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Tree Demon

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Tradition / Region: Chinese mythology and folklore
Alternate Names: Dryad, Tree Spirit, Tree Monster
Category: Plant

The Myth

It is said that trees which stand for many centuries may gather the energy of heaven and earth, drinking in the light of the sun and the glow of the moon. When this power grows strong enough, the tree awakens into a spirit and leaves its ordinary nature behind.

Ancient writings tell of such beings. Some say that the spirit of a thousand-year-old tree may wander the world in animal form, appearing as a blue ox or a strange green sheep. Others say that once a tree becomes a spirit, its branches, leaves, and flowers carry healing power, able to cure illness or drive away harm.

Not all tree spirits are gentle. Some tales speak of beings that stretch dark hands from trunks or branches, reaching toward human dwellings in hunger. One story tells of a great ginkgo tree that revealed its nature when a hand reached from outside a window, begging for food. When the household tricked it with a firecracker, the tree was blasted apart, revealing the spirit hidden within.

In old romances and strange tales, tree spirits often take human shape. Pine, cypress, bamboo, plum, and apricot were said to appear as wandering immortals or mysterious guests. In other stories, they ruled over ghosts. One powerful tree demon was said to command spirits of the dead, sending them to lure men so that the tree might feed on their life force and strengthen its power.

There are also tales of warrior spirits born from trees. Two such beings, formed from a peach tree and a willow, served in battle and possessed keen sight that allowed them to perceive events far away. Only when their original trees were burned did their power fade and their spirits depart.

Thus the tree demon appears in many forms — healer, wanderer, deceiver, or tyrant. Whether gentle or cruel, all share the same origin: a tree that stood long enough for the world’s hidden breath to awaken something living within it.

Gallery

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 樹妖. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A8%B9%E5%A6%96

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Guā Jīng

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Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology
Alternate Names: Melon Spirit, Melon Essence
Category: Plant

The Myth

In old stories performed on the stage, there is mention of the Guā Jīng, the spirit of a melon that had taken on life and will of its own.

When Liu Zhiyuan and Li Sanniang were separated by hardship and intrigue, enemies plotted against Liu Zhiyuan and sent him into a melon garden. There he was told that a dangerous melon spirit lived among the vines and that he must destroy it.

Liu Zhiyuan went to the garden prepared for battle, expecting a monster to emerge from the plants. But the being he encountered was not what he had been led to believe. The melon spirit revealed itself as a creature transformed by heavenly powers, not a demon seeking harm.

Instead of fighting him, the spirit aided him. It brought armor for his protection and stood beside him in the trials that followed. For ten days it fought in the unseen realms, moving between the world of men and the world below, until at last it departed into the earth.

Before leaving, the Guā Jīng left behind a military book and a sword. With these gifts, Liu Zhiyuan gained the knowledge and strength he needed to face his enemies and continue his path.

Thus the melon spirit was remembered not as a creature of danger, but as one of hidden purpose — a plant transformed by heaven, appearing at a turning point to guide a man toward his destiny.

Gallery

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 瓜精. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%93%9C%E7%B2%BE

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Jubokko

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Tradition / Region: Japanese folklore
Alternate Names: Tree Child, Shrub Child
Category: Plant

The Myth

On old battlefields and places where many people died, there are said to grow strange trees known as Jubokko. At first glance they appear no different from any other tree. They stand quietly among the grasses and ruins, their trunks weathered and their branches spreading like any woodland growth.

Yet those who look more closely notice unsettling signs. The branches seem twisted and grasping, like fingers waiting to close. Beneath the tree, half-hidden in the weeds, lie scattered bones bleached pale by sun and time.

These trees were once ordinary. But where the soil became soaked with the blood of countless dead, their roots drank deeply of it. Over the years, this nourishment changed them. They awakened into something else, a living tree that no longer drew strength from water alone but hungered for human blood.

The Jubokko waits in stillness for a traveler to pass beneath its branches. When someone comes too near, the limbs lash down with sudden force, seizing the victim and lifting them high into the canopy. Thin, sharp twigs pierce the skin and draw out the blood until the body is emptied.

What remains is left to the birds, insects, and beasts of the field. In time, only dry bones fall back to the ground, joining the others that lie beneath the tree.

From a distance, the Jubokko stands silent and unchanged, just another tree among many. Only when it is too late does a traveler understand that this is no ordinary plant, but a tree grown from the memory of war, still feeding on the lives of the living.

Gallery

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Jubokko. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubokko

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Zaqqum

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Tradition / Region: Arabic Mythology
Alternate Names: Tree of Hell, Infernal Tree
Category: Plant

The Myth

Deep in the center of Hell there is said to grow a dreadful tree known as Zaqqum. Its roots sink into the fire itself, and its trunk rises from the depths of torment, nourished not by water or soil but by flame and suffering.

