The revered 'Mother', as she is called by her children, is not just a mighty tree that forms the center of an elf colony. She is in fact the late stage of development of a female elf, and although she remains rigidly in one place for hundreds or even thousands of years, she possesses a consciousness that far exceeds our understanding. Standing several hundred meters tall, with roots that span an area of a large city, she protects her children and the surrounding area from enemies. Her magical powers are immense, allowing her to sense what is happening in the forest and communicate with other elven trees over many miles.
The young elves grow in bud-like structures formed by the mother tree. During this time, they hear their mother's magical songs, which teach them the language, history, and culture of the elves. Within a year, the embryo grows to a stage roughly equivalent to that of a twelve-year-old human child. Male children are much more common, with about fifteen boys for every girl. An elf colony usually consists of one mother tree and up to three hundred of her children. The adoption of elves born from another tree may occur, but is rare.