Properties of Woods

The information below is gathered from a variety of sources- Druidic tree lore, assorted magickal texts, and to no small extent, my own subjective experiences shaping and handling the various species. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary. Please bear with me- This page is a continual work in progress.

The seven sacred trees of the Celts are Ash, Alder, Apple, Birch, Holly, Oak, and Willow. Also of interest may be the Ogham, or Celtic tree alphabet.

In Norse tradition, Yggdrasil was thought to be either an Ash or Yew.

Many Wiccan traditions suggest a wand made from Ebony't

Ash US, Europe, Asia	A heavy, strong, light colored wood with a prominent open grain, similar to oak.	Symbolizes strength, protection, and the sea, although some also attribute it with solar energy. The most traditional wood for norse runes. In the Ogham, it represents change and growth.
Alder Africa, Europe, Japan	An orangish to reddish brown wood with darker streaks	In the Ogham, alder represents Guidance, prophecy, and intuition.
Almond US	A rich, light to medium brown wood with a nicely contrasting darker grain.	Associated with Jupiter, and specified by Abramelin for use in ceremonial magick. Also considered to have properties relating to healing, prosperity and wisdom.
Apple US, Europe	A surprisingly hard wood that ranges from light amber to rich honey brown. The inner bark can be skimmed to reveal a stunning grain pattern not unlike damascus steel.	Used for love, fertility and health, apple also has strong connotations of harvest.
Birch US, Europe	A light wood with medium hardness and a distinctive papery bark. Takes stains very well. Native to US, Europe	Associated with birth, new beginnings, and feminine energy.
Blackthorn Europe		Often used for makings walking sticks or shillelaghs, Blackthorn represents battle, wounding, or death. It can also mean protection, much in the same way as the norse rune Thurisaz.
Cherry US, Europe	A rich red-amber toned wood that darkens with age.	A good wood for love, fertility, and divination.
Ebony, Gaboon West Africa	A nearly grainless jet-black wood. Very hard and heavy.	One of the first chioces for magical tools, ebony represents the moon, mystery, and the strong energy of high magick. It is an extremely powerful magickal wood, and works for nearly all types of ritual tools.
Ebony, Macassar India, Indonesia	Generally a rich chocolate color with black grain. A very hard, heavy wood.	Similar magickal properties to gaboon ebony, but perhaps a bit "softer".
Ebony, Sun & Moon Africa	A variety of ebony with jet black streaks through a softer yellow grain.	One of the best choices for a wand that incorporates both male and female energies.
Elder Europe		Elder be ye Lady's tree burn it not or cursed ye'll be. Sacred to the moon goddess, folklore says that elder is used for protection and to ward off witches. Hum. According to the Lesser Key of Solomon, it is the preferred material for staves. Note that this is not the same wood as Box Elder, which is a variety of maple.
Hawthorn Europe	A light-to medium colored wood. Because the tree tends to grow small and is difficult to dry, it is not commonly available.	A milder cousin of blackthorn, hawthorn is considered sacred to faerie, and represents Obstacles, hostile forces, or complications in the ogham.
Hazel Europe		Associated with Cancer and Mercury. Recommended as a wand material by the Lesser Key of Solomon.
Holly US, Europe	A bright white, extremely dense and almost grainless- it resembles a white version of ebony, and is sometimes dyed and used as a substitute for it.	The male counterpart to Ivy, Holly is the tree of the Sun God at the Winter Solstice. Holly is considered a good wood for divination, and in the ogham, represents a test or challenge.
Lacewood Central and South America	A cinamon-orange colored tropical hardwood with a distinctive leopard/snakeskin pattern	Unknown
Lignum Vitae Australia	An oily, bright green to greenish brown wood with a lovely dark/light shaded grain.	Literally, the "Tree of Life". This has a very strong feeling of health and well being. Note: There are several completely different species from Australia, Haiti, and Asia all called lignum vitae. The one described is the one we use.
Mahogany Africa, Honduras, India	A soft, lightweight, medium brown wood with an open grain and even color.	A good wood for male fertility.
Maple US	A light colored wood with great variety in grain and hardness.	Holding special significance to New Englanders, maple is associated with longevity and prosperity.
Oak, Bog Europe	A deep black wood with a faint smell of peat moss. Sturdy, but a bit softer than fresh oak. Often has much splitting, cracks, and checking.	Bog oak is oak that fell and sank to the bottom of a peat bog thousands of years ago. Instead of decaying (there are little or no bacteria in the oxygen-fee environment) it becomes heavy, hard, and jet black like ebony. This highly sought after wood is imported from Ireland, is, very, very powerful, and has an average age of 3,000 to 8,000 years.
Oak, Red US, Europe	A hard, sturdy wood with open grain and a rich color that ranges from pinkish-brown to rust.	Represents strength, health, protection, and wisdom. Red oak tends to be a little "warmer" with it's energy than white oak.
Oak, White US, Europe	A hard, sturdy wood with open grain and a light brown color.	Generally the same as red oak, above.
Olivewood Mediteranian, Middle East	A smoooth wood with characteristic swirly grain of dark brown and honey beige. Smells distinctly of olives when first cut.	Used by Casanova and associated with the sign Ares. Olive is known for it's healing properties, and hass strong connotations for those with a Christian or Middleastern background.
Pink Ivory Africa	A tropical hardwood with a bright pink color. Pink ivory is a protected species and is harvested only by permit in limited quantities.	Connected to the Sun, pink ivory was said to be the royal wood of the Zulu people.
Poplar US, Europe	A fairly sturdy pale beige to light brown wood.	In the Ogham, Poplar represents a rite of passage or coming to terms with your own fear.
Purpleheart Mexico to South America	A hard, dense wood with open grain and a truly striking purple color that darkens with age.	A warm wood that has a feeling of the feminine or the feminine side of the male, if that makes sense to you. One of my customers has a very cool post on his blog with his own speculation on purpleheart's relationship to Qaballah
Redheart Central America	A tropical wood with tones ranging from deep crimson to bright orange.	Seems to have a feeling of Mars- the strength and steadfast fire of the warrior.
Rowan Europe	A dense, sturdy wood somewhat akin to ash.	Often used for protection. Traditional wood for druid's staves in some traditions. The North American mountain ash is a close relative of the european rowan, and is sometimes used as a substitute.
Tulipwood Central and South America	A wood distinguished by it's bright red and yellow grain pattern. A member of the rosewood family.	Judging by the people I have seen attracted to this wood, it seems to be connected to the warmth and safety of the hearth and the Empress tarot card.
Vine Various speicies found on every continent	Vines local to New England have a high sap content and dry to a hard, very light, even color with a tight grain.	Vine is known for it's sheer tenacity, and ability to endure hardship. In the Ogham, vine is associated with harvest and celebration.
Walnut US	A rich dark brown wood with a soft texture and varieties from light to heavy weight	Often used for wisdom, mental prowess, and psychic powers
Willow US, Europe	A very soft, lightweight, "whippy" sort of wood with light-medium greyish brown color.	A good wood for healing, divination, and protection
Yew US, Europe	A yellowish softwood with a darker colored heartwood.	Nearly every part of the yew is toxic, and the wood is used to make superior bows. Both probably contribute to it's association with death and winter.