Elder Tree Meaning & Myths
Celtic Tree Calendar Art

Explore elder tree meaning, symbolism and myths with me as we uncover the Celtic Tree Calendar...

Elder

This is part of my Celtic Tree Calendar project which I did over 2020-2021. If you'd like to find out more about the Celtic Tree Calendar (what it is and where it came from), you can do that here...

Elder tree art print

Meet the Elder Tree

Elder is one of our smaller hedgerow trees, growing wild in many places and self-seeding often.

It’s a tree that humans have used for thousands of years - and has a lot of folklore and superstition attached to it…

It’s thought that the name ‘elder’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon words ‘ellaern’ meaning ‘hollow tree’ and/or ‘aeld’ meaning fire, as the hollow twigs were used to spark a fire into life by blowing air into it.

The Anglo-Saxons also used the words ‘eller’ and ‘kindler’ to refer to the wood of the elder, so we can see how the word ‘elder’ started to evolve (as well, perhaps as the word 'kindling').

Elder tree

Elder Tree Meaning & Myths

Elder has long been associated with the otherworld in our traditions, and also has an intriguing association with an elderly woman – the ‘elder’ perhaps?

In Scandinavian, Germanic and British folklore and beliefs, the elder tree was linked to the figure of the ‘Elder Mother’ also known as ‘Lady Elder’ or ‘Lady Ellhorn’ – she was the protector and guardian of the tree – so you should always ask permission of the Elder Mother before you touch or cut her tree.

In Denmark, the Elder Mother is called the ‘Hyldemoer’ and she was believed to live amongst the roots of the elder tree – she was mother to the elves.

The Elder Mother was once seen as a powerful and benign protector but as time went on, she started to become more feared as a witch and was associated with the tradition of the ‘old woman’ crone goddess and the wise woman of winter, the ‘Cailleach’, who guarded the gateways between the earthly world and the otherworld.

So the Elder Mother became linked to the roles of midwife and childbirth (which were seen as closer to death in earlier times), women and children, death and guardianship of souls.

Elder is also the tree of the Germanic goddess Holda (or Frau Holda) who brings unborn children to their mothers. She protects the children and rocks their cradles at night. She is the guardian of women’s crafts and helps those women who keep a clean and well-ordered home.

Holda is also the ‘old woman of winter’ and leads the Wild Hunt to guide souls into the otherworld. She’s also known as Frau Woden or Frau Odin.

As well as being a ‘crone goddess’, Holda is a beautiful young seductress – a fairy woman and a forest spirit called a ‘huldra’ with a hollow back like a tree trunk and a cow’s tail. She’s seen as a kindly spirit and protects men of the forest, charcoal burners and woodsmen, as well as dairy maids – and sometimes appears in the form of a dairy maid.

Elder tree

Elder trees were often seen growing at sites of sacred springs and pools – gateways to the otherworld – and were often planted outside homes where the inhabitants hoped to gain the protection of the Elder Mother.

Like other ‘wise women’ of the times, the Elder Mother was sorely needed for her protection and healing – but at the same time her power was feared and she was hated as a ‘witch’.

It was said that witches could transform into elder trees, and in Ireland, it was believed that witches rode elder sticks (rather than broomsticks). While in Denmark, it was said that the elder trees actually came to life and crept around at night peeping through people’s windows in a menacing manner.

It’s said that an elder witch turned a Danish king into stone as he sought the English crown – he and his men became the Rollright Stones on the Warwickshire/Oxfordshire border and the witch became their guardian elder tree…

“Though and thy men hoar stones shall be

And I myself an elder tree.”

People would dance around the stones with elder in their hair and seek out the elder witch at Midsummer’s Eve – but in later years, they came to cut the tree and ‘bleed’ the witch from fear at her power.

In areas of Europe, including Britain, elderly country folk would sometimes still doff their hat when they pass an elder tree to acknowledge and show respect to the Elder Mother.

Elder

Fear of the Elder

At one time, elder was never used as firewood and it was believed that burning elder 'raised the Devil' and brought death and disaster.

Elder was also said to taint water in wells, and taint food which was prepared with implements made of elder, or that had been cooked over an elder fire.

Elder furniture was said to creak, warp and break and could spitefully splinter anyone unlucky (or foolish!) enough to be using it.

It was said that pregnant women should avoid stepping on elder leaves for fear of miscarriage – and a baby in a cradle of elder could be pinched and bruised by the Elder Mother.

Farmers would not use elder wood with their livestock – they would not even whip or drive their animals with elder. An animal or child whipped with an elder withy would, it was said, “fade away and never thrive.”

Romany gypsies called the elder tree the ‘Devil’s Eye’ (Yakori bengeskro). And it was said that witches would stir a bucket of water with an elder twig in order to call up storms or bad weather.

In the Irish Celtic tale of ‘The Headless Phantom’ the hero Fionn mac Cumhail faces monsters as he spends the night in an otherworldly house where elder logs are left burning through the night.

