The Magical Powers of Trees

Alder: Alder indicates protection and oracular powers. The Alder is a water-loving tree and is used mainly for underwater foundations. Parts of Venice and other ancient cathedrals were built of Alder. The god linked with this tree is Bran the Blessed. This, too, is a tree used for spiritual protection and of prophecy as well.

Almond: Divination. Clairvoyance. Wisdom. Money. Loans. Business.

Apple: Healing. Prosperity. Love. Perpetual youth. Garden Magic. Immortality. A dense, fine-grained, rosy-coloured wood with a slightly sweet smell. The Apple is associated with choice: the choice you may have to make between similar and equally attractive things. This is good wood to use when you are having difficulty in making decisions in your life. (Editor's Note: I use runes carved on apple wood in some of my spells, and it seems very effective.)

Apricot: Love.

Ash: Sea Magic (when performing those spells far from any ocean). As with most trees, ash is considered to be protective. In addition, wands and staves made of ash are commonly used in healing rituals. A strong, straight-grained wood; sometimes has 'olive' streaks or stripes in the grain. Ash was commonly used to make spears because of its 'springiness' and straight grain. In North America, strips of black ash were split along the grain to make splints for baskets and hoops. Ash can be used in spells requiring focus and strength of purpose, and indicates the linking of the inner and outer worlds. The World Tree. The Ash tree has deeply penetrating roots and changes the chemistry of the soil, making it difficult for for other vegetation to grow beneath it. Good tree for meditation.

Aspen: Protection.

Bamboo: Protection, Luck, Hex-Breaking, Wishes.

Beech: Beech wood is closely grained, very easy to work giving a smooth even surface. At one time Beech tablets were used as writing surfaces because of the above mentioned qualities. Beech and book have the same word origins. Beech is concerned with ancient knowledge as revealed in old objects, places and writings. Beech indicates guidance from the past to gain insight which protects and provides a solid base upon which all relies. Beech medicine can tell you much about yesterday and how it is relevant today. Handling old objects or visiting a place connected with your past will bring understanding of people and incidents, reviving the memories within you that you need.

Birch: Protection. Purification. Fertility. New beginnings. This was used by the Egyptians for magickal cosmetics and perfumes, incense, and to embalm mummies. It was also venerated by the Romans and the ancient Mesopotamians. Exorcism. The Birch is one that formerly covered the whole of the United Kingdom, it is a graceful and slender tree with a characteristic white bole. This tree is indicative of cleanliness and determination in overcoming adversity. This is good tree to use when wanting to make fresh starts and ridding yourself of bad influences.

Blackthorn: Blackthorn is a winter tree. The sloe, its fruits ripen and sweeten only after the nip of the frost. White flowers are seen even before the leaves in the spring. It is black barked with vicious thorns and grows in dense thickets. Blackthorn indicates strong action of fate or outside influences that must be obeyed. The wood of the Blackthorn is traditionally used with the Irish shillelagh. It represents the strong action of fate or the outside influences in your life. Using Blackthorn during times that seem insurmountable will help to conquer the problems.

Cedar: Prosperity. Longetivity.

Coconut: Purity. Chastity. Healing.

Cypress: Past life workings. Protection.

Elder: Healing. Prosperity. Almost all trees are home to some sort of elven kind, including elm, oak, Willow, yew, fir, holly, etc. However, elder trees have the highest elf population. The Elder Mother who dwells within the tree is very protective of her domain, and it is taboo to cut part of the the tree without asking her permission first. And if you stand under an elder tree at midnight on Midsummer eve in Denmark, you will see Toly, the King of the Elves, go by. This tree is linked to the eternal turnings of life and death, birth and rebirth. It represents the end in the beginning and the beginning in the end; life in death and death in life. It also is significant of creativity and renewal...new beginnings.

Elm: Protection.

Eucalyptus: Healing.

Fig: Fertility. Strength. Energy. Health.

