
Rowan / Mountain Ash

by Gordon James
Title
Rowan / Mountain Ash
Artist
Gordon James
Medium
Photograph - Photography Digital
Description
Mountain Ash/Rowan
Bane of witches, diviner of the future and producer of jam, rowan is an elegant tree with a mystical history. Its leaves and berries are a favourite for wildlife in woods and towns alike.
Rowan is also known as the mountain ash due to the fact that it grows well at high altitudes and its leaves are similar to those of ash, Fraxinus excelsior. However, the two species are not related.
Common names: rowan, mountain ash, witch wiggin tree, keirn, cuirn
Scientific name: Sorbus aucuparia
Family: Rosaceae
Mythology and symbolism
Rowan was once widely planted by houses as a protection against witches. The colour red was considered to be the best colour for fighting evil, and so the rowan’s bright red berries have been associated with magic and witches. In Ireland, it was planted near houses to protect them against spirits, and in Wales rowan trees were planted in churchyards. Cutting down a rowan was considered taboo in Scotland.
The wood was used for stirring milk to prevent the milk curdling, and as a pocket charm against rheumatism. It was also used to make divining rods.
Uses of rowan
The wood is pale yellow-brown with a deeper-brown heartwood. It is strong, hard and tough, but not particularly durable. It is sometimes used in turnery, furniture, craftwork and engraving.
Rowan berries are edible to humans – they are sour but rich in vitamin C, and can be used to make a tart jam.
Mature trees can grow to 15m in height and can live for up to 200 years. The bark is smooth and silvery grey, and leaf buds are purple and hairy.
Look out for: its 5–8 pairs of serrated leaflets which are distinctive.
Identified in winter by: the young twigs which start hairy and become smooth later. Buds are hairy all over. Terminal buds (on the ends of shoots) are up to 8mm in length and lateral buds (in leaf axils) have 2–5 scales.
Uploaded
September 11th, 2021
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