Our Rowan Tree

When we first moved into this house, I was pregnant with our son (who is now almost 3). I was tired, cranky, worn out and felt pretty small (ironically) in the face of such a monumental task. I couldn't lift anything heavy. I couldn't do any real yard work. We had to hire the weeding out because I couldn't get on my hands and knees and pull on the stuff that was deeply rooted. The yard looked like it would easily eat the house alive, taking it, and all of our belongings, back to their natural state.

Funny enough, however, the first time D. mowed the front yard, we noticed a tiny little tree had begun to grow. It was not taller than a foot or so. It was spindly and had few leaves. But, he carefully cut around it and let it be...to find out what it was going to become.

It didn't take us long to figure out what we had. A Rowan Tree. It was once thought to be a protection against malevolent beings, and wood from the trees was, therefore, used in the creation of druids' staffs, diving rods, and rune staves. It was also kept inside homes to guard against storms and spirits. And it was thought to be especially helpful in protecting against witchcraft, sorcery, and black magic. The behavior of the tree (how many or healthy the leaves and/or berries) used to be a guide to earlier people of the coming harvest or how difficult the winter would be.

While I don't subscribe to such superstition, I do find it rather lucky to have had it simply pop up seemingly "just for us"....It was like nature's housewarming gift to us. A good luck tree. A bit of protection (if only from the wind).



Also called a "mountain ash" (though not a part of the ash family), this little tree begins in the spring with white feathery "flowers".



These are eventually replaced by bright red berries (though other colors are possible with different tree varieties, red is the most common).



Some people mistakenly believe that rowan berries are poisonous. Actually, these berries can be used to make jam and are thought, by some, to have healing effects on the liver, lungs, and digestive system.

For a recipe, visit this link to Aunt Icke's Rowan Berry Jam.