Some of the most beautiful tattoos are inspired by nature — trees, leaves, wildflowers, mountains, animals, and so much more. From gorgeous black-and-white work to bright, vivid watercolor pieces, nature tattoos can be big and powerful or small and delicate. Whether it's a plant that represents someone's birth month or a certain insect that has a cultural meaning behind it, a natural element can be full of symbolism. And so, some of the best tattoo ideas are found in nature.
Even something as small as a ladybug or a bumblebee can turn into really beautiful body art. Bigger nature tattoos could be tree branches or an entire a woodland scene. We're seeing natural elements combined with man-made ones too, such as a landscape set in the outline of a state and a flower arrangement framed by a symbol or geometric shape.
Night skies, beaches, trees blowing in the wind — there is so much inspiration surrounding us every day. There are even tattoos of simple grass that look spectacular. Whether a certain place is sentimental to us or an animal reminds us of a special person, nature tattoos can turn out to be some of the most meaningful ones.
There are tons of creative ways to incorporate the great outdoors into some ink. Check out these 50 nature-inspired tattoos for some beautifully organic ideas.
Picturesque Wilderness Nature Tattoo
Simply gorgeous. This tattoo by California artist Sean Hall is done in one of my favorite styles. Those mountains, the firewood, the water, the pines — nature in all its beauty.
Minnesota Pine Trees Nature Tattoo
This gorgeous tattoo is inspired by pine trees in Northern Minnesota. They look lovely in black and gray tones.
Simple Tree Nature Tattoo
Sometimes, simple lines and dots make a major impact. What a beautiful tree tattoo.
Japanese-Style Nature Tattoo
This stunning Japanese-style tattoo featuring a tree, waves, and the moon looks beautiful on the side of this woman's body.
Flowering Tree Nature Tattoo
A flowering tree with beautiful black line work — this nature-inspired tattoo is simple yet perfect.
Twisted Roots Nature Tattoo
This intricate tree tattoo shows the roots, giving it a cool, whimsical vibe.
Softly Shaded Tree Nature Tattoo
The softness of the shades and colors in this tree tattoo give it a serene feeling.
Vibrant Watercolor Nature Tattoo
The watercolor work on this tree tattoo is really magical.
Wildflower Bouquet Nature Tattoo
Everything about this photo is stunning. Created by the talented Ruby Gore of Ruby Gore Tattoos, this wildflower bouquet is perfectly placed and executed. We could not love it more.
Ivy Nature Tattoo
This ivy, butterfly, and a death's-head hawkmoth tattoo is beautifully done by Ross Grant of Land Ahoy Tattoos in Glasgow, Scotland.
Rainbow Nature Tattoo
This sweet cloud tattoo with watercolor rainbow was made by Flavia Requim. We love the emotion behind it.
Ferns & Chamomile Nature Tattoo
The vibrant green shades in this tattoo are fantastic. The talented Lucy Lou, tattoo artist in Virginia Beach, created this vintage-style piece featuring ferns and chamomile.
Day-to-Night Nature Tattoo
This sweet day-to-night nature scene by Melissa Bennett in Alberta, Canada, is so serene it makes us go, "Ahhhh…"
Perfect Pine Cones Nature Tattoo
This lovely nature tattoo on Jodie Kearley is an impressive cover-up piece by the talented tattoo artist Roxy Velvet, who is based in London.
Nested Bird Nature Tattoo
We love the sweetness of this tattoo of a bird nestled in a simple, cozy tree.
'Keep Exploring' Nature Tattoo
Tattoo artist Zane Pendergast of Adventure Tattoo in Nashville, Tennessee, created this lovely little mountain tattoo with the words "Keep Exploring." Adore it.
Evergreen Nature Tattoo
The colors on Stephanie's tattoo, created by tattoo artist Kristina McDonald of The Golden Owl in Napa, California, are just incredible. What a perfect back tattoo.
Face Nature Tattoo
For something a little different and a whole lot of amazing, check out this nature tattoo — combining a landscape with a woman's face — by artist Zane Pendergast of Adventure Tattoo.
Autumn Leaves Nature Tattoo
We love the colors of the leaves created by tattoo artist Britta Christiansen of Living Art Gallery Tattoo in San Clemente, California. The design, the watercolor look, the delicate feel of the leaf stems, and the way the tattoo is placed on the arm are truly perfection.
Dandelion Nature Tattoo
This dandelion tattoo is super pretty. We love the way it floats across the back.
Eastern White Pine Nature Tattoo
This illustration of an Eastern white pine branch is so intricate. The pine needles and cones are extremely realistic.
Floral Crescent Nature Tattoo
This floral swag is a little less romantic and a little more cosmic when shaped like a crescent moon. And the placement around the elbow works really well.
Camping Nature Tattoo
This tattoo is perfect for someone who enjoys sleeping in tents and exploring the woods. It's pretty cool how it beautifully stretches from the night sky to underground in such a small design.
