The Rowan Tree

The rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia), also known as the mountain ash or 'Billey Keirn' in Manx, is a deciduous tree native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Culturally, it has a deep connection with folklore and mythology, particularly in Celtic traditions, such as that of the Isle of Man. Rowan trees are glorious at this time of year due to their clusters of brightly-coloured berries and I thought it would be a good time for a sketch and blog post about these interesting trees.

The cultivar of rowan I have growing in my garden bears light-pink berries. These are generally ignored by birds in favour of the orange or red berries on native rowan trees. I sketched the berries and leaves loosely using a dip pen with 'Weeping Willow' and 'Cashmere Rose' Diamine inks, along with a little bit of graphite pencil over the top.

The native rowan tree has delicate, pinnate leaves (the leaves are formed from leaflets arranged either side of the leaf stem) and clusters of bright red or orange berries that make it a distinctive sight, especially in late summer and autumn. Although it is often referred to as mountain ash due to its similar leaf shape to ash trees, the rowan tree is part of the rose family. Rowan trees thrive in a variety of conditions, often growing in mountainous regions and surviving in poorer soils, making them a resilient species. They can reach heights of 10 to 15 meters, providing a habitat for various birds and insects.

Rowan berries are often orange or red in colour and hang in dense clusters.

The rowan tree has been considered a protective tree, believed to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. The berries, often used in making jams, jellies, and alcoholic beverages, were thought to have magical properties, and the tree itself was sometimes planted near homes to keep evil away.

In Scottish, Irish and Manx traditions, rowan branches were placed above doors or livestock sheds to offer protection. In the Isle of Man small branches were fashioned into a small cross and placed over the door and in the tails of animals to protect from bad luck. The crosses are known as 'Crosh Cuirn' and are particularly made on May Day Eve ('Oie Voaldyn'). This has historically been considered the 11th of May, due to that being the date in the to the old style calendar, but is now thought of as the evening before May the 1st. Culture Vannin has made a video 'The Crosh Cuirn: A Manx Tradition for May Day Eve' to show how a Crosh Cuirn is made and has a collection of historical resources on its website.

I found a rowan tree with yellow berries on a walk around Ramsey. It was heavily laden with berries and looked quite beautiful in the sunlight.

The rowan tree also plays a significant role in supporting wildlife. Its berries are a vital food source for birds like thrushes, waxwings, and blackbirds during the colder months when food is scarce. The tree's flowers, which bloom in spring, attract pollinators such as bees and other insects, contributing to local ecosystems. Additionally, its hard, durable wood has been used historically for making tools, walking sticks, and even charms or talismans.

Sketch of Bishopscourt by Miss Georgina Gore Currie in the 1800's. Photo courtesy of Manx National Heritage.

When I searched for 'mountain ash' on the iMuseum website, I found the following description of Bishopscourt, along with the lovely pencil sketch above.

"The walks and grounds are capable of being made very pretty and the garden is still very productive it has been long under great neglect, we noticed some very large Mountain Ash and Portugal Laurels with a few shrubs of the rarer kind. An English gardener whom his lordship has lately brought over has already begun to make some alterations for the better.”

(Samuel Dukinfield Swarbreck, Tour through the Isle of Man by Captain William Latham, July 1815) Courtesy of Manx National Heritage.

It's wonderful how such a sketch can survive so long and still be enjoyed today. It provides such a tangible link between the viewer now and the artist who drew it over a hundred years ago.

I always thought all of the red berry bearing trees in my street were rowans, but when I was taking photos for this post, I realised that only the nearest one was and it had actually been been stripped of its berries. The other trees with the red berries appear to be whitebeams and have very different leaf shapes. I'd also never noticed the rowan tree with the yellow berries before despite the fact that I must have walked past it several times in the past, at this time of year. As someone who's so interested in nature, it surprised me that I could be so unobservant. It just goes to show the value of making time to really look at nature as we can miss so much beauty otherwise.

Until next week,

Emma