Two Trees of Valinor

The Two Trees of Valinor also called the Two Trees or the Trees of the Valar, gave light into the Land of the Valar in ancient times. The Gold Tree is known as Laurelin. The Silver Tree is known as Telperion.
The Two Trees were killed by Melkor with the help of Ungoliant, the primordial spider. The Valar took Telperion’s last flower and Laurelin’s last fruit, and from it, they created the Moon and Sun.

The Two Lamps were the very first light source of Arda. They were large lamps - the silver lamp of the north called Illuin, and the golden lamp of the south called Ormal. It was Melkor who took down and killed the Two Lamps. After this, the Valar came to Valinor and created the Two Trees through Yavanna’s song. And so, the golden Laurelin and the silver Telperion were made. Laurelin was female, while Telperion is male. The Two Trees stood on the hill called Ezehollar outside of Valimar. The tears of Nienna nourished the trees, which grew in the presence of the Valar. Each of the two trees was a light source.

Light comes from Telperion’s silver and Laurelin’s gold. Telperion’s leaves were dark and silver on the other side. The tree’s dew is silvery and gathered for its water and light. Laurelin’s dew was the same, and Varda gathered them. Laurelin’s leaves are gold-trimmed. A “day” goes for twelve hours. Each Tree would illuminate for seven hours, and the Two Trees would light up in turns. Their light illuminates to absolute brightness, and then slowly dims. In the one hour of dusk and dawn, both trees give off soft silver and gold light.

In his jealousy, Melkor sought the aid of Ungoliant, the spider who was Shelob’s mother, and they killed the Two Trees. Melkor concealed himself in Unlight and destroyed the tree one after the other. At the same time, the gluttonous Ungoliant devoured every light and life from the trees. Nienna shed tears, and Yavanna chanted her songs as they tried to revive the Two Trees. However, they could only revive Telperion’s last flower and Laurelin’s fruit. They assigned the flower and fruit to guardian spirits. They were Tilion and Arien, male and female, just as the trees. Later on, the flower became the Moon, and the fruit became the Sun. This is why they call the Moon as “he” and the Sun “she” in The Lord of the Rings. But the Two Trees’ genuine light only remained afterward within the Silmarils, right before the Two Tree’s poisoning.

Yavanna [1] made a second tree similar to Telperion. The first Elves who arrived in Valinor adored the tree. The tree stood in the city called Tirion, where the Ñoldor and the Vanyar once lived with each other. The tree’s name was Galathilion and is identical to Telperion, except it doesn’t give off its light. Galathilion brought many seedlings, and one grew into a tree called Celeborn in Tol Eressea. During the Second Age, Celeborn’s seedling was a gift to the Numenoreans. It grew as the White Tree of Numenor, called Nimloth. Nimloth stood through most of the realm’s duration. But when Sauron took over the realm, he ordered King Ar-Pharazon to take down the tree. However, Isildur had saved one fruit from Nimloth before it was taken down. The White Tree of Gondor was from this fruit.

The stars were also a light source during the time of The Two Trees of Valinor. Varda created them from the gathered dews of the trees for the benefit of the Elves. The Two Trees immensely affected the three Elven emissaries who saw Valinor for themselves. This is so they would convince the Elves to settle in Valinor. Thingol’s inspiration during the Great Journey was his longing to behold Valinor’s light again. This was until he found satisfaction from the light he saw from the face of Melian. Later on, it would divide the Elves into the Calaquendi and the Moriquendi. The Calaquendi have gazed at the light coming from the Two Trees, while the Moriquendi are those who have not. The Moriquendi were near raptures and found enlightenment at the light of the Two Trees.

The Silmarillion always states that the Elves who beheld the trees were powerful as their faces shine with Aman’s light. The Trees were subjects of the Valar. They somehow gave innate knowledge and power to those who have been in their presence. Galadriel especially had an affinity to Laurelin. Her hair shines with the light of the golden tree. This gave inspiration to Feanor and created the Silmarils, the gems that preserved the same light.

All the First Age’s history revolves around various characters and their desire for the Silmarils. The Silmarils hold the only pure light remaining from the trees. After destroying the Two Trees of Valinor, Melkor took the Silmarils, which provoked the Oath of Feanor (in which Feanor renamed Melkor as Morgoth). Several years had passed, the Valar fought in the War of Wrath, which concluded the First Age.

From the Second to the Third Age, Both Gondor and Numenor’s White Trees had symbolic importance. Both trees descended from Telperion and had the same appearance. They were symbols of these kingdoms and the legacy of Elves and Dunedain’s historical alliance. Even at a later age, some continued to remember the Two Trees. Gandalf spoke of them with awe as he told their story to Pippin.

Trees were special to Tolkien, as shown in Leaf by Niggle, one of the short stories he had written. It was a detailed allegory showing his creative process as the primary character dedicated his life to painting one tree. Tolkien is a Catholic who may also understand the importance of light as it is in Catholic symbolism. Tolkien’s influence on the trees perhaps had come from Genesis. Like the biblical beginning of light, the trees also gave light to Middle-Earth and became the Sun and Moon. The trees of Valinor represent the recurring “gold and silver” idea of Tolkien’s legends. They were from the lamps of Illuin and Ormal. The Moon and Sun were from the Two Trees themselves. The Moon and Sun perhaps inspired Tolkien. The Sun shines during the day like Laurelin, the golden tree. The Moon shines at night like Telerion, the silver tree.

Laurelin and Telperion had many names. Laurelin’s names were Malinalda and Culurien. Telperion was also given the names Silpion and Ninquelote. Telperion in the Valar’s language (Valarin) was Ibrîniðilpathânezel. Laurelin in Valarin was Tulukhedelgorûs. In Tolkien’s first writings, Telperion was also Silpion, Bansil, and Belthil.

1. ^Yavanna - The Queen of the Earth.