NPPF Comm3: Birch

[Jasper Fidget]

p. 126
"the avenue of birches"

Reminiscent of the avenue of Shakespeare's trees at WU (p. 99, etc).
Birches are common to both New England and Russia.

Birch
Betulaceae

Betula sp.(most used:
Yellow Birch - B. alleghaniensis or B. lutea;
Sweet/Black Birch - B. lenta;
Canoe Birch - B. papyritea;
European White Birch - B. alba).

In the Celtic oghram alphabet the Birch is Beth - B, and the symbol of the
Bardic school, called by the folk names Beithe, Bereza, Berke, Beth,
Bouleau, Lady of the Woods, Birth, and constituting the month Dec 24th to
Jan 20th according to Graves.

It is the tree of guidance and orientation, providing light in the darkness
and direction in the unknown, "birch" meaning "bright" or "shining" in
Indo-European and Sanskrit, possibly from the Anglo-Saxon "beorgan" meaning
"to protect or shelter."  

Considered feminine and associated with the planet Venus and the element
water to the Celts; and with the god Thor to the Norse; it is the "Tree of
Birth" and the "Pioneer Tree," the tree that one plants first in order to
bring about the birth of the forest.  It represents new starts, new
journeys, its whiteness symbolizing cleanliness and determination in
overcoming difficulties.

Superstitions include exorcism -- the use of bound birch twigs to strike
people or animals possessed by evil spirits; in Britain it was used to
strike criminals in order to purify them of their misdeeds and sins; and in
Russia one would hang a stem of it tied with a red ribbon to rid themselves
of the evil eye.

Birch is the wood favored by witches for the fashioning of brooms.  May
poles and Beltane fires in Britain used birch.  Birch beer is brewed from
the branches.  Its charcoal was used in the formulation of gun powder.

One of the Roman "three pillars of wisdom" (with Oak and Yew)

http://www.treelore.com/treelore/archives/00000002.html
http://www.treelore.com/treelore/archives/00000002.html