Wild Chi Studio is a new venture but its motif is not a new. So how did I choose the pinecone to represent my practice? I was looking for something that was botanically inspired, humble, and timeless, all without being cliche, endangered, or stigmatized. Well, the answer was literally at my feet!
Every day I walk my dog, Reishi, along the power lines behind the farmhouse. The margins of the corridor are covered with pinecones of all types and sizes. Honestly, how can you not pick up a pinecone or two every time you walk by them? I can’t! And each time I do, I am rewarded with the spiraling visual phenomenon of the Fibonacci sequence – also known as the golden ratio (remember that from math class?).
Presenting itself by hiding in plain sight; enter the pinecone! I chose this archetypal form (or it chose itself) for the WCS logo because it checks all the boxes with its universal beauty, its spiritual significance, and its influence on our region’s landscape.
Fun Facts About These Incredible Seed Pods!
- Conifers, the source of pinecones, are old – really old. They are so old that fossil records show that waaay before ancient cultures were celebrating pinecones as symbols of fertility and longevity, dinosaurs chowed down on pinecones.
- The white pinecone is Maine’s state flower – imagine that! Pinecones aren’t even flowers!!! If you yearn to know more about the ancient and mighty conifers that produce Maine’s state flower, click this link.
- Pinecones can close their scales to protect their seeds from the cold. Conversely, they will open to release their seeds when the temperature is warm enough for germination.
- Some pinecones stay on a tree for more than 10 years before falling to the ground. What?!
- Pine nuts, the seeds released from the pinecone are not only edible, they are nourishing, as a good source of manganese, phosphorus, zinc, vitamins B and K, and protein. WebMD can tell you lots more about the health benefits of pine nuts.
- The quintessential pinecones that we know and love are actually the female reproductive parts of the tree and can live many years. The male cones, indistinct brown tubes designed to hold pollen, are much smaller and live for only a few weeks.
- And just one more fact for good measure! There’s a very special gland located at the center of our brains that helps regulate our sleep through light modulation. Guess what that gland is named after? Yep, the pinecone. Known as the pineal gland, this pinecone-shaped “third eye” has been celebrated the world over as the center of enlightenment.
I hope you enjoyed the origin story of the WCS logo. I love any sciencey or botanical excuse to go down a few rabbit holes on the interwebs. If I needed to spend some extra screen time, this was a fun way to do it! Now go pick yourself up some pinecones.