The tree bears fruit, yet its fruit is not a blessing. Its growths are said to resemble twisted heads, foul and terrifying to behold. The damned are driven by hunger to eat from it, though they know what awaits them. When they swallow the fruit, it burns inside their bodies, scorching their stomachs like molten metal. Afterward they are forced to drink boiling liquid, which only deepens their torment.

The tree stands as part of the landscape of punishment, feeding those who cannot escape it. Its branches spread through the infernal realm, and its presence reminds the inhabitants of Hell that their suffering is unending.

Thus Zaqqum is remembered as the tree of fire and bitterness — a plant rooted in the depths of the unseen world, whose fruit is not life but the taste of punishment itself.

Gallery

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Zaqqum. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaqqum.

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O-ude

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Big Arm
Category: Plant

The Myth

In Shisō County of Banshū there once lived a man named Yamanaka Zen’emon. He was known as honest and kind, but poverty weighed heavily on him. Hoping to improve his fortunes, he set out on foot toward Kobe to look for work.

As he crossed into the deep mountain roads, night fell around him. The forest grew dark and still, and only the sound of his own steps followed him. Then, without warning, something emerged from a grove of cedars beside the path — a gigantic arm, stretching out toward him from the trees.

The sight was so sudden and unnatural that Zen’emon collapsed in terror. After a short time he came to, scrambled to his feet, and fled down the road as fast as he could.

Not long afterward, he saw someone sitting in a roadside tree. Drawing closer, he recognized the man as Gen’ya, a childhood friend he had not seen in years. Gen’ya greeted him calmly and said he had been waiting for him. Still shaken, Zen’emon told him about the monstrous arm he had just encountered.

Gen’ya listened, then held out his own arm with a strange smile.
“This one is much bigger than yours,” he said.

Zen’emon stared in horror. Gen’ya’s arm had grown enormous, swelling until it seemed as large as the arm of the Great Buddha of Nara itself. The sight nearly made him faint again. As he watched, his friend suddenly vanished like smoke, leaving nothing behind.

Terrified, Zen’emon ran until he found shelter at a nearby house and stayed there through the night. The next day he continued on to Kobe, but though he searched, no good work came his way.

And so the story remained — a tale told in the region of how, in the mountain forests, even a familiar face may hide something uncanny, and how the deep woods can stretch ordinary things into frightening shapes.

Gallery

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). O-ude. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010653

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The Silver Tree

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Tradition / Region: Swiss Mythology
Alternate Names: Silver Mountain Tree
Category: Plant, treasure tree, hidden wonder

The Myth

On the steep rock face above the valley between Bärschis and Tscherlach, where the cliff falls sheer into the depths below, there runs a narrow line of damp stone. From a crevice on the western side of the wall, water sometimes seeps out, leaving a long, dark trail down the rock.

Long ago, a traveler from Venice passed along Lake Walen on his way from Weesen. Seeing the strange mark upon the cliff, he stopped and took out a mountain mirror. For a long time he studied the rock face through it, watching the place where the water emerged.

At last he lowered the mirror and spoke with certainty. Behind that wall, he said, not far from where the water flows, there stands a gigantic tree made entirely of pure silver. Whoever could reach it and claim it would gain immeasurable wealth.

Yet the cliff is steep, the way uncertain, and the place difficult to reach. No one has ever found the path that leads behind the stone. And so the silver tree is said to remain there still, hidden within the mountain, waiting for the one who dares to seek it.

Gallery

Sources

SAGEN.at. (n.d.). Der silberne Baum. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/st_gallen/silberne_baeume.html

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Appelman

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Tradition / Region: Dutch Mythology
Alternate Names: Appelmannetje, Appleman
Category: Plant

The Myth

In the orchards of Limburg, people once warned children and adults alike not to eat too many apples. If someone grew greedy and devoured more than their share, they were told, “The Appelman will get you,” or, “The Appleman will come to collect what is owed.”

The Appelman was believed to be the spirit of the apple tree itself, a quiet presence watching over the orchard. He was not often seen, but people felt that he noticed when someone showed too much hunger or greed. Those who ignored the warning risked misfortune, illness, or some other small punishment sent by the spirit of the tree.

A similar belief was known in England, where people said the final apple on a tree should never be picked. That fruit was left behind as the share belonging to the Appleman. To take it would be to rob the spirit who guarded the tree, and doing so might bring bad luck upon the household.

Thus the Appelman was remembered as a guardian of balance in the orchard — a spirit who reminded people that the fruits of the earth should be taken with moderation, and that greed might awaken the watchful soul of the tree.

