Bottle Trees: Bottle trees are a Kongo-derived tradition with roots in the animistic spiritual beliefs of several African tribal cultures. They were introduced into the southern United States through the enslaved and are commonly seen today as "southern yard art." According to folklore, evil spirits enter the brightly colored bottles that are placed on the end of tree branches and become trapped. When the wind blows, the spirits can be heard moaning and if you have the unfortunate experience of breaking a bottle, its occupant will escape.



I have a confession. I love bottle trees. This may seem like an odd obsession, but when you have experienced this wonderful Southern tradition like I have, you can�t help but become smitten. My first encounter with a bottle tree was as a young child in Sarepta, Mississippi. My sister and I were fascinated with a bottle tree near our great-grandparents home. I knew even then that one day I would have a bottle tree of my own.

Thirty years later, while creating my first bottle tree, I became aware that there were no books dedicated to this custom. Since my friends seem to think I was making the whole thing up, I began to research and photograph as many bottle trees as I could find. As a result, I have documented many beautiful bottle trees. More importantly, however, I discovered the great joy they bring to their creators and countless others who come into contact with them.

The intent of the Bottle Tree Project is to capture the images and document the stories that surround this great tradition. The bottle trees of today are as varied and interesting as the people that create them. If there is a bottle tree in your life, please contact me at thebottletreeproject@live.com. I look forward to hearing your story.


Alyson W. Miles