Rowan

The Rowan tree makes a most astonishing view and probably this is why it has been so admired and evermore invoked in myths and popular legends. This tree can be found in each and every one of known mythologies, and every time it is mentioned, it gets referred to as a holy tree, bringer of life, sanctuary for the ill.

Each garden that grew a rowan tree was believed to be blessed by the gods, and this why every peasant and king tried to grow as many rowan trees as possible, hoping that the gods will bring them more favor, hoping that by praying below the branches of the rowan might cure their ill loved ones or rescue them from hunger.

The rowan is biological a member of the Rosaceae family, and its fruits are named rowan berries. The rowan berries are found in color varieties, from white to bright or dark pink. Once the berries are fully developed, they taste sweet and have many beneficial properties. The rowan berries are used for teas or consumed as they come, fresh, but since the life of the berries is farley limited in the tree and further more limited once they get picked up, the rowan berry season is very short. Most people use rowan fruits after they have been preserved as powder, teas or other assortments.

The odd thing about rowan trees is that they do not bare fruits each year. As if they live by a magical timeline, the rowans do show their bright white and wonderful flowers yearly, but the fruits can be seen only once in three years. Another odd thing is that the fruits grow in winter, and they are fully red and ripen at about Christmas time, making the tree look like it’s celebrating along with the rest of the world. Sometimes, even mistletoe grows on the rowan tree (mistletoes are a kind of parasite plant that grows on other trees, not being able to survive by itself). In the years that a rowan bears fruits and by accident mistletoe grows on it also, that certain tree is thought of as magical, enclosing miraculous properties if braches are picked from it and kept in the house during the cold season.

The roots of the rowan tree are believed to be situated in mythological times. Some countries even believe the rowan was the first tree on earth. Finnish stories reveal the existence of a goddess, named Rauni, goddess that descended to earth in order to be able to show her love to the local god of war. The earth was not populated, no living thing could be found on it, and the goddess chose to take the form of a rowan tree while she stayed here. The result of their love is believed to be all the flora of our planet. This is why some refer to the rowan tree as to the mother of all vegetation.