The first leaves fall. The light rain fills the air with the fresh smell of damp grass. Gray clouds keep the sun’s rays away. The cold advances slowly, one degree at a time. This is part of the wonder of autumn, a season that heralds the end, which becomes the bearer of change.

Autumn enchantment

If September is the month of new beginnings, October brings with it all the enchantment of autumn. The woods become quieter, the heavy rain fills the air with mist, and the leaves change color. Mushrooms thrive, and chestnuts fall. Everything takes on dark shades, halfway between the brown of the freshly disturbed earth and the bright red of the trees. And then orange, yellow, caramel, moss green.

Cities become colder, the inhabitants shy and taciturn. Yet, when it offers a sunny day, autumn can shine with a thousand colors, filling the gaze with unique beauty. It’s like entering an enchanted landscape, and any panorama becomes the ideal place to weave a story… a story made of witches, withered flowers, and talking crows.

At this time of year, a powerful force breathes from the trees, enriching the soul with wisdom and calm. It’s as if they contained the experience of things in the past, and were able to transmit a bit of that secular life to us too. Try placing your palms on the bark of an oak tree, in the autumn twilight: you will understand what I’m talking about!

Trees for autumn

So, what are the trees that become concrete representations of change in autumn? Let’s discover some plants that can instill the wonder of autumn.

Red maple

At the moment when nature prepares for the sweet winter hibernation, this tree shines with its autumnal red bronze color.

In Japanese culture, maple represents the impermanence of things, while ancient popular beliefs gave this plant magical properties against witches, bats, and bad luck.

In Greek mythology, the maple plant represented the god of fear (phobos) and in the Celtic horoscope it represented the independence of the mind and symbolized a person rich in imagination and originality, shy and reserved, but at the same time self-confident and ambitious.

The leaf of the Acer Saccharinum is also very famous and is the symbol of the Canadian national flag, a country where dense forests of this tree produce the characteristic maple syrup.

Japanese cedar

Di Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini – Flora Japonica, Sectio Prima (Tafelband)., Pubblico dominio, Collegamento

It is a tree native to Japan, and considered a symbol of serenity and longevity. Some of the oldest specimens have become symbols of rebirth and resilience.

The bright green of its needles stands out even more markedly in autumn landscapes. The contrast between its perennial green and the warm shades of the surrounding plants creates an effect of beauty and harmony.

It is considered a sacred plant in Japan with a long history of use in the construction of temples and shrines. It is also associated with death and the commemoration of deceased people. Japanese cemeteries often feature centuries-old cedars, which add a feeling of tranquility to the place.

Ginkgo biloba

Di Engelbert Kaempfer – Engelbert Kaempfer: Amoenitatum Exoticarum, Politico-Physico-Medicarum, Fasciculi V., Lemgo 1712, S. 813, Pubblico dominio, Collegamento

The name ginkgo (ginkyo according to the correct nomenclature) has Japanese origins and means silver apricot because its seeds, when ripe, resemble dusted apricots. The word biloba is a reference to the shape of the leaves.

Considered to be the oldest seeded plant, it is probably native to inland China and has always been cultivated in the gardens of temples. In Japan, it is venerated as a sacred tree because it was thought to protect against bad spirits and because it represented the symbol of the union of opposites and the immutability of things.

Liquidambar

Di Pennsylvania. Dept. of Forestry – https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/20509156111/Source book page: https://archive.org/stream/bulletinpennsylv11pennx/#page/n261/mode/1up, No restrictions, Collegamento

It is a very beautiful plant for its lively color in autumn. Its leaves are colored in the entire range of reds, from the lightest to the darkest without disdaining cream and gold.

From the plant, a perfumed resin is extracted, with an incense aroma, liquid amber (hence the Spanish name Liquidambar) also called storax, with the appearance of black peat. This resin, soft to the touch, can be placed on burning charcoals. The smoke that forms is white and fragrant and once dissolved you continue to perceive its fragrance for hours.

The Cherokee and other tribes used the resin to calm nervousness, which they took as an infusion. While the Choctaw combined resin with strawberry plants to create a drink with exotic charm.

In the past, oriental Liquidambar was used as a love potion and perfume by the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Furthermore, the ancient Egyptians used it during embalming.

Red oak

Di Emerson, George B. (George Barrell), 1797-1881;Winthrop, Robert E. sgn;Massachusetts. Zoological and Botanical Survey – https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/20796203262/Source book page: https://archive.org/stream/CUbiodiversity518273/#page/n574/mode/1up, No restrictions, Collegamento

In autumn the red oak reveals its potential, the leaves turn deep red, vibrant orange, and deep brown, creating a breathtaking effect. It is also known as Silk Oak due to the fine, silky texture of its leaves.

Oak trees are known for their great ability to adapt, a characteristic they share with the human species.

The oak has been a symbol of strength, resistance, perseverance, loyalty, and heroic virtue since ancient times. In ancient Greece, it was considered a sacred tree to Zeus, a symbol of justice and moral rectitude. For the Celts, however, it appeared as the sacred tree par excellence, particularly in the conceptions and practices of the Druids. Furthermore, in past times, oak leaves were used as ingredients for potions, protection, and purification rituals.

Lost paths

Autumn is the perfect season for long walks in the woods; it is there that the most majestic trees show the best of themselves. So remember, now and then, to follow remote paths and let yourself be carried away by nature. Listen to the wild call of the forest and follow the intense scent of wet bark, you will discover that nature always has a secret to reveal to you…