Laurelin is the great golden tree of Valinor created by the Vala Yavanna.
Laurelin was one of the Two Trees of Valinor, which stood in the land of the Valar before the rising of the Sun and Moon. Its name is commonly translated as “Song of Gold” or “Golden Song.” Laurelin produced golden light, while its companion Telperion produced silver light. Their cycles of radiance marked the passage of time in Valinor.
The Two Trees were destroyed when Morgoth and the giant spider Ungoliant attacked them. Their last light was preserved in the Silmarils, jewels made by Fëanor. A final fruit of Laurelin became the Sun, while a final flower of Telperion became the Moon, according to Tolkien’s mythology.
Laurelin is sometimes confused with Telperion because the trees form a paired image and both are central to the same creation story. Telperion is the silver tree; Laurelin is the golden one. Their history also explains why the Silmarils are connected to the earliest light of the world.