The elder Mother & Queen of Herbs ~ November 25th – December 21st. The Elder is the ultimate tree of the White goddess. A small tree and famous for its flowers which make the wonderful Elderflower cordial.

Price: £24.75

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Product Code: 00000028

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 The Elder Mother & Queen of Herbs ~ November 25th – December 21st.

The Elder is a small tree, rarely reaching more than five metres. It prefers lime-rich soil but is able to grow almost anywhere, producing flowers and fruit even in dense shade. An elder in bloom is said to herald the true arrival of summer and by June is covered in creamy sprays containing hundreds of flowers. They have a delicious smell and make a wine or cordial that tastes like Muscat grapes.

In Irish folklore, anyone who falls asleep under a flowering elder might never awaken, for the fragrance of the flowers can transport you to the faerie realms. The small green berries hang down in bunches and ripen to a dark rich purple at the end of summer and can be made into Elderberry wine. Virtually every part of the elder was useful medicinally and is known even today amongst herbalists. 

The Elder mother was believed to dwell in the tree and her English name was Lady Elhorn. She worked strong magic punishing all those who used her host tree cruelly. It was believed that the elder mother could cure all mankinds ills.

The enormous medicinal value of the elder was known by the Celts, the Britons and the Romans and certainly many before them. The Church had a rather ambiguous attitude to Elders because of its desire to crush anything pagan, so for many years it was considered to house evil although the elder was also said to be the wood of Christ’s cross.

Numerically the elder is the ultimate tree of the white goddess whose prime number is five. The Elder reminded the ancients of the need for honour and dignity at all times. It is most associated with regeneration and magic and was often used to undo evil spells. The Celts believed that people’s perception and memories of their lives would affect the way one was perceived in the otherworld. Therefore it was important to live a good and honourable life.

Colour Dark green,  Planet Venus,  Stone Olivine,  Polarity Feminine,  Element Water, Season Summer

Deities Hel, Hela, Holda, Holda Hilde.

Judgement + Transformation,   Death + Regeneration,  Fate + The Inevitable