- Latin name
- Sorbus aucuparia
- Element
- fire
- Planet
- Sun
- Safe to eat?
- No, not for eating or drinking
How to use it
- Bind two twigs into an equal-armed cross with red thread
- Hang a sprig of berries over the door
- String dried berries as a protective necklace
- Carry a small piece of the wood as a charm
Lore
In Snorri's Edda, Thor saved himself from a flooding river by grasping a rowan, so the tree was called Thor's rescue. Across Scotland and northern England a rowan cross tied with red thread was hung to keep witchcraft from homes and byres.
Safety
Raw rowan berries contain parasorbic acid, which upsets the stomach, and the seeds should not be eaten. They are only used after cooking, usually in jellies. Do not eat raw berries, and keep them away from children and pets.
Not for eating or drinking.
Gods linked with it
- Thor The Thunderer, protector of gods and people
More fire herbs
- Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus
- Peppermint Mentha x piperita
- Calendula Calendula officinalis
- Bay Laurel Laurus nobilis
- Basil Ocimum basilicum
- Cinnamon Cinnamomum verum
- Juniper Juniperus communis
- St John's Wort Hypericum perforatum