"God of the forest" redirects here. For the tree in New Zealand with this nickname, see Tāne Mahuta.
A tree deity or tree spirit is a nature deity related to a tree. Such deities are present in many cultures. They are usually represented as a young woman, often connected to ancient fertility and tree worship lore.[1] The status of tree deities varies from that of a local fairy, ghost, sprite or nymph, to that of a goddess.[2]
^Heinrich Zimmer, Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization. (1946)