generic name: sorbus (celtic:bitter) with more than 100 different kinds which belong to the rose family. Can grow up to 20 m height and get 200 years old. We find her all over the northern hemisphere from North America to Asia. In Iceland she is the only real tree at all to find. The red fruits still bear the 5 sepals in form of a pentagram. Hardly another tree was so favoured by sorcerers, witches and druids of nearly all peoples. For them it was the tree of revival, touching others and things with their magic sticks made from rowan wood or to spellbind demons. Celtic druids were burning mighty mountain ash fires south of the battle field invoking demons with magic songs to fight on their side and were planting her on oracle- and thing-places. In Scandinavia she is linked with Thor ,the god of thunderbolt, once saving his life. Beside of hazelnut also her wood is used for divining rods. Especially favoured were those rods "mounting" the fork of a branch of other trees namely the limetree, considered to be a "being between". She is consecrated to the irish-celtic muse Brigid, the goddess of heavenly inspiration and all arts. The coulours of dresses of the scottish clans are related to her. Brigantia (oldenglish) and Brigid are both the goddesses of weaving and spinning (weaving the neverending tissue of life) bearing tough arrows made of rowan and so are the spindles and spinningwheels made from ever since. The Celtic Imbolc-feast on Febraury 1. is consecrated to Brigid when she is awakening the ghost of the new year, being simultaneously the first of the four witch-sabbats. Celts associated this tree with premonition, vitality, revival and power of spirit, closely linked with snakes and dragons. In an Irish myth her fruits are guardened by a dragon having the nourishing value of nine meals. And in fact: they contain more vitamin C than oranges and lemons-good for rheumatism, gout, colds and kidney malfunction. In another irish legend rowan berries are called "the food of gods" along with apples and acorns