In the U.S. February 2nd is Groundhog Day. This holiday is centered on predicting how much longer winter will last. If Punxsutawney Phil, a famous Pennsylvania groundhog who has been providing insight into the nearness of spring since the 1880s. (According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, there’s only been one Phil, who is now over 100 years old. Hmm…).
On February 2nd each year, Phil is brought to Gobbler’s Knob and placed on a stump. If he sees his shadow and retreats, winter will last another six weeks. If he hangs out contentedly on the stump, spring is on its way. This tradition of forecasting on February 2nd how much longer winter will last is said to have been brought to the U.S. by German immigrants.
But if you’re a regular reader of my blog, you will know that this tradition is similar to an ancient Celtic tradition for Imbolc / Brigid’s Day (February 1st). If you’re unfamiliar with the lore, you can read about it here.
But the Brigid’s Day weather forecasting has more to do with how much longer the snow and cold weather will last. According to the Celtic calendar, spring has already come. It began at Imbolc.
With that in mind, I thought this week I would write about the trees that are significant to a Celtic Spring, from a folklore perspective that is.
It is hard to overstate the importance of trees in ancient Celtic culture. The druids developed an entire classification system regarding how each tree was to be treated. The system assigned labels to the trees ranging from common to royal to sacred. Injuring or cutting down certain trees could result in severe fines and penalties, including death. Read my post “Beware the Celtic Tree Spirit” for details.
The Celts saw individual species of trees as symbolic and believed each had magical properties. Certain trees were said to rule at various times throughout the year. Anyone born during a tree’s rule was said to take on the characteristics of that tree. For example, those born under the sign of the oak were believed to be noble and strong. Those born under the Willow’s influence are patient, good at keeping secrets, and they never forget. This Celtic belief in attributing a ruling tree’s qualities to a person’s characteristics is now referred to as Celtic Astrology. You can read about your tree sign by clicking here.
Before going further, I need to clarify that a Celtic Spring is from Imbolc (Feb. 1st) to Beltane (May 1st. Most of the world, though, uses the Gregorian calendar. On that calendar, spring begins at the vernal (or spring) equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, this equinox takes place, depending on the year, on March 19, 20, or 21st. Spring ends the day before the summer solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, the solstice takes place between June 20th and 22nd. For this post, I going to use the Celtic calendar dates for most of what I mention. But I have included some trees and folklore associated with Beltane because it’s on the cusp of spring and summer. Also, it takes place (May 1st) at a time that most of us consider a part of spring.
Celtic Fire Festivals
So, spring, for the Celts, is the time between Imbolc and Beltane. But what are they? They are two of the four ancient fire festivals. These were major feast days for the ancient Celts, and each one marked the beginning of a season. Here I’ll just discuss the two that bookend spring.
Imbolc: derived from an ancient Irish word meaning “in the belly,” Imbolc is the beginning of lambing season. It is about fertility, new life, and possibilities—including hidden possibilities since “in the belly” is about being pregnant. To the Celts, this feast day and the season of spring are also about cleaning out and starting over. Doing a good spring cleaning is a traditional Imbolc activity.
Imbolc is also Brigid’s Day. Now, this gets slightly complex. Brigid could refer to St. Brigid of Kildare, an Irish nun, a contemporary of St. Patrick and now the co-patron saint of the Republic of Ireland. Known for her beauty and intellect (among other things), she is best known for founding a monastery and school.
But Brigid’s Day also is the feast of the pan-Celtic goddess of summer. Mythology says that each year, this goddess (named Brigid like the nun) overthrows the goddess of winter and brings light and warmth back into the world. She, like the saint, is associated with Kildare. Scholars believe that either stories about the goddess have been conflated with those of the saint or that the saint is simply a Christianized version of the goddess. I leave it to you to decide.
Beltane: At Beltane, Brigid the goddess comes into her glory. The world is flooded with warmth and sunshine. This feast and the season it heralds in are all about youthfulness, energy, growth, and passion.
Now, onto the trees!
Trees that Rule Spring
There are four trees which, according to Celtic folklore, hold influence during the spring. They are:
Rowan: Jan. 21-Feb. 17 (So it straddles spring and winter)
The Rowan tree is associated with foresight and intuition. It reminds us to look beyond the visible and the obvious to discover what is hidden by the veil. The tree also symbolizes protection, connection, balance, and mystery.
Ash: Feb. 18-March 17
A sacred tree, the ash is associated with growth, perspective, and protection.
This tree can grow to gigantic heights, up to 200 feet tall. The druids believed the ash connected the earth and the sky as well as the human realm and the Otherworld.
