Alder Tree Month

The Alder is the shield tree, both on the physical and spiritual levels.

Called ' the protection of the heart', it was highly prized. The wood is easy to work with, yet very tough and when first cut the sap is red, giving  the tree the appearance of bleeding. No doubt all these were reasons for its use in shield making. Nearly all parts of the tree can be used in dye making; the bark giving black, red or yellow, depending on the mordant used. Green comes from the catkins, the wood yields pink, early shoots yellow and later ones cinnamon. The bark is boiled and the resulting liquid is used to alleviate swellings, inflammation and rheumatism.

The Alder is also a tree of balance, bearing male and female catkins, the male being larger with purple scales and yellow flowers, the female being smaller, somewhat cone shaped, purple and later developing into cones. Also, because the Alder often grows in moist places it is one of the trees which unite all four of the Elements.

Because of its defensive properties Alder is often carried as protection, and a piece of Alder worn from the neck is said to be a good protection on spiritual journeys, such as meditation and astral travel. An Alder shield, made on the [psychic plane through visualization, is a good addition to your Astral Temple. Male catkins and female cones can be placed on the Altar to represent the God and Goddess, during workings for balance, or added to a charm bag to bring balance into daily life.

"From every seed you sow, may something wholesome grow."

~from the Real Witches Year by Kate West

Wonderful Lady Elaine
Just wish we had Alder here.

Sundown

I wish I know what it looked like, unfortunately, there are a few trees of major importance that i'm not sure what they look like...Rowen, Ash, Alderhawthorn...i live in PA  any one know how i could see some pictures or find descriptions???  Thank you for that Love and Light, Lav

Try these sites

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/commontr/

http://www.patrees.org/

http://treesofpa.com/

Hope that helps a bit

Sundown

Very interesting sites Sundown, thanks! I found the one with the forestry service here in Louisiana...its a great resource!

Lav, I don't know a lot of the trees where I live here in Louisiana either....it is fun to find out what they are! I bet the Autumns where you live are spectacular!

Thank you so much, every season is beautiful here...the winter, the way the snow clings to the evergreens and the way the ice forms along the streams where the tree branches have fallen....the spring, the waterfalls really start to flow and the local flowers, fall is absoulutely spectacular, we even have a local balloon festival so  to see the foliage better, soon enough i will have a camera that is computer compatible so i can show you all the beauty here.....Truest Blessings  Lav  again thank you for the sites!!!!