The Bottle Tree

I had never heard of a Bottle Tree until I moved to the South, where they are a common sight. I will have one at my next house! They are gorgeous!


The Bottle Tree's origins can be traced back to Africa. It was believed that evil spirits would be attracted to the bottles when the sunlight shown through them and the evil spirits would consequently become trapped in the bottles. The tradition came to the Americas with the slave trade and has evolved into a modern day form of art.

Originally the bottle would be placed on the ends of limbs of dead trees, which then led to posts being erected with stakes stuck on the sides to hold the bottles. Now the trees are generally made from metal.

But whatever form they take, they can be quite mesmerizing.