Plant folklore - oak

It’s not surprising that a native tree that has held such an important role in the British countryside has a wealth of folklore surrounding it.

Oak trees have been considered sacred throughout most of  Europe and were revered by Greeks, Romans, and the Celts, as The King of Trees.  Each culture associated oak with their gods who controlled rain, thunder, and lightning.  Druids particularly venerated oaks, carrying out rituals in oak groves.  It’s even thought that ‘Druid’ may mean ‘knower of the oak tree.’  Whenever mistletoe was spotted growing on oaks, mystical lightning was thought to have placed it there.  Druids viewed the oaks as forest guardians which connected the physical and spiritual worlds. 

Ancient kings wore oak leaf crowns symbolizing divine authority, while Roman commanders received similar crowns during victory parades.  Oak leaves were used as rainfall predictions, and many will have heard the Irish saying about oak and ash leaves appearing first determining wet or dry seasons.  The saying, often still repeated to this day says ‘Oak before ash, we’re in for a splash, Ash before oak, we’re in for a soak’

Christianity adopted the oak with Saints Columba and Brendan incorporating oak into religious practices.  Some individual trees gained legendary status, including Gospel Oaks for religious ceremonies, Somerset's Gog and Magog oaks, Robin Hood's Major Oak, and the Boscobel Oak where Charles II hid, leading to Royal Oak Day celebrations. 

More commonly referred to as Oak apple day, Parliament declared May 29th a public holiday in 1660, and it was celebrated with feasting, maypole dancing, and church services.  After 1859 it became an unofficial celebration.  Other traditions included wish-granting beliefs - walking three times around an oak while wishing, carrying acorns for protection and good luck, or tying written wishes to trees.  Often planted near homes they offered protection and were an entrance between the worlds of the living and dead.

The Green Man, depicted with oak leaves sprouting from his features, was a symbol of rebirth, and the cyclical nature of life and death.  Oak's practical uses included construction, tanning, dyes, inks, and medicine.