Olive

Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean Basin, but are now cultivated around the world. The olive tree is a drought tolerant evergreen, with oblong silvery green leaves.

They are generally short and squat, rarely exceeding fifteen metres in height. The trunks of olive trees are generally twisted and gnarled . The fruit of the olive tree are also called "olives", and are green or black depending on when they are harvested. 80% of olives are used for the production of olive oil. Olives grown for consumption are known as "table olives".

The olive tree is a symbol of friendship and reconciliation, healing and light; an olive branch is a symbol of peace. In the bible there are several references to olive oil being used for annointing, cleansing and healing. Mark 6.13 says:

They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

In the story of Noah's ark, the dove returning with an olive branch is seen as a symbol of new hope for mankind.

Olive oil is also mentioned in the bible as a fuel for lamps, soaking the wicks and giving light. The word "olive" in Greek means "to shine". The Hebrew word for olive tree is "es shemen" which means "tree of oil".

Holly

Holly can be either an evergreen or deciduous shrub or tree, featuring spiky, glossy green leaves and bright red berries throughout autumn and winter. Holly is native to the UK, throughout Europe and Western Asia.

Holly trees can grow up to fifteen metres in height with a lifespan of up three hundred years. The wood of the holly is white, hard and fine grained, and can be stained and polished. It is used to make furniture, and more commonly, walking sticks.

Holly is a valuable resource for wildlife, providing nesting for birds, and dry leaves can be used by hedgehogs and other small mammals for hibernation. The flowers are a source of pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinating insects, and the berries are a vital food source for birds and small mammals in winter.

In western herbalism, the soothing medicinal qualities of holly have been used to reduce fever, swelling and arthritis. The berries, however are poisonous to humans, and although rarely fatal, may cause vomiting and diarrhea.

The holly tree is sacred in Celtic mythology, symbolising peace and goodwill. It is known to be resistant to lightning strikes, and so was planted near dwellings to protect people. In Christian symbology, the spiky holly leaves represent the crown of thorns worn by Christ , and the red berries drops of His blood. The evergreen of the leaves symbolise eternal life.

Willow

Willow trees are generally native to northern temperate regions, mostly deciduous, and are usually found growing in wet ground, alongside rivers and streams.

Willows are shade tolerant and short lived. Weeping Willows are native to China and East Asia. Willow wood has a variety of uses including basket making, wicker furniture, boxes, brooms, and perhaps most famously, cricket bats.

Willow bark has medicinal properties, and has been used throughout history to treat pain, in particular, low back pain, osteoarthritis, headache, and some inflammatory conditions. The active medicinal ingredient in the willow bark is called "salicin", and is sometimes used as an alternative to asprin.

In folklore, willow branches were believed to ward off evil spirits, and were fastened over doorways to keep the occupants safe. Another piece of folklore said that if you knock your knuckles on a willow tree, this will banish bad luck. This is the origin of the saying "touch wood". Willow wood is often used to make water divining rods, and wands.

Willows are also mentioned in the bible; Psalm 137 begins:

"By the rivers of Babylon—there we sat down, and there we wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our harps."

In this verse the willow symbolises loss, however in the verse from Ezekiel 17 below, the willow represents revival:

"Then he took a seedling from the land, placed it in fertile soil;
a plant by abundant waters, he set it like a willow twig."

Pine

Pine trees are evergreen, coniferous and resinous, and vary in height, between three metres and eighty metres. They are found throughout the world, but are typically native to the Northern Hemisphere.

Pines are generally long lived, typically from one hundred years up to one thousand years, although some are known to have lived in excess of four thousand years. The wood of the pine is a softwood, commonly used in construction and for making furniture.

Pine seeds are an important food source for birds, squirrels and other small animals. They are also harvested and sold as "pine nuts" for human consumption.

Pine trees have also yielded other useful products; distilled pine resin produces turpentine, a well known solvent, and when mixed with tar water has been used by vets to rid animals of worms and parasites, to treat mange, and as an antiseptic, and stimulant for rheumatic swelling.

The resin has also been used externally by people to treat skin infections and joint inflammation. Pine needles have also been used traditionally by boiling in water to make an infusion for treating fever and coughs and urinary infections.

Around the world, the pine tree has existed as a cultural symbol over many centuries, representing longevity and wisdom, or fertility and life; it also a symbol of peace.

Ebony

Ebony is the very dense heartwood of tropical trees of the genus Diospyros, commonly found in India and Sri Lanka. Ebony is very dark brown to black in colour, the best quality is very heavy and nearly black. It is very hard and can be polished to a mirror finish; it is frequently used for cabinet work, inlaying, piano keys and knife handles. It was believed to react against poison, and for this reason was often used to make drinking cups.

Elm

The wood of the elm is very pliant and can withstand wet conditions. It was widely used in boat building, wagon wheels and bridge foundations. In medieval times, elm was frequently used to make longbows if yew was unavailable.

Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees that are widely found across the northern hemisphere. They can grow to a height of thirty metres, and live for one hundred years.

In mythology, the elm was associated with the underworld, melancholy and death, elm was traditionally used to make coffins. Elm was also used in a medicinal context; The inner bark of the elm was chewed or boiled to produce a liquid for treating colds and sore throats, and boiled bark was used to treat burns.

Ivy

Ivy is an evergreen, woody climbing plant which can grow to a height of thirty metres. It's climbing stems have specialised hairs which enable it to cling to surfaces as it climbs. The mature form of ivy can be self supporting.

