Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)

Of all the trees that grows so fair,
Old England to adorn,
Greater are none beneath the Sun
Than Oak and Ash and Thorn.

- Puck of Pook’s Hill, "A Tree Song" by Rudyard Kipling, 1906

Among the trees associated with wintertime lore the blackthorn or Dranenen ddu in Welsh sometimes called the Mother of the Woods is enigmatic of the season. Blackthorn is a deciduous shrub that can grow to very large proportions thus resembling that of a small tree. Its creamy-white petals amongst the ovular leaves sprout in early spring, which conceals within the playful façade long thorns; the fruit ripens with the first frost and sweetens it, but have been known to be bitter. The autumn’s chill yellows the leaves and upon their departure leaves a contorted black skeleton to contrast the winter-white.

Mythologically speaking blackthorn represents the dark half of the years; her sister the hawthorn completes this duality as they are sisters; blackthorn reigns at Hallowe’en, where as the hawthorn during the eve of May. As the thorn of Glastonbury blooms twice in a year so it has been said that the blackthorn blooms on Christmas Eve as well. Why? Well it is reputed to be on of the tree that composes the thorny crown of Christ. The folkloric uses of the blackthorn are numerous. Wreaths of blackthorn and mistletoe were fashioned to procure luck for the coming year, as well as a garland when wassailing the apple trees; the ashes of the blackthorn crowns were an auspicious curio to insure the fertility of the fields as well.

As for the witches…Christian folklore associates blackthorn with them as a sinister tree with baneful intentions. A rod of this wood could be used as (what the witches call) a blasting rod. Major Thomas Weir was executed by fire in 1970 as a witch for his blackthorn staff carved with a satyr head alleged to posses extraordinary powers. The thorns could be used a pins to puncture the doll wrought in their victim’s image. Also let us not forget the witches of South Devon who were supposed to carry walking sticks of blackthorn used to cause mischief.

Of course modern witches use blackthorn in their protection charms; auspicious times for the collection of such materials are on the eve of February and the night of Hallowe’en. As these are days are in sacred to the blackthorn. As the eve of February ushers in the light of the New Year and Hallowe’en prepares us for the darkness of the waning year.