Although the ash is so big, its stability comes from an extensive root system which digs deep into the ground. It is stands as a reminder, then, that you can reach great heights successfully if you stay grounded. If you lose your roots, you’ll topple over.
Alder: March 18-April 14
This tree symbolizes giving and nurturing. The symbolism comes from the way that the tree enriches its ecosystem. Its roots transfer nutrients to the soil as well as provide a shelter for fish. The alder’s leaves, as they drop into the water and decompose, provide nutrition for the fish, as well.
Willow: April 14-May 12 (So straddling spring and summer)
Celtic folk doctors used willow bark for pain centuries before aspirin came into being. The salicin in its bark is chemically similar to acetylsalicylic acid, the key ingredient in aspirin.
This tree is a symbol of adaptability, healing, new growth, and overcoming adversity.
Willows also are associated with magic, mystery, and spirituality. In Celtic folklore, anything that is an in-between is a highly magical place. Borders and boundaries are examples of in-betweens. Since willows often grow between the land and water, the druids associated this mystical quality to them.
Folklore and Other Trees Associated with a Celtic Spring
Alder: Irish folklore says this tree is protected by water faeries who will be enraged and wreak vengeance on those who disturb it. Cutting an alder down was against ancient Irish law. Folk belief said that the faeries would retaliate by burning any nearby houses. This possibly comes from the fascinating change of the inner part of the alder’s wood from white to red when it is cut. Nevertheless, was used in divination and folk medicine.
Ash: Ash trees are highly associated with protection, whether to protect your house from lightning or your babies from faeries. The ash is particularly believed to be a protector of children. In Scotland, its sap was used in medicine to protect children from witchcraft. In Ireland, its berries were used to prevent the faeries from stealing a child and leaving a changeling in its place.
Birch: The birch tree is hard and sturdy, so it had many uses in Celtic society. A variety of everyday items were made from it. One of those items was baby cribs. Yes, the wood was durable, so it would last but there’s more. The Celts associated birch trees with protection. Placing a baby in a crib made of birch was a way to keep the infant safe from faerie mischief.
Additionally, Celts used birch in Samhain purification rituals to drive away evil spirits to protect their homes and livestock. Finally, Celtic folklore said that carrying a birch twig could protect you from faerie mischief.
Hawthorn: This is a sacred faerie tree strongly associated with Beltane. An ancient and continuing folk custom is to tie ribbons to the branches of a hawthorn on Beltane. Each ribbon represents a wish.
But this fire festival is the only time this tree is to be disturbed. Ancient Irish law forbid anyone from cutting down a hawthorn. In more recent times, planners have rerouted roads to avoid cutting one down and risking the wrath of the faeries.
According to Celtic folklore, hawthorn trees are an entrance to the Otherworld.
Oak: The oak is a royal tree particularly honored by the druids who gathered to worship in oak groves. Mistletoe, one of the plants most revered by the Celts, often was found growing on oak trees. The druids said the mistletoe had been placed there by Dagda, the god of thunder, and this marked that oak as a particularly sacred tree.
Kildare, the name of an Irish county associated with both St. Brigid and the Celtic goddess of summer comes from Cil-dara, which means “place of the oak.” St. Brigid’s monastery, according to legend, was located in Kildare. An important shrine to the goddess also is said to have existed in Kildare.
Rowan: There is much folklore about rowans. Here’s just a sample:
1) Rowans were believed to protect against enchantments.
2) At Beltane, rowan wood was burned in the fireplace and the smoke was believed to protect the household from the malicious plans of witches.
3) The Irish put rowan flowers on their windowsills and doorsteps to prevent evil spirits from entering the house.
4) Rowans were planted in graveyards to protect the dead from evil—and to keep the dead from rising.
Willow: Druids associated the tree with enchantment, and it is used frequently in plant magic, especially for protection. According to Celtic folklore, planting willow trees near your house will protect it from lightning. Willow branches are placed inside the house to keep the family safe from a witch’s malice and other forms of evil.
Three of my favorite pieces of folklore about Willows:
1) The sound of the wind rustling through willow leaves is actually the sound of faeries giving inspiration to poets.
2) If you have a secret, you are just dying to divulge, tell it to a willow. The tree will take it in and lock it up so it never gets out.
3) Willows can walk at night. They follow strangers and mutter after them.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post and any of my others you check out. Please LIKE and SHARE. To SUBSCRIBE for FREE, just click on the “Sign Up” button in the upper right of the page.
All artwork for this post (except for the Ukranian flag and the GIF) by Christine Dorman via Bing Image Creator.
Slán go fóill
Comments