Laurelin
Laurelin was the Golden Tree of Aman, the female mate of Telperion, and the younger of the Two Trees of Valinor. Laurelin had gold-trimmed leaves and her dew was collected by Varda in her Wells.
History
Laurelin was created by the Valier Yavanna and Nienna on the hill of Ezellohar, where the Tree shed her light on the realm of Valinor in the long years before the making of the Sun and Moon. Laurelin, the younger of the Two Trees, flowered second after Telperion, and bloomed during the latter part of each Valian day.
Laurelin was destroyed by Melkor, who used the giant spider spirit Ungoliant to his evil purpose during the theft of the Silmarils, which caused the Darkening of Valinor. However, through the power of Nienna and Yavanna, Laurelin produced a single fiery fruit before she died. This golden fire was set in a vessel made by Aulë and his people, and was steered through Ilmen by the Maia Arien, making the Sun.
In the First Age, Turgon made images of the Two Trees that stood in his court of Gondolin, and the one made in memory of Laurelin was called Glingal.
Etymology
Laurelin is said to mean "Song of Gold". The name Laurelin appears to be Quenya and contains laurë ("gold") and lindë ("song").
Other names
Culúrien, likely containing the Quenya elements cul- ("golden-red") and riende ("garland"). Robert Ireland suggests it might rather contain úr ("fire, heat"), while the suffix is uncertain.
Malinalda ("Tree of Gold"), composed of the words malina ("yellow, of golden colour") + alda ("tree").
In The Later Quenta Silmarillion manuscript, the Sindarin name of Laurelin is Galadlóriel. In a footnote to the same page three other Sindarin names of Laurelin are given: Glewellin ("song of gold", the same as Laurelin), Lasgalen ("green of leaf"), Melthinorn ("tree of gold").
The Valarin name of Laurelin was Tulukhedelgorūs.
Other versions of the legendarium
Inspiration
On a note referred to Laurelin's spilth, Tolkien explains it is meant to indicate that the tree is founded on the laburnum as described by Francis Thompson in a poem:
Referencias
1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 27/05/2026.
