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Botanical name:
Sambucus nigra
Other names: Devil's Eye, Old
Lady, Whistle Tree, Pipe Tree, Queen of the Trees
Name
origins: The name "Elder" is
derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "Aeld" meaning "fire" because
hollowed Elder branches were once used to kindle fires by blowing
through them.
Folklore:
The elder has a very mixed
reputation - it is associated with the crone Goddess and her death
aspects but is also seen as a tree of regeneration because of its
ability to re-grow damaged branches and its ability to root and grow
rapidly from any part. It teaches us to honour the cycle of death and
rebirth and that in all endings is a new beginning.
Magickal
uses:
Magickally, the elder is
useful in different ways at various times of the year - for example,
on Midsummer morning it is considered to have extra healing power and
during the winter is is used to aid clairvoyance. |
