How to Plant a Tree with Cremation Ashes: A Simple Guide

Giving life is the most beautiful tribute one can offer to honour the passing of a loved one. To make this possible, Tree Urn offers a solution that allows you to plant a tree, which will grow using the cremation ashes of your beloved.

In this article, we will explain clearly and concisely how the urn works, how the tree will grow, where you can plant your tree urn, and what the regulations are in each European country, as well as in the USA and Canada.

We hope that this solution, beyond providing a living tribute, will also bring you peace and comfort in your grieving process. Learn more about grief and the healing power of nature.

How Does a Tree Urn Work?

A Tree Urn is a biodegradable container designed to hold cremation ashes and be buried in the ground. It is made from recycled cork granules and a bio-sourced binder — no plastics, no synthetic resins.

Inside the urn, a removable piece called the Regulator separates the ashes from the upper planting compartment. This matters because cremation ashes are highly alkaline and will damage a young root if they come into direct contact too soon. The Regulator creates a buffer zone, giving soil microbes and moisture time to gradually balance the pH of the ashes before any root reaches them.

Once buried, the cork shell begins to decompose over the course of months to years. The root system of the tree gradually extends into the surrounding soil. The compartment containing the ashes slowly releases minerals — calcium, phosphorus, potassium — that eventually support rather than hinder root development.

No seeds are included in the urn. Seeds are biologically incompatible with cremation ashes. You choose a young tree or plant from a local nursery, which is placed in the upper chamber a few hours, days, or weeks before burial.

Read our full guide on how the Tree Urn works.

What Is the Process to Follow?

The steps are straightforward:

1. Fill the lower chamber with the cremation ashes. Place the Regulator on top, creating the separation layer.
2. Choose a young tree or plant from your local nursery — something suited to the local soil and climate.
3. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the full urn, with the top of the upper chamber level with the ground surface.
4. Place the young tree or plant in the upper chamber, with its root ball resting on the Regulator.
5. Bury the urn, backfill with native soil, and water well.

No special equipment is required. A standard garden spade is sufficient for most soil types. The burial can be carried out by the family themselves, or with the assistance of a funeral professional.

Where Can You Plant the Tree?

This depends on where you are. The legal framework varies by country, and it is important to check local rules before choosing a location.

Private Land

Burying a tree urn on your own property is generally permitted in most European countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK. The land in question is typically required to be open countryside or agricultural land — not a private garden within a residential area. Some countries require notification of the local municipality; others do not. Check with your local town hall or equivalent authority before proceeding.

It is important to note that planting a tree with cremation ashes does not constitute an official burial or grave site in any legal sense. In most jurisdictions, it is treated as a dispersal of ashes in nature. The tree remains simply a tree — a living memorial, but without any of the legal protections or designations that apply to a recognised place of burial.

Woodland and Forest Burial Sites

Several countries have developed dedicated natural burial grounds specifically for biodegradable urns. These sites offer a managed setting with legal certainty.

In the UK, the Natural Death Centre maintains a directory of green burial grounds. In Germany, Friedwald and RuheForst are established networks of licensed forest burial sites. France has authorised natural burial grounds (espaces naturels de sépulture) in a growing number of departments.

In Spain, several private initiatives offer this service: Recordar Mi Árbol in Segovia (recordarmiarbol.com) offers burial with a tree in a private reforestation forest; Recordarium near Madrid (recordarium.com) manages a dedicated memorial forest with tree planting and scattering zones; and Parc Roques Blanques in Barcelona offers forested memorial areas with native tree burials within a natural park setting.

Public Parks, Forests, and National Land

Burying ashes — even in a biodegradable urn — on public land without authorisation is illegal in most jurisdictions. Do not bury an urn in a public park, a national forest, or on a beach without explicit written permission from the relevant authority. Always verify before acting.

Which Tree to Choose?

There is no single tree that works best. The right choice depends on the local climate, soil type, and available space. Oaks, olive trees, and pines are all common choices across Europe.

One important factor to keep in mind: cremation ashes are alkaline by nature, with a high calcium content. For this reason, trees suited to calcareous or alkaline soils tend to establish most successfully. Good choices include:

• Downy Oak — better suited to calcareous soil than the Common Oak
• Hornbeam — well adapted to limestone soils
• Whitebeam — excellent on calcareous ground
• Linden (Lime tree) — naturally thrives on alkaline soils
• Field Maple — robust on alkaline soils
• Austrian Black Pine — specifically suited to calcareous terrain
• Juniper — highly tolerant of alkaline conditions
• Blackthorn / Hawthorn — ideal on calcareous soils

What Happens to the Tree Over Time?

The tree grows. Over its first years, its root system expands through and beyond the decomposed urn. The minerals released from the ashes — calcium, phosphorus, potassium — are gradually absorbed by the tree along with nutrients from the surrounding earth.

The tree belongs to whoever owns or manages the land on which it is planted. If planted on private family land, it remains a permanent living memorial under the family’s care. If planted in a managed woodland burial site, the site operator maintains the forest as a whole — individual trees are not guaranteed to be fenced or individually marked, though GPS coordinates or a simple marker stone are often used.

There is no legal requirement to register the tree in any way, unless it is located within an officially designated burial ground. Outside of such sites, it is simply a tree — which is precisely what makes it both beautiful and unencumbered.

Regulations by Country: What Is Legal?

Cremation is legal across the EU, UK, USA, and Canada. The ashes are the legal property of the next of kin or the person designated by the deceased. What varies by country is what you are permitted to do with those ashes. See our full country-by-country legislation guide for more detail.

United Kingdom

The UK has one of the most permissive frameworks in the world. Burying ashes in a biodegradable urn on private land is legal with the landowner’s consent. Green burial grounds are widely available and well regulated. No formal notification is generally required for private land burial.

France

Since 2008, French law permits the burial of ashes in a biodegradable urn on private land, provided the plot is at least 50 metres from any water source and the local mayor is notified. Authorised natural burial grounds are available in a growing number of departments.

Germany

Germany has traditionally required burial in designated cemeteries. However, forest burial in licensed sites such as Friedwald and RuheForst is now legal in most federal states. Burial on private land outside these networks remains restricted in most Länder.

Spain

Spanish law allows families to keep or scatter ashes. Burial of ashes in a biodegradable urn on private land is generally treated as a dispersal of ashes in nature, though regulations vary by autonomous community. Consult your local town hall before proceeding.

Italy

Italy’s regulations vary by region. Burial of ashes outside of cemeteries is restricted in most areas. Some regions permit dispersal in nature; burial in a biodegradable urn on private land requires authorisation in most cases.

Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland

The Netherlands and Belgium allow burial or dispersal of ashes on private land with the landowner’s consent. Switzerland has stricter rules — burial outside designated grounds generally requires cantonal authorisation, regardless of land ownership.

USA

Regulations vary by state. Most states permit the burial of cremation ashes on private land with no formal requirement. Some states require a burial permit. Federal land (national parks and forests) requires specific authorisation, which is sometimes granted for ash scattering but rarely for urn burial. Always check state and local rules before proceeding. Full USA and Canada regulations here.

Canada

Regulations vary by province. In most provinces, burying ashes in a biodegradable urn on private land is permitted. Some provinces require a cremation certificate to accompany the ashes. Provincial environment ministries may apply additional conditions for burial near water sources. Check with your provincial funeral regulatory authority for specifics. Full USA and Canada regulations here.