Trees in Greek Mythology

The Dragon's Blood Tree is linked to Ladon, the hundred-headed dragon who guarded the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides. When Heracles slew the dragon, its blood spilled onto the earth, spawning the first of these trees.

Mountain Nymph Daphne was pursued in Arcadia by the god Apollo – she pleaded with Mother Earth for help and was turned into a Laurel tree.

The Greek Sungod Helios' son, Phaethon, died by a lightning bolt, and Zeus turned the tearful female mourners into a cluster of Poplars.

Hercules tied its leaves into a victory wreath after defeating the giant, Cacus.

In legend, the underside of White Poplar leaves represented the sweat of Hercules as he crowned himself with a wreath from this tree when he brought Cerberus, the Hound of Hades, out of the Underworld.