Rowan: All hail the Witchwood; the high-flying hero of Thor & dairy-maids!

Our twenty-eigth tree, the Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia). One of the most elegant and tasteful (not to mention tasty - to birds) trees that you can find throughout the British Isles. It has been worshipped by Pagans and Christians alike for its spiritual power and symbolism. It repels witches, frustrates adders, arouses dairymaids, seduces birds and stops Norse Thunder-gods from drowning in piss. This is the “bird-catcher”, "tank-destroyer" and “human-fascinator”; a tree revered for centuries; a tree that has accompanied man on a number of its destructive escapades. And did we mention that it shares one of its MANY names with our host - Rowan David Oakes? (Special thanks to Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson and Al Petrie for adding their voices to this episode.) More from David Oakes as he uproots the secrets and stories beneath the 56(ish) Native Trees of the British Isles can be found at: https://www.treesacrowd.fm/56Trees/

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