The Alder Tree

The magical, mystical Alder Tree.  Not to be confused with the Elder Tree.  (Please feel free to check out my blog on the Elder Tree if you want to learn more about him).  grovewitch.com/the-elder-tree/

The Alder Tree is associated with the Season of Fall/Autumn and the element of Water in all its history and folklore.  They like to grow in clay/wet soil near bogs, swamps and rivers.  However, interestingly enough, Alder is also associated with the element of Fire.  Therefore, it is seen as a tree of balance; fire and water, masculine and feminine, yin and yang.  Alder is also associated with the planet Mars and the Moon, again fire and water.

Alder is a very smooth, workable type of wood and therefore many things were made from it from kitchenware to tools and more.  Another interesting fact, as Alder thrives in water and does not rot or decay, the City of Venice is built on Alder wood.  

Reference: 

https://www.letsbuild.com/blog/how-they-built-venice

History and Folklore

Many bridges and causeways were made of Alder as well, as they stretched over bodies of water and could stand the test of time.  Which led the Alder to be associated as a ‘bridge’ to other worlds.  It was also known as a ‘Warrior’ tree because weapons were commonly made of Alder; arrows, spears and especially shields.  If a man attacked you with his axe or sword, and you blocked it with your Alder shield, the ax or sword would become stuck and therefore they had lost their weapon to you.  And of course, many ships were made from Alder because again, it does not rot or decay, but holds up very strong in water.

In the Ogham Alphabet, Alder is represented as the letter ‘F’ or ‘Fearn.’  This symbol can represent warriors, protection or milk (milk buckets). 

The most famous Folklore probably appears in the Welsh poem, the ‘Battle of the Trees,’ from the “Book of Taliesin.”  It speaks to the belief of animism and reincarnation. The Alder has been ‘reborn’ time and again as a spear, as a harp, as a shield and more.  And in the battle, the Alder was the first one to step into battle as a warrior tree. It is also a ‘pioneer’ tree, like Birch, that will colonize new land.  For more on this fascinating folklore of the Alder Tree, I highly recommend checking out this video by ‘The Story Crow’ from which I learn much of my information from.  He is an expert on the history and folklore of all trees.

Healing and Medicinal Properties

Alder is anti fungal, anti inflammatory and anti bacterial and has astringent properties as well.  The bark can be used to place on cuts, wounds, acne, boils, or burns to speed up healing by relieving inflammation and fighting infection.  The buds and mature leaves can be used in teas or tinctures as well to support liver function in breaking down waste and fats. You can mix it with other teas like chamomile, orange or peppermint if the taste is slightly too bitter for you.  

For more information on healing and medicinal uses of Alder, check out this great article here:

Alder

Spiritual Properties

Alder is said to bring strength, peace and increase your intuition.  It also brings courage as we have seen it is known as a ‘warrior’ tree and it brings balance, of course, as mentioned above. It represents the cycle of birth, death and rebirth as well.  Therefore, along with its connection to the spirit worlds, it can help connect you to your ancestors and your past lives.  Odin, Bran, Apollo, Aphrodite and Pan, are some of the Deities associated with the Alder tree.  And of course it was a very popular tree with witches and druids, as it was known to increase intuition and connect one to the otherworlds.

For more on the spiritual properties of Alder check out this article:

https://magickalspot.com/alder/?srsltid=AfmBOop_5oDpl4_zhYB4XET5qbaquXp0dLYSvSylr_IP_ZNhf_c0aZBH

Thank you for joining me again to talk about the amazing Alder Tree!  As always, be good to yourself, each other and Mother Gaia! Take any small step you can towards living a Greener Life!  And join me for my next blog on trees/plants/herbs.  Don’t forget to follow me on FB or IG!  Many fairy blessings!

-AF- The Grove Witch