to crucify others. Jewish law, however, did care about how trees were used. Jews did not crucify; crucifixion was a Roman punishment.

The sins of Solomon are hardly debatable. He did lots of them,intensely and often

The key point is that trees are worthy of respect.

cmoneyspinner on 01/03/2014

@frankbeswick - Just wanted to be sure we were on the same page regarding trees. Didn't want to get into a detailed discussion of the law of Moses and a debate over the sins of King Solomon in the comments section of my article. That's all.

No doubt you've had that happen to you. You're having a conversation about a topic and then someone goes off in a related but completely different direction. It's not that you think what they're saying is irrelevant. You just want to maintain the "thread" you've established.

For example, I could go: Hmmm? What kind of trees were used for crucifixions? Fruit trees? Well clearly the Romans didn't care if they violated Deut 20: 19- 20!

So I appreciate your comment. It's food for thought. Because now I really am wondering what kinds of trees were used for crucifixions and how many trees of life became trees of death. You got me thinking.

frankbeswick on 01/03/2014

Where am I coming from? Where you came from: trees deserve respect. God says so.

cmoneyspinner on 01/03/2014

@frankbeswick - Don't know where you're coming from with the scriptural application but I stand by what I say. Trees Deserve Respect. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment.

frankbeswick on 01/03/2014

Deuteronomy, chapter 20, verses 19-20: The Bible forbids the gratuitous felling of the trees belonging to enemies in war. "Is the tree in the fields human that you should besiege it too? "These verses particularly ban the felling of fruit trees.

VioletteRose on 01/03/2014

wow the palm trees and sunset room decal looks excellent, and thank you for the link to my page :)

cmoneyspinner on 10/26/2013

@frankbeswick, @EmmaSRose - Well Happy Saturday back at the both of you!!!

This article was actually inspired by one of my children. Our family relocated to Austin, Texas from El Paso. We drove our truck and moving van. When we got here one of my kids asked: "Are we in Austin yet?" I replied: "Yes". And I'll never forget. She said: "Wow! They have trees!"

I wasn't really expecting that comment. El Paso is very much desert and it is hard to grow green stuff there. It never occurred to me that the scenery in Austin would be so different that my kids would notice it!! :)


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