Gallery

Sources

Abe de Verteller. (n.d.). Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/

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Mamejuu

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Tradition / Region: Japanese modern folklore / yōkai tradition
Alternate Names: Bean Beast
Category: Plant

The Myth

There is said to be a strange being called the Mamejuu, a small creature soft like a bean and lacking eyes, yet filled with a quiet and watchful presence.

Unlike most spirits, the Mamejuu is not found in forests or rivers, but within the human heart itself. It sleeps there unnoticed, hidden deep inside a person. Only through discipline, study, and careful training can it be drawn out into the world.

When it emerges, the creature grows and becomes a loyal servant to the one who awakened it. People compare it to a shikigami of the onmyōji or to the spirit servants said to have followed mountain ascetics. Once fully formed, the Mamejuu can act on behalf of its master and may even influence others, carrying out quiet tasks that ordinary hands cannot perform.

Some say the creature is ancient and wise, able to whisper knowledge of hidden matters — the secrets of long life, the ways to gain wealth, and the paths by which fortune draws near. Yet its appearance is humble, and it remains close to the one who called it forth, like a spirit born from the soul itself.

Thus the Mamejuu is remembered as a being not found in the outer world, but grown within — a small, unseen creature waiting in the heart until someone learns how to bring it to life.

Gallery

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Mamejuu. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1076296172.html

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Mozousu-sama

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Mozosu-sama
Category: Plant, Ghost

The Myth

Long ago in Kitsunezuka of Kami Ongata, there lived a farmer named Yamamoto. He was unmarried, gentle in manner, and admired by many of the village girls. Yet his heart belonged to one woman alone, a beautiful lover with whom he had pledged his life.

Near the Yamamoto home stood a temple where a monk called Mozousu lived. He was known throughout the village as a troublesome man — coarse, selfish, and fond of chasing women. He meddled in the lives of widows and flirted shamelessly with visitors to the temple, earning a poor reputation among the people.

Before long, Mozousu set his sights on Yamamoto’s beloved. When Yamamoto was away, the monk began secretly visiting her, pressing her with unwanted attention and making threatening demands. The woman endured this harassment in silence until Yamamoto finally learned the truth.

Furious but troubled, Yamamoto hesitated. The monk was tied to the temple of his own family, and confronting him openly would not be simple. After much brooding, he resolved on a darker course. One night, as Mozousu made his way toward the woman’s house, Yamamoto lay in wait and killed him.

From that night onward, peace left the house. Each evening, the ghost of Mozousu came to Yamamoto’s bedside, whispering bitterly and tormenting him without rest.

At last Yamamoto prepared to face the spirit. He lay down with a sword at his pillow and waited. When the ghost appeared again and began its complaints, Yamamoto struck in a single motion, cutting it down.

The next morning, he went out to check his fields. There he found one of his onions split cleanly in two, as though struck by a blade. From the cut surface seeped a reddish fluid like blood. Only then did he understand that what he had struck in the night had not been a ghost in human form, but something tied to the earth itself.

Afterward, misfortune followed the Yamamoto family. Ill luck and trouble came one after another, and the household believed the dead monk’s resentment had not faded. To calm his spirit, they built a small shrine and enshrined him as Mozousu-sama, praying for his peace.

Even so, the family kept one rule for generations afterward: no onions were to be grown in their fields, lest the spirit remember and return once more.

Gallery

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Mozōsu. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1071221874.html

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Sansho-birashi

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Tradition / Region: Japanese folklore (Shima, Mie Prefecture)
Alternate Names: Sansho Kurage
Category: Plant

The Myth

Among the women divers of Shima, who for generations descended into the sea to gather abalone and seaweed, there were stories of a feared presence beneath the water known as the Sansho-birashi.

When the divers worked along the reefs, they sometimes felt a sudden sting, sharp as a needle. At first it was only a small pain, but soon it spread through the body, tightening the chest and making it hard to breathe. Some said the shock could even cloud the mind, leaving the diver confused or helpless in the water.

In earlier times, such attacks were believed to be the work of a demon that lurked among the reefs. The creature was said to be small and difficult to see, nearly transparent, hiding where the seaweed cast shadows. It struck silently and vanished just as quickly.

Because of this, divers took precautions. They crushed the leaves of the sanshō plant and smeared the sharp-scented juice across their skin before entering the sea. Others tucked sprigs of sanshō into their hair as charms, believing the plant’s power would repel the unseen attacker.

Another creature feared in the same waters was called the Sansho Kurage, a jellyfish-like being said to drift beneath seaweed beds. Its sting was said to bring burning pain and fever, and it too became part of the stories told among the divers before they slipped beneath the waves.

Even as time passed and people learned ways to treat the stings, the name Sansho-birashi remained, a reminder that the sea was never empty, and that unseen things could still wait among the rocks for those who entered their realm.

Gallery

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Sanshō-birashi. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1056156792.html

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