There is a popular belief that ivy strangles trees, but this is a misconception, ivy causes no harm to trees whatsoever, and in fact, it supports at least fifty species of wildlife. There are two sub species of ivy in Britain, Hedera helix ssp. helix, which climbs, and Hedera helix ssp. hibernica, which is ground spreading.

Only mature plants produce flowers, and these are a yellowish green, which grow in dome shaped clusters. It also produces fruits, which are like black berries, growing in clusters. The nectar, pollen and berries, provide an important food source for insects and birds during autumn and winter. The berries have a high fat content, which ids nutritious for birds, and ivy provides shelter for insects, birds, bats and other small mammals.

Wearing a wreath of ivy leaves around the head, was reputed to prevent people from getting drunk. Bacchus, the Roman god of intoxication, is often depicted wearing a wreath of ivy and grapevines. Ivy was also a symbol of fidelity, and it was customary to present newly wed couples with a wreath of ivy, today ivy is still included in bridal bouquets. In ancient Rome, ivy symbolised intellectual achievement.

Pear

Pear trees are deciduous and usually grow to a height of approximately twelve metres, although some reach greater heights. They are native to southern, central and western Europe, and were introduced into the UK from AD 995.

The pear tree has oval pointed leaves with toothed edges and long stalks, and are light green in spring, turning yellow and then black in autumn. The bark is grey-brown and broken into small square shapes. The fruits grow on long stalks, ripening to a golden yellow colour, with sweet grainy textured flesh.

The fruit is a valuable food source for birds such as the thrush and blackbird, and the foliage provides a perfect habitat for caterpillars, providing food and shelter as they transition into moths and butterflies.

Pear wood, is popular in the construction of woodwind instruments and is also used for wood carving. It does not retain colour, smell or flavour and is resistant to warping and splintering, making it a valuable material for kitchen utensils, spoons and stirrers.

Pear trees have been used for medicinal purposes. pear tree bark is believed to have analgesic properties when boiled, and has been used to relieve the pain caused by sprains, twists and bruises. Infusions made from dry leaves are believed to have diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties, and help to alleviate urinary pain and disorders of the bladder and prostate. The fruit and especially the skin contains multiple beneficial compounds and vitamin C, which stimulate the immune system and contributes towards healthy bones.

Pear trees can live for up to two hundred and fifty years, to the ancient Chinese, the pear symbolised immortality. the pear appears in the song the Twelve Days of Christmas, in which a 'partridge in a pear tree' was sent by the subject's true love on the first day of Christmas. Pear trees only feature in the English version of this song. In ancient Greece, the pear was dedicated to the Goddess Hera, who represented women, and in particular wives and fidelity in marriage. It has been suggested that because of the feminine shape of the fruit and its sweet flavour, the pear may have been associated with early fertility cults. While "fruits" are mentioned in the bible, there are no specific references to pears.

Hazel

Hazel can be found throughout Europe, parts of north Africa, and western Asia. It's bendy stems make it a very useful tree, and it's nuts are enjoyed by people, squirrels and Hazel Dormice.

Its leaves are hairy, double toothed, and pointed at the tip. Hazel is "monoecious" which means that both male and female flowers are found on the same tree, and must be pollinated by pollen from other hazel trees.

Hazel leaves provide food for the caterpillars of moths, and hazel nuts are eaten by dormice to fatten up in preparation for hibernation, and in spring, they also feed on the caterpillars. Hazel nuts are also eaten by a variety of wild birds and small mammals. Hazel flowers provide early pollen as a food for bees, however, bees have difficulty in collecting the pollen, because the grains are not sticky and actually repel against each other, and therefore, the bees can only gather it in small quantities.

Hazel has long been considered a magical tree. A rod of hazel is reputed to protect against evil spirits, and it is frequently used as a wand, and for water divining. In certain areas of England, hazel nuts were carried as protective charms, or held to prevent rheumatism. In medieval times, the hazel was a symbol of fertility.

Cassia

Cassia is a spice that is very similar to Cinnamon, and is sometimes known as Chinese Cassia or Chinese Cinnamon. Both spices are produced from the bark of trees that are members of the laurel family, and are harvested in the same manner, but Cassia has a stronger less delicate flavour.

The botanical name of Cassia is Cinnamomum aromaticum or Cinnamomum Cassia, and this was a latin word translated from the Hebrew verb qūatsa, which means "to strip off bark". To produce cassia, the tree's bark is harvested, dried and fermented, then its outer layer is removed. As it dries, the inner bark curls into thin strips, or quills. At this stage, the difference between cassia and cinnamon are clearly visible because whereas cinnamon curls in a telescopic spiral, cassia curls inwards from both sides like a scroll.

Cassia has been used in traditional medicine for stimulating the circulatory system, improving digestion, relieving spasms and vomiting. Cassia is believed to have a wide range of pharmacological effects, including anti-tumour, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity, antibacterial and antiviral, cardiovascular protective, cytoprotective, neuroprotective, immunoregulatory effects. The earliest recorded use of Cassia for medicinal purposes was in China, from 25-220 CE.

Cassia cinnamon was brought to Egypt around 500 B.C. where it became a valued additive to their embalming mixtures. Cassia oil was also popularly used as anointing oil during Biblical times. Cassia has aromatic properties quite similar to cinnamon. Cassia is also mentioned in the bible:

The Lord spoke to Moses, 23 “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, two hundred fifty, and two hundred fifty of aromatic cane, 24 and five hundred of cassia—measured by the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil, 25 and you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.

(Exodus 30:22-25)

Vedan and Javan from Uzal entered into trade for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were bartered for your merchandise.

(Ezekiel 27:19)