Memorial Trees for Deceased Loved Ones: How It Works in 2023

This complete guide explains how memorial trees for deceased loved ones works and how you can create a lasting legacy.

Memorial Trees for Deceased Loved Ones: Planting a Tree for Someone Who Has Died

Planting a tree for someone who has died is an easy way of creating a living memory to honor their life. Planting this tree can also serve as a memorial gift and a beautiful tribute.²² The following are different ways you can use to plant memorial trees for deceased loved ones.⁴

Planting the Tree on Your Own

With your basic knowledge, patience, and learning, you can easily plant a memorial tree from a sapling or seed. This effort is helpful as you will honor the deceased after seeing the tree grow and flourish. To achieve this, you must choose a suitable tree seed and the location on your property, gather the essential supplies and tools, dig a hole, plant the tree, and add mulch to ensure the tree thrives.⁴

Seek a Memorial Tree Service

Sometimes, you can offer a token to show appreciation for your deceased loved ones. This involves hiring a memorial tree service provider to plant gorgeous flowers or trees. You only need to select a suitable tree seed and request a customized note.⁴

Gifting a Memorial Tree

You can gift a memorial tree to top-known organizations that plant trees in natural forests. This is suitable to honor your deceased loved ones while allowing their memory to live. Typically, these organizations will allow you to give a memorial recipient name on their online registry.⁴

Planting a Tree With Cremated Ashes

Also known as tree urns, planting a tree with cremated ashes can help you to show your honor to deceased loved ones and have a living memory as the tree grows. Generally, this system involves placing the cremated remains in a tree urn, burying it in the ground, and planting a tree directly above it.

Later, the biodegradable urn decomposes to allow the ash to release nutrients to the tree to help it grow and thrive.⁴

Sending a Tree to Your Loved One

After your loved one dies, you can send a memorial tree in honor and memory of their lives. This can include planting saplings, seeds, or potted plants at your loved one’s property. Alternatively, you can consider planting a memorial tree to honor your loved ones at the national forest.⁴

Tree Pod Burial

Discovered in 2016 by Adriano Del Ferro and Francesco D’Angelo, tree pod burial is a system known as Capsula Mundi. In this system, they improvised storing human remains wrapped with a fiber cloth in an egg-shaped pod. Later, this pod is buried below the ground, and a tree is planted above it.

The body remains in the pod, undergoes a decaying process, and supplies nutrients to the planted tree. Generally, other organic burial pods versions hold the ashes of deceased humans. Also, a tree is planted above the smaller tree pod version and allowed for some months or years for the egg to degrade before releasing the ash into the soil.

How the Tree Pod Burial Works

The tree pod burial process is typically simple after Capsula Mundi releases its product. Firstly, the body is wrapped with natural fibers in an egg-shaped pod. Later the egg is shut and placed below the ground at the burial site.¹

A tree is then planted above the burial site and left to thrive. The egg then disintegrates and exposes the body to the soil to undergo a unique process. Finally, the microbes and nutrients from the body nurture the tree and help it to grow after the body disintegrates wholly.¹

Tree Coffins

Since prehistoric times, tree coffins are typical coffins made from massive hollow logs. These coffins were widely used in the Far East and Northern Europe after the abolishment of cremation. Remains of deceased persons are placed in these coffins and then buried in the ground.²

Cremation Tree Pod

Similar to the tree pod burial, a cremation tree pod is an egg-shaped structure where cremated remains of a deceased person are placed and buried below the ground at the burial site. Later, a tree is planted at the burial site and left to thrive. The egg generally decays to expose the ash to the soil, which later nourishes the tree to make it thrive.

Cocoon Tree Pod Burial Cost

It is still unsure about the cocoon tree pod burial cost. Nonetheless, Del Ferro and D’Angelo believe they cost less than an average funeral. However, these price remain a mystery until the finished product is revealed.³

Trees for Funerals

Trees for funerals are becoming more popular because they are a great way to honor the dead. They are also an excellent way to create a lasting memory for those who attend the funeral. You can consider buying a memorial tree to remember your loved ones forever.⁵

(Image: Plato Terentev²³)

A memorial tree is a great way to remember your loved ones. These trees are designed to be planted in places people often visit, such as parks, cemeteries, and other public areas. When buying a memorial tree, you can choose between several trees, including evergreens, deciduous, fruit, and flowering.⁵

Memorial Trees for Deceased Loved Ones: Become a Tree After Death

To become a tree after death, your remains are cremated, and your ashes are placed into an urn. Your family members bury the urn, where they later plant a tree. The tree will eventually sprout roots and leaves and grow until it reaches maturity.⁶

After some duration, the urn from a cremation tree pod will begin to decay and disintegrate. The tree’s roots will absorb the nutrients from the decaying urn, releasing them back into the soil. Eventually, the tree will die, but its roots will remain intact and provide nutrients to the surrounding area.⁶

Tree Urn

A tree urn is a container to hold the ashes of someone who has died.²⁰ A tree urn is usually made of wood, metal, glass, or plastic. Some tree urns come with a lid to easily remove the ashes. The ashes inside the tree urn can be spread around the soil or buried in a cemetery. However, if you want to keep the ashes close by, you can put them in a small vase or pot.⁷

You can buy a tree urn in different sizes and shapes. For example, you can get a square, round, rectangular, oval, or cylindrical shape. The size of the tree urn depends on how much space you need to store the ashes.⁷

When choosing a tree urn, ensure it is sturdy enough to withstand the elements. You may also want to consider the material used to construct the tree urn. Wood is generally considered to be the best material for making a tree urn.⁷

Memorial Tree Planting Near Me

You can purchase a pre-planted tree or a seedling for planting a tree for someone who has died. Pre-planted trees are already prepared for planting. In contrast, when you plant a seedling, you must prepare the soil before planting the tree.

