The Tree Alphabet for schools
This section is designed to supplement an understanding of woodland through the extensive botanical lore and mythology of the Celtic tradition.
The quick index below simply highlights a few possible keywords with which to begin...
| Tree |
Botanical lore | Mythology |
| Beithe/birch | lightness, whiteness, pioneer, betulin, fungi, durable bark, birch tar, sap, clean blood more... | Cernunnos, wildman of woods, maypole, shamans, bark hats, changelings, birch brooms more... |
| Luis/rowan | rose, frost-resistant, berries, breaking up soil, vitamin C, coughs more... | protection, earth and heaven, runes, life rod, otherworld more... |
| Nuin/ash | beneficial, ventilator, healer, disinfectant, boats, guardian more... | Imbolc, Candlemas, Brigit, Uffington, Odin, spears, cloud-maker more... |
| Fearn/alder | rivers, wet ground, oxygen, nitrogen, drains, blood, crannogs, piles, sticky, cones, more... | Bran, raven, protection for britain, Niamh, Rough Else, blood, wooden goddess, more... |
| Seile/willow | leaning, waterproof, storms, regenerate, pollarding, salicin, aspirin, more... | moon owns it, Helice, sacred to poets, witches, wryneck, more... |
| Huath/hawthorn | hedgerows, carving, windbreak, insects, haws, heart more... | Beltane, Olwen, protective, springs, Maia, Sleeping Beauty, Culhwych, Thomas the Rhymer more... |
| Duir/oak | long life, strength, insects, lightning, thunder, electrical currents, more... | doorman, druid, summer solstice, Janus, oracle, Dodona, more... |
| Tinne/holly | shade, evergreen with leaves, strong high quality wood, fevers and colds, more... | christian symbolism, Tannus, Gawain and Green Knight, waxing and waning, bull with club foot, more... |
| Muin/vine/bramble | rose-like, arching canes, lateral shoots, larvae, basketry, binding, protection, leap-frog, more... | Osiris, exhiliration, taboo, Michaelmas, more... |
| Coll/hazel | Stone Age food, always young, divination, heart problems, skin irritations, more... | magic nut, Connla's Well, nine, Bush Barrow lozenge, caduceus, salmon of wisdom, Taliesin more... |
| Gort/ivy | blocking light, decoctions, sinusitis, spleen , more... | wild, toxic, pubs, resurrection, ivy girl, more... |
| Peith/guelder rose | water-elder, sterile flowers, translucent, cramp bark, swollen glands, more... | Samhain, ukranian beauty, ngetal or reed, more... |
| Ruis/elder | Rebalancer, nettles, nitrogen, trets infection, more... | Frau Holle, guardian, death, more... |
| Ailm/pine | red bark, survivor, light, symbiosis, undulating, pitch, tar, resin, incense, more... | |
| Iodh/yew | no resin, poisonous, immortal, layering, resurrection, yew bows, more... | 5,000 years, tumulus, bluestones, Odin, yew island, Iona, Glastonbury, Danu, more... |