The Gauls, the Celtic inhabitants of the ancient forests and woodlands of western Europe, paid close attention to the natural world – above all to trees. Their priests, the druids, held that a person’s personality was linked to the arrangement of the sky on the day of their birth, and they compared human characters to trees. This gave rise to a tradition we now call the Gallic horoscope, the Celtic horoscope or simply the tree horoscope.
In this system most trees “watch over” two periods of the year, lying roughly opposite each other in the calendar. The exceptions are four trees connected with the solstices and equinoxes – the oak, the birch, the olive and the beech – each of which is assigned a single day. Bear in mind that the boundaries of the individual periods may differ slightly from source to source.
Apple Tree – the symbol of love
23 December – 1 January and 25 June – 4 July
Someone born under the Apple Tree has plenty of allure, charm and gentleness. They remain popular well into later life and stay affectionate and in love throughout their lives. Despite their romantic nature, they are very faithful partners – once they find happiness in a relationship, they quickly give up flings. Sometimes their warmth and kindness towards people are taken advantage of by others.
The Apple Tree gives little thought to the future and lives for today. It can be absent-minded and full of unrealistic dreams, yet it also has a strong aptitude for science, thanks to which it achieves notable success over time. Its dynamic character, however, means that in the long run not everyone can keep up with it.
Fir – the symbol of mysticism and mystery
2–11 January and 5–14 July
The Fir can be a little cool, but it has an air of elegance. It appreciates beauty and likes to surround itself with it. It can be capricious and stubborn, which sometimes leaves it alone. The family circle is its protective armour: with strangers it can be distant, but among those closest to it, it is liked and valued.
It is not always lucky in love – it expects a great deal from a partner while giving little itself. If it does find a kindred spirit, however, it loves with abandon. It is a versatile person, so it copes in almost any field, and in difficult situations you can always count on it.
Elm – the symbol of moral integrity
12–21 January and 15–25 July
The Elm is good-looking, refined and blessed with good taste. In everyday life it causes no trouble – it is calm and composed. In matters of the heart it remains steady and devoted. At work it likes to direct others, which can make working with it demanding. It is highly intelligent and practical, smiles often, is sensible and knows how to plan its future.
Cypress – the symbol of faithfulness
22 January – 3 February and 26 July – 4 August
The Cypress needs little to be happy. It adapts easily to circumstances, copes in any conditions and knows how to be content with what it has. These are people full of optimism and good cheer, though in life they strive for prosperity and recognition. They cannot bear loneliness, yet they are not fond of sentimentality. They like to speak their minds but do not enjoy debate. In love they can be insatiable, passionate and unpredictable, but on the whole they arrange their lives in a calm and comfortable way.
Poplar – the symbol of pessimism
4–8 February and 5–13 August
The Poplar is brave, but it shows its courage mainly at decisive moments in life. It can be a pessimist, and it often draws the strength to fight precisely from hard experiences. Its fortunes can be changeable – periods of success alternate with more difficult ones.
The Poplar needs a lot of kindness and words of encouragement, and its sensitivity can be both a virtue and a weak spot. To its friends, though, it is a true pillar of support. It is a good organiser with an artistic and somewhat philosophical nature.
Cedar – the symbol of optimism
9–18 February and 14–23 August
Cedars are bold, self-assured and decisive in action. They can be touchy and impulsive, and they like to impress those around them. Because they are usually talented and hard-working, they achieve the goals they set themselves. They are marked by faith in their own abilities – setbacks do not discourage them, and others can rely on them.
In love they can be choosy and take a long time to find the right person. At work they often become leaders, because they can make sound decisions quickly.
Pine – the symbol of refinement
19–28/29 February and 24 August – 2 September
Pines have a certain grace, can be a little self-absorbed and like to surround themselves with pleasant people. Although others sometimes think them weak, they are in fact very strong: they can face adversity and try to make their lives as comfortable as possible. They make good friends.
In love they can be passionate, but their ardour soon cools and routine creeps into the relationship. They are easily put off and discouraged, so they often go through many disappointments before they meet true love. They find satisfaction in work – they are superbly organised and enjoy the trust of their colleagues.
Willow – the symbol of reflection
1–10 March and 3–12 September
People born under the Willow have plenty of charm and grace, and they are popular too. They are enormously sensitive – both in their working lives and in love. They are dreamers, drawn to travel, a beautiful family life and a sense of financial security. They are honest and generally easy to live with, though they can be capricious and demanding.
They make their choices intuitively, and according to tradition they have prophetic dreams and premonitions that let them sense coming events in advance. Unfortunately, they often suffer from disappointments in love.
Lime Tree – the symbol of doubt
11–20 March and 13–22 September
Lime Trees win more and more affection and recognition as they grow older. They calmly accept whatever life brings. They can, however, lack motivation and do not set themselves great goals. They are gentle and yielding, which does not always serve them well in the hard, real world. They dream of a comfortable life but do not always take steps to achieve it, and then they may hold a grudge against fate.
