The Plants of Middle Earth: An (Almost) Complete Guide

Everybody knows Tolkien loved his trees, but what about the other plants of Middle Earth? Today, we're doing a deep dive.

[keithhollingdale]

I was born and grew up in Sussex, which is full of mature oak trees. When I moved to Ireland, my wife, who is Irish, asked what I missed most. I told her the trees, she thought me mad. However, she amazed at the sheer number and beauty of the trees when we moved back to Sussex. Last year we visited the Sequoia National Park and walked amongst those giants. At the end of the day she looked at me and said, now I understand 😊

[TrainerZenjamin]

One of my favorite stories from the LotR movies is when they made a fake tree to have torn down on film (instead of tearing down a real one), to honor Tolkien's environmentalism.

[KS-xkso]

I always thought that the reason Galadriel put her power into maintaining the area for mallorns to blossom was because the mallorns, with their silver and gold colourings, reminded her of her childhood in the Undying Lands during the time of the Two Trees. Especially since at the time she couldn't go West even if she wanted to, she might've been a bit homesick and this was a small way to make Lothlorien feel like home.

[zac]

I came for the lore, but was moved by the singing. So beautiful.

[jamesgaiser]

I love how the plant knows Aragorn is the king. I love the soft magic in LOTR. In other stories it does not work, but on middle earth it does.

[beansnrice]

Not gonna lie. Despite the wind making it slightly more difficult to hear you, I enjoy the effect. A little nature ASMR. =)

[FluffyVicky]

It was not only the ground being plown by artillery, it was the Nitrate in the explosives and the fallen that fertilized the massive grow of Poppies. Every Flower is indeed a fallen soldier.

[CM-klqh]

When I was about five my aunt decided to plant an oak tree in her backyard. It was a 6’ sapling. My job was to spread the peat moss where directed and water it generously. She was the first point out flowers along the towpath: dog tooth violets. They were unique (not weeds) and had a name! Throughout my childhood into adult I would spend hours, even in the dead of winter, wandering through the woods absorbing the feeling of life and quiet busyness around me. In my late fifties my aunt finally moved from her home. I was astounded that the oak was so huge that my 6’ arm span could no were nearly go around its trunk! To this day, at 70, I never feel more alive than in the woods. Thank you for illuminating a connection with Tolkien’s writings that I’d not fully realized till now.

[sydneymads]

I always just loved that Aragorn healed Frodo with tea 😅

[GravesRWFiA]

Tolkien talks about trees- and sometimes they talk back! if not being hasty.
There is a british mystery show called 'morse' done in the early 90's and set in Oxford, filmed there too so it's a chance to show where JRR was wandering about and away from the high streets it gets green very quickly

[JR-ldxx]

Please, don't apologize for technical difficulties, any more. Your channel is FANTASTIC! You're terrific as well! The time, energy you put into your channel is far better than others. I like to thank you for putting in the time in this guide. Listening how you explain all of these plants and such, is well done. I just signed for paid member to Patreon, cause of how you are in making these segments.

[dirgniflesuoh]

As I watch this I cannot help but wonder if Tolkien read "Anne of Green Gables", or think that he and Lucy Maud Montgomery would have got on swimmingly, been kindred spirits.
Anne was an orphan who talked to trees, and gave them names, renamed plants and things when she found them not good enough.

[allisongliot]

I love how you can hear the leaves rustling in the wind the whole time. It’s like the trees wanted to take part in your video!

[leonwilkinson]

King's foil, definitely. I loved that Aragorn became impatient when people didn't understand why he'd be interested in a weed. He said something about old wives sometimes knowing something important. Marvelous video, Jess, as always.

[retirednotlazy]

A couple of days ago I was waiting for my Uber ride home from a car dealership. I went outside to wait and sat down on a curb. Then I looked down and saw the most beautiful flowers. Only a quarter inch across and yellow like daisies. This was in the most artificial environment imaginable. The grass was sod planted a few years ago and the soil was wet in the depression where these flowers grew. Perhaps some of Frodo’s dust blew to central California and landed there.

[tarmaque]

I grew up in a logging town in the Pacific Northwet, were most of the residents made their living either cutting down trees or sawing them into products for this growing country. But what is not as well known is the companies that survived on timber also survived on replanting the trees in and endless 40-odd year cycle. Unfortunately this lead to a kind of monoculture, made up only of the valuable Douglas Fir. However, the life cycle of the fir is long enough that it provides habitat for many other growing things and even other trees. Alder and willow and maple are still common, particularly in wetlands and areas difficult to log. Even cedar can be found in the forest. It's a working forest, and not as beautiful while being clearcut it still has a purpose and is more healthy than one might think. Further north in Canada I have seen them practicing selective logging, leaving one in every 7-10 trees to mature and provide protection for new seedlings. It's not a perfect place or a perfect situation, but I think it's better than the wholesale deforestation that was practiced in the north of the British isles. This world is vast, and there is room for many ways to live if we give it a chance.

[sulljoh]

When J.R.R.'s idealism bumps into the reality of landscape design/planning

[Simone-bcfo]

I am currently on holiday in a little Italian town on the edge of the woods. This video couldn't have popped up at a better time.

[danbaumgart]

Very insightful. I never considered the food or drink in his work.
Very much enjoyed the video. The singing as well. Lovely voice.

[tomklock]

Thanks for the video. My dad had a masters degree in zoology and also loved plants and trees etc. and I guess I got that from him. I love trees too and appreciate Tolkien’s love for these. Thanks again!