Hawaiian Mountains Nature Tattoo
This Instagram user describes the tattoo as, "Hawaiian mountains, ocean, streams, and of course, volcano." We love how so many different pieces of nature were incorporated in this small and simple hip tattoo.
Traditional Scenery Nature Tattoo
This traditional-style tattoo has clean line work and so much great detail. The lake scene with the night sky is bordered by flowers creating a striking nature tattoo.
Nighttime Blossom Nature Tattoo
This blooming flower with the night sky behind it has so much vibrant color that really blends well together. The pinks and purples are a nice contrast with the greens used in the stem. And the petals look almost three-dimensional!
Small Sunflower Nature Tattoo
This minimalist tattoo is so cheerful and cute. The sunflower is small and delicate and has a warmth to it.
Shark Tooth Nature Tattoo
This nature design of a beach scene with a sunset and a palm tree is set inside the shape of a shark tooth. A shark tooth is a symbol of protection and is often worn on a necklace in places like Hawaii.
Sunny Mountains Nature Tattoo
This black ink tattoo is stunning. The sun's rays form a clean triangular shape to frame the piece, and the mountain scene has so much detail.
Fox Nature Tattoo
This fox illustration is realistic, but at the same time, it looks like it came out of a storybook. We love how the colors of the leaves coordinate with the fox and it all flows together so nicely.
Lavender Nature Tattoo
This single lavender flower stem makes a great arm tattoo since it's so long and slender. Lavender represents grace and elegance.
Geometric Flower Nature Tattoo
This flower head placed over a triangle is sweet and simple. The geometric shape adds structure to the organic flower design, giving it a clean look.
Deer Nature Tattoo
This deer head is designed over a woodland scene in the shape of an arrowhead. The combination of those three elements is cohesive, and the artist's use of shading really brings it to life.
Bunny Nature Tattoo
This nature tattoo is of a Netherlands dwarf rabbit. It's pretty cool when an animal tattoo also represents a specific place or memory.
Octopus Flower Nature Tattoo
Who knew that an octopus crawling out of a yellow flower would make such a gorgeous tattoo? Its contrasting colors are so pretty together and the overall design was obviously well thought out.
Arctic Nature Tattoo
This super detailed wraparound tattoo includes a walrus skull, antler-locking caribou, a narwhal, glacier-diving penguins, a polar bear, a leopard seal peeking out of an ice hole, an arctic hare skull, a shedding arctic fox, and a penguin skeleton. Wow!
Line Drawing Nature Tattoo
Line drawings can make such cool tattoos. This nature tattoo is a perfect idea for those of us with a case of wanderlust. The mountain, plane, tree, and wave may symbolize a move or a trip for this person.
Van Gogh Joshua Tree
In regards to his beautiful work, the tattoo artist wrote: "My wonderful client Eglė sent me this amazing photo of our healed Van Gogh Joshua tree piece next to the exact tree we used for inspiration! This is definitely by far one of my favorite healed tattoo photos I received from the client!"
Maine Nature Tattoo
After taking a close look at this beautiful scene, one can see that it's actually in the shape of the state of Maine. The pretty mountains and flowers play off of each other perfectly for this piece.
Birdie Nature Tattoo
This bird is illustrated with a branch of lavender. The combination is very sweet and the thin-lined details give it a delicate look.
Olive Branch Nature Tattoo
This contemporary tattoo has some pretty cool dot work in the leaves and olives. It gives it a nice sense of dimension.
Seattle Scene Nature Tattoo
This nature tattoo is representative of the scenery in Seattle. We love the way the design goes across both feet. It's so pretty!
Blood Orange Nature Tattoo
Fruit can make a really pretty nature tattoo. We love how this tattoo is mostly black ink with the splash of color bringing the focus to the blood orange.
Hummingbird Nature Tattoo
Hummingbirds are small, cute, and colorful and always seeking the sweet nectar of flowers. So, of course, they make great tattoo ideas! This one incorporates flowers and has a variety of bright colors.
Grass Nature Tattoo
Getting a tattoo of grass on its own may seem like a simple idea, but what makes this one really cool is the fact that it's in line with the real grass. The ankle placement cleverly makes it feel like jewelry or a cuff.
Aspen Leaves Natures Tattoo
Aspen leaves are another pretty choice for a nature tattoo. According to Celtic mythology, the visual effect of an aspen leaf trembling in the wind is said to be the tree communicating between this world and the next.
Botanical Spine Nature Tattoo
This spine tattoo is incredible! The ombré coloring of the leaves and their graduating size all complement this area of the body in such an interesting way!
Oak Leaf Nature Tattoo
A simple oak leaf can be nicely jazzed up with a pop of color. The circular yellow sun in the background is carried throughout the piece in a really creative way.
Detailed Moon Nature Tattoo
This moon is so mystical. The chandelier effect, twinkling stars, and flowers make it look feminine. And the nature scenery inside the moon is serene.
Ladybug Nature Tattoo
A ladybug is a cute nature tattoo idea. Although ladybugs are so small, this design is pretty large and it looks like it's crawling across the arm.
