The Blackthorn

-Botanical

Latin name: Prunus Spinosa

The Blackthorn is a little prickly tree. It's very useful to make defensive hedges. Furthermore, cattle don't like its fruits, and are frightened about these thorns, which is a security for the owner.
Birds like its fruits, and disperse its seeds everywhere. This specie of little tree is very invasive, and like to grow in waste lands.
It has white flowers in March/May. Its little fruits are purple. The Blackthorn can grow until 6 meters high.

-Customs, Legends and Mythology


Gaelic name: Straif
Month: None
Color: Purple
Letter in the Ogham: SS, Z, ST
Meaning: Resentment, confusion, refusing to see the truth

The Blackthorn tree is esoterically known as both the Mother of the Woods and the Dark Crone of the Woods. The English word "strife » come from the Celtic name of this tree « Straif ».
This tree has the most sinister reputation in the Celtic tree calendar. In the Christian folklore, Blackthorn is associated to Witches. That's why in the Middle Age, Witches and heretic people were burned in Blackthorn stakes.
This tree is also associated with warfare, wounding and death, linked with the Irish Morrigan.

-Healing

Blackthorn fruits are astringents and tonic, because they contain tannin and vitamins. In decoction, the Blackthorn is a laxative, and these fruits were used against diarrheas.

-Physical uses

Blackthorn's fruits, the sloe berry, can be eaten, fresh or cooked in marmalades. They can also produce a famous liquor, and eau-de-vie.
This little fruit is eaten since a very long time, because they were found in archaeological site from the Mesolithic and Iron Age period.
This tree can grow very quickly, that's why it's appreciated to consolidate sloping fields.
Its wood is very strong, and used to create sticks, and in construction works.