Being sexually excited by trees or e.g. bark from trees. So too Arbophilia
Dendrophilia is a sexual fetish involving a strong physical and/or emotional attraction to trees. It is not uncommon for people who identify as dendrophiles to engage in activities such as hugging, caressing, or otherwise touching trees—or even sleeping against them.
This type of fetish has been around for centuries, but is still considered largely taboo in modern society. In ancient Greece, Dionysus was depicted as being in bed with trees, while some Native American tribes in the Americas have long had sacred groves of trees that they worshiped and used for spiritual ceremonies. Today, there are even some people who consider themselves “tree lovers” – people who enjoy being close to nature.
When engaging with a tree as part of their dendrophilic activity, some people may experience feelings of togetherness and security, others may experience sexual arousal. This can also be a form of escapism from the pressures of everyday life, allowing the person to leave society's expectations behind and just lose themselves in the moment.
Regarding the risks associated with dendrophilia, it should be noted that most authorities agree that it is not advisable to have sex with a tree due to the risk of injury or infection. Also, people who engage in such activity may face legal consequences depending on where they live – public indecency laws usually prohibit any type of indecent behavior carried out in public areas.
That said, there are still ways to explore one's dendrophilic desires safely and responsibly—eg. by communicating with trees through meditation or creative visualization techniques, writing poetry or prose about them, drawing pictures, taking photographs, making sculptures or simply visiting nature parks and forests and admiring their beauty from a distance.
Despite the social stigma, dendrophilia can offer many benefits if explored consciously and responsibly – including increased connection to nature (which can have a positive impact on mental health), deeper understanding of our environment and appreciation of the simplicity of life.
