Start of Rowan Tree Month

The bird associated with the month of Rowan is the duck. The Druid Dhubh (Blackbird) also has an association with the Rowan tree since Blackbirds are fond of Rowan berries. Since each Rowan berry carries a minute pentagram, eating these berries is said to give the blackbird the ability to connect us with his healing song to the balancing and regenerative powers of the Otherworld and the Unconscious. The Celtic symbol of the month of Rowan is the Green Dragon. The color is red, and the gemstone is yellow chrysolite or the ruby. The Rowan is a Masculine herb that is associated with the element of fire, and is a tree of the sun and the planet Uranus. The tree is sacred to the deities of Rowan, Thor and Brighid (triple goddess of inspiration, healing and smithcraft). Rowan is also sacred to Oeagrus (father of Orpheus, who belonged to the sorb-apple cult) and to the White Goddess Aphrodite; Akka/Mader-Akka/Rauni (Finnish goddess of the harvest and of female sexuality); and the river goddess Halys/Alys/Elis (Queen of the Eleusine Islands). Irish Druids held Rowan trees sacred like Oaks and sometimes called it the 'Tree of Life'. Rowan wood is one of the nine traditional firewoods to be added to the Belfire that is burned at Beltane. In folklore the Rowan is regarded as the godmother of milk cows. When a calf is due to be named, the farmer goes to the wood before daybreak to cut a Rowan branch with a piece of copper just as the sun rises. He smacks the calf on the back with it and calls it by its name. After that he tethers it to the cowshed door, decorated with white ribbons and eggshells, and the calf stays safe and well. The Rowan is a favorite tree of the Otherkin. A Slavic tree spirit known as Musail, the forest tsar, king of the forest spirits, is associated with the Rowan tree. Rowan also has a vampiric association since it is, along with Garlic and Hawthorn, one of the most popular herbal vampire repellents.