NAME: Aspen
GAELIC NAME:  Eadha (old irish)

LATIN NAME:  Populus tremula

FAMILY:

RELATED SPECIES: Black Poplar (Populus nigra)
MEDICINAL PART:  Leaves and bark
PLACE OF ORIGIN:  Ireland, Britain, Europe, Northern Africa, Northern Asia.
HABITAT:  Wet lowlands, and along water-bearing ditches, prefers moist soils.
DESCRIPTION:  Hardy deciduous tree, brances grow upwards giving a very distinctive shape to the tree.  Grows up to a height of 20m, reaches full maturity at 50 years.
FLOWERING PERIOD:  Flowers in March, leaves appear in April to May, Fruit appears in May.

PROPERTIES:  Astringent

DISTRIBUTION: Natural distribution through airborne seeds.  Fresh seeds germinate quickly, but lose their vigour over time.

USES: Matches, Floorboards, Wood-Pulp, Wooden Shoes, Sandals.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES

GENDER: Feminine 
PLANET: Neptune
ELEMENT: Water 
POWERS: Death :: Exorcism :: Old Age

OGHAM LETTER: E eadha  

DEITIES:  Morrigan :: Dagda :: Cailleach Beara
RITUAL USES

Use in rituals associated with death, hold a branch while keening a loved one.

MAGICAL USES

The Aspen was considered to be an unlucky tree and was used to curse people or things.  A wand of Aspen was used to measure graves and the dead and was found in burial places see: - On the Bethluisnin by Charles Graves.  It was considered odious to touch the aspen wand and one could carve oghams in it of odious things to purge them from yourself or surroundings.  It has very similar properties to the Alder.

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