Rowan

Also known as 'Mountain Ash', the Rowan tree (sorbus aucuparia) was once widely planted for its supposedly beneficial effect in driving away witches! All parts are astringent and have been used in tanning and producing a black dye. The wood was traditionally used for poles and barrel hoops.

The bark and fruit (either fresh or dried) have been used medicinally - a decoction of bark is taken for diarrhoea and the ripe berries are used to make an astringent gargle for sore throats and inflamed tonsils. To stimulate the appetite, a teaspoonful of rowan jam taken daily is recommended.

Flowers May to July
Fruits in August



PLEASE NOTE: These notes on the history and use of herbs have been compiled for general interest and are not intended as medical advice, for which you should consult a professional herbalist.

BIBLIOGRAPY:
‘Herbs and Healing Plants of Britain and Europe’ Dieter Podlech (1987)
'A Modern Herbal' Mrs M. Grieve FRHS ed. Mrs C. F. Leyel (1973)

Woodland Appeal

I'm wondering whether anyone in the UK who sees this in time might be able to help - The Woodland Trust are appealing for people to ring up and vote for their project to create a new wood near Colchester, Essex to win lottery funding (see details below).

The phone number to ring is 0871 626 8803 and the call must be before midnight tonight (Wed 26th November).

Many thanks for your help!


****** FROM THE WOODLAND TRUST WEBSITE ******

We need your urgent help. Our appeal to create a new wood at Elmstead Market in Colchester Essex has the chance to win nearly £50,000, as part of the Big Lottery Fund's People's Millions contest - but only if it gets enough telephone votes.

As well as protecting ancient woodland and providing habitat for endangered wildlife, like barn owls, buzzards and water voles, the new wood will provide people with more green spaces - if we can raise enough funds.

If you'd like to help, please call the voting number which will be released during the ITV Anglia East evening news and on the Big Lottery Fund website from 9am until midnight - on Wed 26th November.



Thank you in advance,

Mark Brown
Woodland Trust grants officer

Oak Galls

This morning I stumbled across these photos lying forgotten on my phone since a wonderful late summer walk in the Essex/Suffolk countryside back in August. There were lots of these galls on the oaks we passed, along with lots of healthy looking acorns.





I particularly liked this (slightly blurry!) one, where you can see the tinge of red..



I didn't know anything about oak galls, except that they were used for making ink in medieval times and had a lot of tannin, so I did a bit of reading up and thought other folks might also like to see the links I found. I had no idea that there were so many different types and was glad to discover that the wasps that make them don't pose any real threat to the trees.

Here's what the RHS have to say, here's a picture of a 'Knopper Gall' which seems the closest to my photos (double click to enlarge)

Here are Wikipedia entries on the 'Knopper Gall' in particular and Gall Wasps in general

and here is a link to the British Plant Gall Society with instructions for recording oak gall sitings.