Despite these weaknesses, life with a Lime Tree is very pleasant and easy – it is capable of sacrificing itself for family and friends. In love it rarely finds happiness straight away. It is intelligent and gifted, but finds it hard to develop its talents because it does not believe in itself.
Oak – the symbol of strength
21 March (spring equinox)
Oaks are strong and remarkably vigorous personalities. They stand for solidity and a sense of dignity, and women born under this sign are known for their exceptional strength of character. They are heroes who can stake everything on a single card – sometimes getting themselves into risky situations as a result. In love they experience intense feelings that fade over time, and they build lasting relationships on good sense rather than emotion.
Hazel – the symbol of the extraordinary
22–31 March and 24 September – 3 October
Hazels have an extraordinary influence on those around them. Their personal charm and aura help them to succeed. They are undemanding and very understanding, and when it matters to them they know how to win people over. They are people of action, often with ambitious social goals. They pay no special attention to their love lives – in love they can be capricious, but also tolerant and honest. Their sharp intelligence and intuition mean that life generally goes well for them.
Rowan – the symbol of tenderness
1–10 April and 4–13 October
Rowans are strong, persevering and brave in the face of adversity. They are optimists, though they feel every worry very deeply. Full of charm and good spirits, they love movement and action – they cannot imagine a life of boredom. They philosophise a great deal, which sometimes leads them to create problems for themselves.
In love they are unpredictable, fiery, passionate and affectionate. They do not forgive betrayal or humiliation. They have many acquaintances and enjoy company.
Maple – the symbol of intelligence
11–20 April and 14–23 October
Maples always stand out from the crowd. They are individualists who follow their own paths. They can be shy and reserved, yet at the same time ambitious and hard to read. Their greatest obstacle is often their insecurities, which make it harder for them to meet the right person. In love they want to impress, sometimes imposing their will on their partner.
Walnut – the symbol of passion
21–30 April and 24 October – 11 November
Walnuts have a complex character – they can be selfish and hot-headed, and they are not easy to live with. Having such a friend, however, is a treasure: the Walnut will always stand up for friendship and love. In matters of the heart it is passionate and seeks a true, fiery love, and it can be jealous and deeply committed.
Walnuts have great ambitions and often win the admiration of those around them. They dislike idleness – they prefer to act and pursue their goals. They are marked by all-round intelligence, a strategic mind, ambition and a strong work ethic.
Chestnut – the symbol of fairness
15–24 May and 12–21 November
Chestnuts are fair-minded people, able to fight for their ideals but also to withdraw in good time, which shows their diplomacy and flexibility. They are said to love only once, so they find it hard to find the right partner. In family life they are devoted, sensible and resourceful.
Ash – the symbol of ambition
25 May – 3 June and 22 November – 1 December
Ashes are well liked by those around them – engaging, lively and sociable. They reach their goals fairly easily, but when they see serious difficulties ahead, they prefer to retreat rather than fight. They can be ambitious and talented, and sometimes self-centred. In difficult situations, however, their friends can count on them.
In love they are faithful and thoughtful. They should beware of relationships entered into purely out of good sense, because such a choice may rob them of happiness in love.
Hornbeam – the symbol of beauty
4–13 June and 2–11 December
Hornbeams are very cautious people who think for a long time before making a decision. They look after their own comfort and can be selfish. They lead sensible, disciplined lives, but beneath this mask they hide passion and a longing for a wild love. They dream a lot and act less. They are loved more often than they return the feeling.
Fig – the symbol of tenderness
14–23 June and 12–21 December
Figs are strong, complex people who feel a great need to love and be loved. They love life, especially among their family, and like to be surrounded by warm feelings. They are kind to others and know how to put their intelligence to use in everyday matters. They can sometimes be a little too fond of their comforts, but they always keep their feet firmly on the ground.
Birch – the symbol of creativity
24 June (around the summer solstice)
Birches are liked and welcome in any company. They are gentle and elegant and do not like to hurt others. They love nature and work. They do not experience love stormily – their feelings are calm, constant and faithful. Imagination and diligence bring them great success, though in private life they have no lofty ambitions: a home and creative work are enough for them.
Olive – the symbol of wisdom
23 September (autumn equinox)
Olives are sensible and gentle people. They know how to be discreet and are faithful friends. They are calm optimists to whom jealousy is foreign.
Beech – the symbol of discovery
22 December (winter solstice)
Beeches take care of their appearance and have good taste. They make bold plans and are able to carry them out. They organise their lives well and are capable of noble feelings. They are thrifty, but not mean.
How to use the tree horoscope
The Gallic horoscope is above all a beautiful, symbolic story about the bond between people and nature. The tree descriptions are not a prophecy but a collection of traits in which you can see yourself reflected – and which are worth comparing with what the traditional zodiac says about you.
First published (Polish original): 6 May 2010. Written by astrologers and esoteric specialists working with our editorial team; edited and translated for HOROSCOP.SPACE. © All rights reserved.