It was believed that you could slip into that otherworld by sleeping under an elder tree – perhaps stolen away by fairies! You should be particularly careful on Midsummer’s Eve when the fairy folk are about and the gateways to the otherworld are open!

Elder Association with Death

Hearse drivers would make their whip handles from elder – due to the association with elder as being able to guide and protect the soul enroute to the otherworld.

Elders growing on graves were said to the signify that the dead were happy – and more importantly, would not walk abroad!

Elder was often seen as a symbol of death or the afterlife – and was linked to the wood of the crucifixion cross and also said to be the tree that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from.

Elder tree

Tree of Protection

But elder was used for protection too – and specifically protection from witchcraft. People planted elder trees close to their home to protect them from evils, lightning and witchcraft – and with the link back to Holda and the Elder Mother, in order to bring fertility.

Elder crosses were hung over doorways and windows for protection. Elder leaves gathered on April 30th were said to protect from witches and also had healing properties. And elder berries were also gathered, especially on St John’s Eve, to protect from witchcraft.

While in Wales, women stencilled around elder leaves as they washed their floors, to give protection from witches.

Elderberries

Tree of Healing

Elder was also used widely for healing – including for winter coughs, colds, fevers, and catarrh, as well as for toothache and rheumatism.

The leaves could be used to help heal wounds and the berries were useful both for constipation and diarrhoea.

Elderflower water could be used for fevers, flus, and rheumatism, and externally as a facial cleanser and skin conditioner and eye lotion.

Elderflowers

A green elder stick could be rubbed on warts and then buried, and a similar remedy was also used for fevers – but take care if you ever dig up an elder stick as it could pass that same fever (or wart) to you!

It’s said that elder berries collected on St. John’s Day could cure baldness – but if you already have hair, you might prefer to use them as a black hair dye, as the Celts once did, or even to dye wool or other textiles.

Elder leaves were said to repel all kinds of pests, from mice, rats, flies and fleas – and crops would be whipped with elder leaves to avoid being lost to blight.

Elder in your pockets could save you from saddle sores and also remove temptation to adultery.

Elderberries

Elder flowers were often used in weddings to bring good luck to the happy couple.

And the hollow elder sticks were made into musical wind instruments which give the elder its Latin name ‘Sambucus’ after the Italian musical pipes made of elder ‘sampognas’ or the stringed elder musical instrument ‘sackbut’.

As a flower essence, elder is used for balance between this earthly world and the otherworld and its meaning is connected to a balancing of energies, the otherworld, protection, wisdom (like the elder wise woman), healing, and responsibilities in society. Elder is cooling and brings calm thought along with the wisdom of years.

Elderflowers

Celtic Elder Tree Art

Elder tree drawings

I've actually created two versions of my Celtic Elder art:

• the standard version (no dates)

• a Celtic Tree Calendar version with dates added (24 November – 23 December) which correspond to the month for the elder - ideal for birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions between these dates (learn about the Celtic Tree Calendar here...)

UNDATED Elder tree art

UNDATED elder art

DATED Elder art: 24 Nov-23 Dec

DATED elder art

You can buy my Celtic Elder art as wall art prints and home products from my Redbubble store:

• wide variety of products including T-shirts, cushions, throws, shower curtains, mugs, phone/tech cases, clocks, pouches, bags and much more...
• fast international delivery from your closest manufacturing location
• customs refund if you're charged

Here's a little taster below - you can click on each image below to be taken directly to the item, or browse everything available via the two links above (dated/undated), and also at the bottom of the page for your convenience...

Please be careful to select the correct version that you prefer - all items are available in both versions (with or without dates relating to the Celtic Tree Calendar month of the Elder), so if in doubt, please select from one of the main dated/undated links and browse individual products from there!

Elder mini art block

Celtic elder tree coasters

Celtic elder tote bag

Celtic elder tree mini art print

Celtic Elder throw blanket

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How to Buy

Please remember there are two versions of my Celtic Elder tree artwork - the standard version (no dates) and the Celtic Tree Calendar version with the dates for the Celtic Tree Calendar month of the Elder (24th November to 23rd December) - use the links here or just below to explore everything available in that version to find the print or product you want...

UNDATED Elder tree art

UNDATED elder art

DATED Elder art: 24 Nov-23 Dec

DATED elder art

Explore more Celtic art here and more Celtic tree art here..

​Learn all about the Celtic Tree Calendar and see my other trees here...

Further Reading

• Celtic Tree Magic – book by D. Forest
• Tree Wisdom – book by J.M. Paterson
• Vickery’s Folk Flora – book by R. Vickery
• Discovering the Folklore of Plants –book by M. Baker
• Plant Lore and Legend – book by R. Binney

Please note that the information in this piece is for entertainment only and should not be used to diagnose or prescribe for health purposes.