Dendrophilia is a love of trees.
In some cases, this presents as a sincere respect for trees or a desire to protect and care for them.
Others may experience a sexual attraction to or feel aroused by trees.
Trees may become symbolic of sexual stimulation, or an image of a tree may be seen as phallic and arousing.
Someone who has this fetish may have physical contact with trees, plants, or foliage.
Others may be turned on or enjoy having sex in the woods, near trees, but have no desire to engage with trees on a physical level.
It’s unclear. There are no case reports or studies about dendrophilia and how it manifests. Personal anecdotes are few and far between, too.
One Reddit user, writing of their interest, didn’t express a particular preference for one type of tree over another.
Each person’s preferences may be specific to their own experiences.
Dendrophilia means a love of trees, but people with this preference may also enjoy other natural elements, including foliage and shrubs.
It’s unclear if a person with this preference likes one particular type of material — soft leaves versus pine needles, for example — or if their attraction is to multiple options.
No, some individuals with dendrophilia are attracted to trees in a passionate but platonic way.
They may happily call themselves “tree huggers” because they find solace and connection being amongst nature — trees in particular. They plant them, grow them, and nurture them.
Others may see trees as related to sexuality while not engaging in a sexual way.
In his blog, Mark Griffiths, PhD, a professor at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, says some ancient cultures believed trees were symbols of fertility.
They practiced specific sexual rituals with trees, such as masturbation, though they weren’t themselves sexual objects.
Others take that connection a step further and initiate physical contact with the trees or foliage.
Some individuals with this preference may take their curiosity and attraction to a physical level.
For some, the holes in a tree are highly appealing for penetration. Others may simply rub against a tree for sexual arousal.
For people who don’t physically engage with trees, the appealing aspect may be having sex or masturbating while among trees in nature.
Pornography that depicts people having sex in the woods may also be appealing.
It’s unclear. It could start as having a deep connection to nature and trees and progress from there.
One individual writes about a morphing sense of attraction and appeal to trees.
This preference doesn’t appear to be common, but it does occur.
Unfortunately, because no studies or case reports have been published, it isn’t possible to know precisely how many people experience this desire.
Likewise, people who have it may not openly talk about it except among others they know have the same or similar feelings.
Some people find pleasure by simply being out in nature.
Walks or hikes are satisfying, as they may reserve extra time for being with trees, appreciating them, perhaps even photographing or drawing them.
Those who have a sexual preference for trees and foliage may engage in a couple of different ways.
Some may look for pornography that satisfies this curiosity or create their own stories that match their interests.
While it’s not always legal or advisable to have sex or masturbate in nature — especially in public parks, forests, or lands — there may be private ways to act on a physical interest.
For example, some find gratification by bringing foliage inside and using it as desired.
Many people have sexual kinks and fetishes that may seem out of the mainstream.
While dendrophilia may be considered abnormal by some, that doesn’t inherently make it negative.
However, if this desire is causing you distress or grief, you can look for help from trained therapists, specifically a therapist who specializes in the area of human sexuality.
These individuals can help you work through your feelings or longings and find healthful ways to engage your natural sexual curiosities.
To date, there are no published studies or case reports. Even anecdotal reports, or personal essays, are few and far between.
It’s also difficult to know whether someone is being sincere in their expressed desires, or if they’re satirical when they do write of their tree fetish.
In one instance, a man in Scotland was arrested and banned from returning to a public city park after he was observed having sex with a tree.
It’s important to note that this act of public indecency — this was the charge brought against him — may not be a true example of dendrophilia.
Instead, it could be another type of paraphilia, or unusual sexual desire. The tree was just part of the scheme, not the main attractive force.
The instances of dendrophilia in popular culture are limited, and what does exist may be distorted to create an unhelpful picture of the fetish.
For example, in the 1981 film “Evil Dead,” a tree is possessed by demons and comes to life. The tree sexually assaults a woman with its new found animation.
However, this isn’t an example of dendrophilia. People with this fetish choose to have a romantic or sexual bond with trees and plants. Assault isn’t an element of the attraction.
A more recent example of a cultural reference to dendrophilia is in a music video by the U.K. band Metronomy.
In it, a person who appears to be living in the woods alone crafts another “person” out of twigs and leaves on the forest floor.
That individual is seen holding hands with the “person” and then gyrating on them, imitating sexual moves.
The latter may be the closest example to dendrophilia in pop culture to date, but even it may not be a true example of the fetish.
The individual in the music video may have been seeking comfort from another person. The tree litter was a means to an end, not the main attraction.
Forums like Reddit and Fetish.com offer a lot of open mediums for discussing sexual fantasies.
They don’t have one dedicated to dendrophilia, but most of the venues are open to all types of kinks and curiosities.
There, you might also be able to connect with others who express similar interests.