Rowan Tree

I have always admired the rowan tree. As a child, I was  told that it "keeps witches away" which I found very reassuring during a period when I was scared of witches. (Wisely my grandmother also told me that the beautiful scarlet berries are poison, perhaps to stop me eating them to make myself witch-proof.)   

I have a little book called "Rowan, Tree of Protection" by ethnobotanist Chris Howkins, which delves into the extensive mythology associated with this little tree. In his book, Mr. Howkins points out that the celtic name for the rowan is "fid na ndruad" which means "Tree of the Wizard" (or, surely, "Druid"?)  So its reputation for magic goes back a whole lot further than my grandmother!.

Mr. Howkins has also traced the fact that old English names for the tree often contain the word "quick" which is an old word for "alive" - he quotes "Quickenberry," "Quickbeam" and so on.  (He also points out that the common hawthorn is also known as the Quickthorn, something I'd known, but forgotten. Interesting.)

I won't quote Mr. Howkins' book at you - although full of good things, it is not expensive, so if you are interested, click the contact link to find out about it and its author. 

But I should say that this particular photo in fact shows two trees.   The rowan berries with the distinctive rowan leaves are in the foreground. Behind this is a trunk of silver birch.   The birch is associated with birth and renewal, and both trees, although usually seen in gardens and parks, can also be found growing wild on poor acid soil, like this heathland near Westleton, Suffolk.

And, not only do they offer protection from passing witches, and encourage renewal, but I think they look very attractive together.