Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Red Protection

 Coming up to this tree from a short distance, it looks like a red maple to me.


Getting closer, I see that it is not.


It is not leaves, but berries. I have never seen so many berries on a tree!




I am thinking it may be a Holly tree. There is an old story that if you have large Holly trees around your house, it won't get struck by lightning. This traces back to the Celts & Druids, who believed Holly is a symbol of protection.


“The holly stands guard in storm and silence—its spiny leaves a charm against lightning’s wrath, its berries a promise of light in winter’s dark.”


16 comments:

Red Rose Alley said...

This holly tree is so pretty, and it looks like Autumn too. I am wondering if the birds can eat the berries, hmmm. Such pretty photos, Ginny. I've never seen this many berries on a tree before.

~Sheri

Mari said...

Wow - it's just loaded with berries! Very pretty!

The Happy Whisk said...

How groovy are these berries? I'd love to be in front of that tree and snap a zillion pictures.

Chatty Crone said...

I hope that tree is near you - I've never seen one before. Your header is just fearless (?) and strong. I love it.

CheerfulMonk said...

Wow! I never expected that. :)

Linda's Relaxing Lair said...

Ginny, these are beautiful photos. The berries are lovely.

MadSnapper n Beau said...

Its a Winter Hawthorne tree per Google lens search and I have never seen one before. its amazing and I am wondering if a murder of crows will come and strip it of the berries. we watch them do it to the berries on shifilera trees here this time of years, they cover the tree by the hundreds and lift off with the tree stripped of berries. keep checking the tree to see if that happens

Ann said...

How interesting. It does look like leaves from far away. That is a lot of berries on one tree

Carla from The River said...

Hello Ginny, I like the old story, I can see why Holly would be a symbol of protection.

Martha Jane Orlando said...

Holly trees are beautiful, Ginny, I agree. Loved your photos and the Celtic lore you shared. Blessings!

DawnTreader said...

Never seen anything quite like it!!!

Martha said...

So beautiful Ginny and I love the header you did too!

photowannabe said...

Oh my goodness ... I have never seen so many berries on a tree before. Amazing.
Sue

roentare said...

These are looking so pretty!

HappyK said...

Wow I've ever seen so many berries on a tree! How pretty.

Great-Granny Grandma said...

I have never seen so many berries on a tree either.

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