Fir: Fir is a very tall slender tree that grows in mountainous regions on the upper slopes. Fir cones respond to rain by closing and the sun by opening. Fir can see over great distance to the far horizon beyond and below. Fir indicates high views and long sights with clear vision of what is beyond and yet to come.

Grove: The tree of All Knowledge. The Grove represents a sacred place where all is linked and becomes clear in unity. Helps you to look beneath the surface of things...whether they are situations or people. This medicine works with your hidden knowledge, helping you to manifest it at the most appropriate time.

Hawthorn: Cleansing. Marriage. Love. Protection.In Brittany and Ireland, also called "Fairy Thorn", this tree is the trysting place of faeries. To pick a branch or leaf from a hawthorn is to court the displeasure of the faeries. However, carrying a sprig will increase fertility. A small tree that grows with a dense, many-branched body. This tree is best used for cleansing and chastity, bringing protection from the inner magical realms.

Hazel: Hazel is a food tree. In Celtic tradition, the Salmon of Knowledge is said to eat the 9 nuts of poetic wisdom dropped into its sacred pool from the hazel tree growing beside it. Each nut eaten by the salmon becomes a spot on its skin. The Hazel tree provided shade, protection and baskets. In Europe and North America, hazel is commonly used for 'water-witching' - the art of finding water with a forked stick. Magically, hazel wood is used to gain knowledge, wisdom and poetic inspiration. The Hazel embodies many talents: poetry, divination, and the powers of meditation.

Hemlock: Not recommended for use.

Holly: A beautiful white wood with an almost invisible grain; looks very much like ivory. Holly is associated with the death and rebirth symbolism of winter in both Pagan and Christian lore. In Arthurian legend, Gawain (representing the Oak King of summer) fought the Green Knight, who was armed with a holly club to represent winter. It is one of the three timbers used in the construction of chariot wheel shafts. It was used in spear shafts also. The qualities of a spear shaft are balance and directness, as the spear must be hefted to be thrown the holly indicates directed balance and vigour to fight if the cause is just. Holly may be used in spells having to do with sleep or rest, and to ease the passage of death.

Juniper: Protection.

Larch: A light softwood, very similar to spruce. Larch is one of the few conifers which sheds its needles in the winter. It is closely related to the North American tamarack (larix laricina).

Oak: The Oak's place in the Celtic lunar calendar is seventh among the thirteen months. The Oak has always protected England through the use of his timbers for the building of ships, those that, for instance, defeated the Armada. Oaks have been used as boundary markers from one place to the next. Oak medicine is best when used for securing your pursuits, protecting you while you are attaining your goals. It is essential protection for those less able and weaker, who require security in order to strengthen their characters.

Reed: Helps create spiritual weapons - gives you direction. Best when used before beginning healing work or "soul retrievals".

Silver Fir: This is used in bringing the knowledge of both your present and past lives into the "now". The colour silver links you to your "silver thread", symbolizing your awareness of progress on your spiritual journey. Silver Fir is best when searching for the gift of "insight".

White Poplar: The tree with most concerns over earthly and material aspects of life. It is also concerned with finding the spiritual determination to face the hardships that we endure through the course of our lifetime. The Poplar tree has the ability to resist and to shield, an ability with languages and speech, and a close relationship with the winds.

Willow: The Willow in tree medicine stands for the female and lunar rhythms of life. She is water-seeking, and another water-loving tree like the Alder. The Willow offers protection against damp diseases and modern herbal practicioners extract the salicin from her bark to be used in such illnesses as rheumatic fever. This medicine works with your female aspects, a side that we, both male & female, possess. The female gift of fertility is also represented by the Willow. In fairy lore, the willow is a tree that uproots itself at night and stalks travelers, muttering at them.

Yew: The Yew tree can most often be found in the ancient cemeteries. In legend, the tree is said to grow a root into the open mouth of each corpse buried in the graveyard. Yew is highly poisonous and is not recommended for many types of magic. It was used in the past as a drug to cause abortion, but the problem with that was that it killed the mother as often as it killed the fetus.

When was the last time you talked to a tree? Try it sometime. They're quite friendly, and very good listeners.