Plant a Tree in Memory: Oak Tree Symbolism and How to Plant
When we experience the loss of a loved one, it can be challenging to find a way to fully express the profound appreciation, gratitude, and love we have for them. The impact they’ve had on our lives is immeasurable. While the void they leave behind can never be filled, creating a memorial that reflects their outstanding virtues can be cathartic. Planting a tree in memory of a loved one is a beautiful gesture. It’s a living tribute that grows and thrives as a symbol of life and everlasting remembrance. With a wide range of trees to choose from, oak trees, in particular, stand out for their symbolic embodiment of strength, resilience, and enduring presence.
What is a Memorial Tree?
A memorial tree is a tree planted to honor and pay respect to a departed loved one. Planting memorial trees has become a popular alternative to traditional burials. With The Living Urn, a loved one’s cremains can be added to an innovative bio urn and planted with a young, robust tree of your choosing. Once planted, the ashes unite with the strong roots of your special tree to grow and flourish as a symbol of the circle of life and your loved one’s enduring spirit. With global warming on everyone’s mind, a memorial tree is an active, eco-friendly solution to fighting climate change. As a living tribute, your loved one serves an ongoing role in protecting the environment in several meaningful ways. Trees collect carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, offer shade and protection from the elements, and provide a home and nutrients for various woodland creatures.
For family and friends grieving the loss of a loved one, a memorial tree provides a place to return and reflect on their memories and love for the departed. Many trees can live for centuries, which means countless generations can engage in the enduring legacy of your dearly departed loved one!
Plant a Tree in Memory with an Oak Tree Memorial
The Living Urn has over fifty different kinds of trees and plants available from our award-winning nursery. However, one of the most popular species for a living memorial is an oak tree. While there are a wide variety of oak trees, they all share some common traits. Oak trees are notable for their large, robust stature. While their growth rate may be slow and steady, oak trees can reach impressive heights of over 100 feet and create a vast canopy of shade and shelter with their wide-spreading limbs! The bark of oak trees is thick and deeply grooved, making it exceptionally resistant to harsh weather conditions and other environmental challenges. Highly adaptable, oak trees can flourish in a wide range of climates and soil types, making them an exceptional choice for an enduring living memorial.
Oak Tree Symbolism & Loss
Oak trees are revered as memorial trees for several reasons:
Strength and Resilience: The oak's imposing presence and ability to withstand harsh conditions symbolize the bereaved's inner strength when processing grief. It reflects the resilience required to endure the pain of losing a loved one and to continue living in a way that honors their memory.
Endurance: Oak trees live for hundreds of years, symbolizing the lasting impact our departed loved ones have on our lives. The endurance of an oak tree is a comforting reminder that, although a loved one may be gone, their influence and the memories shared with them persist.
Growth and Renewal: From a small acorn grows a mighty oak. This transformation from acorn to tree symbolizes hope and the potential for renewal and growth through personal grief. It encourages the bereaved to find new strength and continue growing, just as the oak does.
Deep Roots: The extensive root system of an oak not only supports its impressive structure but also symbolizes the deep connections and roots we have with those we have lost. These roots remind us that our loved ones help shape our identity and values, anchoring us through life’s storms.
Memorial Tree Planting FAQs
How much does it cost to plant a memorial tree?
It depends on where you choose to plant your memorial tree. Memory Forests are beautiful, tranquil resting places for memorial trees. The Living Urn partners with several leading cemeteries and memorial gardens throughout the U.S. The cost of planting in a Memory Forest can vary depending on the type of tree and the location. Contact a Memory Forest near you to find out more!
Where can you plant a tree in memory of someone?
You can plant your special memorial tree in several places, such as on your private property, a local church, a city park, a state or national park, a golf course, a cemetery or memorial park, or a Memory Forest. It’s important to check with the governing authorities first before doing so.
When is the best time to plant a memorial tree?
The best time to plant a memorial tree is during the dormant seasons of early spring or fall. This timing allows the tree to establish roots in moderate temperatures and benefit from seasonal rainfalls, promoting healthy growth.
How to plant an oak tree?
To plant an oak tree, select a location with full sun exposure and well-draining soil. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball or bio urn but just as deep. Gently place the tree in the hole, ensuring the root flare is level with the soil surface. Backfill the hole with native soil, avoiding overpacking. Water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots. Mulch around the base with organic material to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature, keeping it away from the trunk to prevent rot. Regular watering is crucial, especially during the tree's first growing season, to establish it.
Oak Tree Memorials with the Living Urn
The patented Living Urn® is America's first and leading bio urn & planting system designed to grow a beautiful, enduring memory tree with cremated remains. Our award-winning nursery offers various species of oak trees, including northern red oaks, white oaks, pin oaks, willow oaks, and bur oaks. Simply enter your zip code to discover which trees may be most suitable for your region. If you would like assistance choosing an oak tree for your special living memorial, contact us today!