From "The Kalevala", a compilation of Finnish oral poems dating back to the first century A.D.

The spells were vain
The hag returned
To the Queen in a sorrowful mood
Crying that witches have no power
Where there is Rowan tree wood.

"Laidley Wood" a traditional Celtic ballad

Synonyms: Luis, Witch Tree, Witchwood, European Mountain Ash, Delight of the Eye, Ran Tree, Roden-Quicken, Mountain Ash, Thor's Helper, Whitty, Roundwood, Wicken-tree, Witchbane, Wiggen, Witcher, Sorb Apple, Common Whitebeam, Wild Service Tree, Royentree, Swedish Whitebeam, Caorunn (Gaelic), Cerddin (Welsh), Caorthann (Irish).

The common name for the tree, "Rowan" is derived from the old Norse word "Røn" meaning "rune". Some say the name comes from the Sanskrit "Runall" meaning "magician". Rowan's Celtic name is "Luis", and it is the second letter in the Beith-Luis-Fearn alphabet of the Celts.

Rowan is a fast-growing tree in the Rosaceae. It is typically a small tree, reaching a maximum height of 10-15m/ 32-50 ft.. The greyish-brown bark is with dark raised dots/lenticels scattered across it. Rowan leaves are compound and made up of matched pairs of leaflets on either side of a stem/rachis, with a terminal leaflet at the end. Leaves are up to 20cm/8 inches. in length, and are comprised of 9-15 leaflets, which are serrated with small teeth.

Rowan is a deciduous tree, with the new leaves appearing in Spring, and then turning a bright orange-red colour in autumn before being shed. The flowers appeared after the leaves, usually early-summer, and are creamy-white in colour. They grow in dense clusters containing up to 250 flowers that are about 15cm/6inches across. The berries are bright red and each have a small pentagram shape on them.

The Rowan tree has been considered magical for thousands of years by many different cultures. One of the earliest references to the Rowan is in the ancient Finnish creation myth about the goddess "Rauni." According to this myth, the earth was barren and devoid of all plants when she came down from heaven and took the form of a Rowan tree. After Rauni had intercourse with Ukko, the God of Thunder, the result of their union was the creation of all the plants of the earth.

The Rowan is also prominent in Norse mythology as the tree from which the first woman was made, (the first man being made from the ash tree). It was said to have saved the life of the god Thor by bending over a fast flowing river in the Underworld in which Thor was being swept away, and helping him back to the shore.

Greek mythology tells of how Hebe the goddess of youth, dispensed rejuvenating ambrosia to the gods from her magical chalice. When, through carelessness, she lost this cup to demons, the gods sent an eagle to recover the cup. The feathers and drops of blood which the eagle shed in the ensuing fight with the demons fell to earth, where each of them turned into a Rowan tree. Hence the Rowan derived the shape of its leaves from the eagle's feathers and the appearance of its berries from the droplets of blood.

The colour red was deemed to be the best protection against enchantment and witchcraft, and so the Rowan's vibrant display of berries in autumn may have further contributed to its protective abilities, as suggested in the old rhyme:

"Rowan tree and red thread

make the witches tine (meaning 'to lose') their speed".

There are several recurring themes of protection offered by the Rowan. The tree itself was said to afford protection to the dwelling by which it grew, pieces of the tree were carried by people for personal protection from witchcraft, and sprigs or pieces of Rowan were used to protect especially cows and their dairy produce from enchantment.

On the Isle of Man crosses made from Rowan twigs without the use of a knife were worn by people and fastened to cattle, or hung inside over the lintel on May Eve each year. From Scotland to Cornwall similar equal-armed crosses made from Rowan twigs and bound with red thread were sewn into the lining of coats or carried in pockets.

In Scandinavia, Rowan trees found growing not in the ground but out of some inaccessible cleft in a rock, or out of crevasses in other trees' trunks or boughs, possessed an even more powerful magic, and such trees were known as 'flying Rowan'.

The Rowan's wood is strong and resilient, often used for tool handles, and spindles and spinning wheels, walking sticks, and is suitable for carving.

Druids used the bark and berries to dye the garments worn during lunar ceremonies black, and the bark was also used in the tanning process.

The Norsemen carved their runic alphabet on tablets of Rowan as well as stone and it was the prescribed wood on which runes were inscribed to make rune staves.

Roman officials carried staffs made of Rowan as symbols of their authority.

Although the Rowan was considered by some as protection from faeries, others say that faeries love the tree and will go out of their way to seek it out.

Fairies were said to celebrate and dance around the Rowan, and that anyone harming a Rowan tree runs the risk of faeries seeking revenge by causing illness.

In Sligo, Ireland, a legend tells of the "Forest of Dooros" where the faeries who dwelt there loved to eat Rowan berries brought over from Fairyland. One of the berries fell to the ground, and out of this grew a huge Rowan tree. It was said that eating one of this tree's berries, which tasted of sweet honey, would make a person drunk. Eating two berries would ensure that the person would live to be a hundred years old. Eating three would make the person thirty years old again, to stay that way for a hundred years. To protect their magic, the faeries asked a giant named Sharvan who lived in the forest to guard the Rowan tree, so those few who attempted to take advantage of the Rowan's magic were usually never heard of again.

Medicinal Uses:
Rowan berries are a good source of Vitamin C. Rowan flowers give rise to bitter scarlet berries in September which can be used to make jelly, or a type of brandy or wine. The berries taste similar to cranberries. A tea can be made from the berries to use as an astringent in treating haemorrhoids and diarrhea.

Finally, one approach to astrology identifies 21 trees as being considered sacred by ancient Celts, with each tree representing a 9-day period during the cycle of the moon. The Rowan represents those born between April 1st-10th and October 4th-13th.

According to one source, "Rowan (the Sensitivity) Full of charm, cheerful, gifted, without egoism, likes to draw attention,loves life, motion, unrest and even complications,is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional,good company, does not forgive."

Magickal Uses:
Rowan represents the Divine Mother manifest upon the Earth. Use Rowan to invoke the Goddess when asking for Her help, direction, or bounty.

Sacred to: Mother Goddess, Thor, Brigid, and Rauni.