The Magic of the Willow Tree

I’ve always loved willow trees — there’s something majestic and powerful about them. Willows are often found on the banks of creeks and rivers, or in other areas where there’s a lot of water. In my last house, we had a low lying area in the back yard that pooled a lot of water when it rained, so we planted a willow there, and it thrived almost immediately, growing from a small sapling to a giant behemoth in just a few short years.

Melody Rose over at Dave’s Garden says,

Many notable sayings and practices were born around the willow. One of the most common traditions today has its roots in an old Celtic custom. If you knock on a willow tree, it is said to send away bad luck and that is where the custom of ‘touch wood’ or ‘knock on wood’ originated. European peoples also believed the wind in the willow leaves were elves who whispered and talked among themselves as people were passing underneath… It is also said that if you confess your secrets to a willow tree, the secret will be forever trapped inside the wood. Native Americans tied willow branches to their boats to protect them from storms and to their lodges for the protection of the Great Spirit.

In the Celtic tree calendar, willow is associated with the springtime, specifically the period from April 15 to May 12, and the willow moon was known as Saille, pronounced Sahl-yeh. It’s believed that a willow planted near your home will keep danger away, especially the kind that comes from storms or floods. In a related tradition, that of the Celtic Ogham, the Saille symbol is associated with willow, and is representative of knowledge and spiritual growth.

In folk medicine, willow has been used for healing in a variety of ways. Willow bark tea was used to treat fevers, rheumatism, coughs, and other inflammatory conditions in Europe and North America. In addition to its use as a healing herb, willow’s flexible, bendable wood was harvested for the crafting of baskets, small curricles, and even bee hives.

In many magical traditions, the witch’s broom, or besom, is constructed using willow. Thanks to its association with inspiration and prophecy, making a wand from a willow branch can be a great addition to your magical tool kit. It’s also strongly connected to the moon and water, in addition to women’s mysteries. Use willow branches — or get crafty and make a basket or other magical items — by soaking them to make them pliable, and then bending them into the shape you need.