Mama Moon's Wildcraft Way

Rowan berry charms

protective charms in the Scottish folk tradition

Lughnasadh · Rituals and Activities

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Every year, we gather rowan berries to make traditional protective charms. Some become necklaces or bracelets for personal protection, while others are hung above the front door or around the home, following a long-standing Scottish folk tradition.

Before you gather your berries, it's worth taking a moment to get to know the tree.

The rowan (also known as mountain ash) is a beautiful native tree with delicate, feather-like leaves made up of many small leaflets arranged in pairs along a central stem. In late spring, it is covered in clusters of creamy-white flowers that are loved by pollinators. By late summer and into autumn, these flowers give way to bright clusters of vibrant orange-red berries.

One of the easiest ways to recognise rowan berries is by the tiny five-pointed star on the base of each berry. In Scottish folklore, this star resembles a protective pentacle, making the berries especially significant in folk magic.

As with all wild foraging, only harvest where you find the berries in abundance, be certain of your identification, and leave plenty of berries behind for birds and other wildlife that rely on them through the colder months.

A tree of protection

Rowan has long been regarded as one of Scotland's most magical and protective trees. The tiny star on the bottom of every berry was believed to guard against misfortune and harmful spirits. The colour red itself was also considered deeply protective, which is why rowan charms have traditionally been strung on red cotton or linen thread.

Protective crosses were often made from rowan wood and tied with red thread before being placed inside homes, barns, or byres. Rowan branches were sometimes fixed above doorways for protection, and folklore tells us that a baby's cradle made from rowan wood would keep the child safe from being stolen by the Fae.

The rowan is counted among Scotland's sacred Faery trees and is closely associated with the Goddess, alongside other trees that blossom with white flowers in spring (around Beltane, the fertility festival) and bear red berries in autumn (around Samhuinn, connected with the Goddess in crone form) such as hawthorn and elder. These trees were treated with great respect, and many believed that cutting one down would bring terrible luck.

And of course, not every berry needs to become a charm. The leftover berries can be made into chutney or hedgerow ketchup! The recipe is open on the Celtic Wheel of the Year under Samhain.

To make the charms

Use the needle to pierce each berry from the bottom through the centre of the star, and thread onto the red thread.

As you thread each berry, you can say:

Or if you prefer:

Keep going until you have enough strung onto the thread to tie into the charm you want. It might be a bracelet, a necklace, or a string to hang over a doorway.

Once you've finished, leave in a warm dry spot and they should dry so that you can keep them.

A morning of gathering, threading and wearing