If you decide to plant a seedling, ensure you do not use any fertilizers or pesticides near the site. Instead, you should apply composted manure or organic fertilizer.

If you have a large plot of land, you can plant multiple trees. However, if you only have a small garden, you can plant just one tree.

American Forests Memorial Tree Planting

The American Forest Organization accepts donations for planting trees in privileged regions to help protect forests.¹⁹ You can donate memorial trees to American Forests. Doing this can create a lasting memory long after their passing.

(Image: Ashley Diane Worsham²⁴)

This organization plants a tree in the United States for every dollar donated. Typically, the organization aims to use these trees to improve air quality and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Thus, by making donations, you will care for environmental issues while creating memories for deceased loved ones.⁸

Memorial Trees for Deceased Loved Ones: Best Memorial Tree Planting Service

You may not plant a memorial tree because you lack the necessary skills or courage to perform this task. Luckily, some companies offer memorial tree planting services.²¹ These companies specialize in providing high-quality memorial trees at affordable prices.

These companies have trained professionals who know precisely what needs to be done to make sure that the memorial tree planted is well taken care of. They also understand the importance of taking good care of the memorial tree.

Here are various companies you can consider for the best memorial tree planting service in the US:

The Comfort Company

The Comfort Company offers memorial tree planting services in the US. This company specializes in offering memorial trees that are designed to look natural. Typically, this company plants trees between 8 and 14 inches long at $56.99 for each memorial tree.⁹

Seeds of Life

Founded to plant remembrance trees, Seeds of Life has been doing so since 1992. This company provides memorial trees explicitly designed for people who love nature. The company allows you to choose from different options, including a seedling, a seed package, and a giant gift tree for your memorial tree.¹⁰

Trees for a Change

Trees for a Change is also a helpful company that can plant memorial trees for you. This company specializes in planting memorial trees that are designed with a variety of themes. For example, they can plant memorial trees with religious themes, such as a cross or a star of David.¹¹

The Trees Remember

The Trees Remember is a notable company with remarkable efforts in rehabilitating forests. The company focuses on planting memorial trees in areas where forests were destroyed due to human activity. To date, the company has planted more than 50,000 memorial trees.¹²

A Living Tribute

A Living Tribute is also among popular memorial tree companies. This company specializes in helping families plant memorial trees for their deceased loved ones. Typically, this company allows you to pay $9.99 for one memorial tree planting.¹³

Plant a Tree for Someone Who Has Died

To plant a tree for someone who has died is a good act of kindness, honor, and remembrance for the deceased.

(Image: George Bakos²⁶)

You can plant this tree on your property or national forest land. However, if you want to plant it on public land, you must get government permission first.⁴

Remembrance Trees

Remembrance trees are usually planted to remember a remarkable event or occasion. Some examples include birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, and other special events. You can plant remembrance trees on your property or public land with relevant permission.

How Much Does It Cost To Plant a Memorial Tree?

It depends; it can cost you anything from $50 to thousands of dollars, depending on the size, location, and type of memorial tree you want to plant. Therefore, you should always consider these factors when planting a tree for deceased loved ones.¹⁴

Are Memorial Trees Legit?

Yes, memorial trees are helpful for several reasons. Firstly, they help you to remember the deceased loved ones while showing them honor. Also, they have notable environmental conservation benefits since they reduce carbon emissions.

Plant a Tree in Memory National Forest

You can plant memorial trees for deceased loved ones in national forests. Typically, most states have secured some land for planting memorial trees. In addition, many state parks allow you to plant memorial trees.

(Image: Steven Kamenar²⁵)

If you wish to plant memorial trees in a national forest, you must contact the local authority for permission. Later, you will be required to fill out an application form and submit it to the authority. Afterward, you will receive approval within 30 days, and you can plant the memorial tree in the national forest.

American Forests Registry Memorial Tree

You can plant memorial trees for deceased loved ones when contributing to reafforestation efforts in American Forests. Generally, these trees allow you to honor your loved ones by gifting trees in these forests. For instance, you can gift a memorial tree to the Lassen National Forest if you reside in California.

American Forests Champion Trees

American Forests Champion trees are unique tree species available in your state. The National Champion Trees allows you to search for the tree species and register their size. This allows this organization to identify the number of trees available in various states.¹⁵

American Forest Foundation

The American Forest Foundation is an American-based organization that allows you to make significant environmental conservation efforts. Thus, you can collaborate with this organization to plant memorial trees while leaving helpful environmental impacts.¹⁶

Is a Living Tribute Legitimate?

You can easily acquire a living tribute by planting a memorial tree. If you want to plant a memorial tree for a deceased loved one, you can choose a tree that matches their personality. For instance, if the deceased was cheerful, you can plant a tree with a cheerful theme, such as maple, oak, birch, pine, etc.¹⁷

Plant a Tree in Memory of Someone

If you want to plant a tree in memory of someone, you can plant the tree on your own or hire a planting company. The latter option is more expensive than the former. When hiring a planting company, compare the prices various companies offer to determine the most affordable option.

While planting memorial trees for deceased loved ones is an excellent act of showing them honor while having their memory; you can plant these trees in your yard or on public land. Similarly, you can consider other biodegradable features such as tree pod burials and tree urns to protect the environment and have remembrance trees.

Additionally, you can consider the best memorial tree companies and organizations to plant these trees for you. We have helped you with a comprehensive guide to planting memorial trees for deceased loved ones and how it works in 2023— you can use this guide in your next memorial tree planting and have memories of your loved ones while contributing to notable environmental efforts.

Frequently Ask Questions About Memorial Trees for Deceased Loved Ones