How many roots does Yggdrasil have?

Yggdrasil has three roots. In Norse cosmology, the immense world tree is supported by roots extending toward three different regions: Asgard, the realm of the frost giants, and Niflheim.

Each root is linked to a famous wellspring. Urðarbrunnr, the Well of Urðr, lies beneath the root associated with the gods. Mímisbrunnr, Mímir’s well, lies beneath the root reaching toward the frost giants and contains wisdom. Hvergelmir lies beneath the root extending into Niflheim, where the dragon Níðhöggr gnaws at the tree.

A common mix-up comes from the number nine in Yggdrasil’s mythology. Norse tradition speaks of the Nine Worlds, and several important mythic motifs use the number nine, but the tree itself is described as having three roots, not nine. The roots also help organize the cosmos: they connect separate realms while the branches extend across the heavens.

The roots are described in both the Poetic Edda and Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, major medieval sources for Norse mythology. Their exact geography varies by passage and translation, but the number of roots remains three.