Secrets of the Beech Tree
Beech Tree (Fagus sylvatica)
Volume 24 of 31
Bruce Clifton
Beech Tree ~ Phagus
Beech Tree – Ogham Tree Profile
Bruce Clifton
Group: 5th Aicme ~ Forfeda
Name: Beech
Ogham: Phagus >>> Fay-gus ~ Fay-gos
Letter: PH
Lunar: Universal
Season: Summer ~
Element: Earth ~ Air ~ Spirit
Direction: South
Moon Phase: Universal
Moon Name: Universal
Influence: Unified
Title: Chieftain
Age: Six Generations
Aura: Blue ~ Indigo ~ White
Healing: Aches & Pains ~ Acne ~ Conjunctivitis ~ Diarrhoea ~ Fevers ~ Haemorrhoids ~ Inflammation ~ Toothache ~ Wound
Animal Spirit: Crow ~ Mouse ~ Stag
Totems – Entities: Angel
Gods – Deities:
Secret Harmonies:
Festival: (coming soon)
Cosmos: (coming soon)
Key Words:
Essence of the ?? Tree
Bruce Clifton
Healing Lore of the Beech Tree
Bruce Clifton
Scope & Notice
The information contained herein is for educational and entertainment purposes only. All efforts have been made to present accurate, up-to-date, reliable and complete information; however, no warranties of any kind are stated or implied. Readers should acknowledge that the author is not engaged in the rendering of medical or professional advice. The content herein should not be perceived as a substitute for professional or personal guidance. If in doubt, consult a qualified professional before attempting any techniques outlined.
The appropriate dosage or application of any natural remedy is dependent upon various factors, including age, health status, and individual circumstances. Natural products are not inherently safe, and dosage may be critical. It is best practice to begin with lower amounts and adjust as necessary. Consideration should also be given to timing, as the effectiveness of remedies may vary according to time of day and individual sensitivity.
About the Healing List
This list of ailments is not complete in its entirety; it has been limited to the most popular, with the remedies coming firstly from the tree and then vegetation dependent on the tree. It is worthy of note that there is more than one way to make a cup of tea, and many of the ingredients can be purchased online.
Beech Tree – Healing Remedies Oracle
We have alphabetised this list of healing qualities of the Beech tree solely for ease of reference; they include but are not limited to:
1) Aches and Pains
2) Acne
3) Diarrhoea
4) Fevers
5) Haemorrhoids
6) Inflammation
7) Toothache
8) Wound
Aches and Pains / Beech Tree
Ingredients:
Fresh Beech leaves
Key Properties:
Tannins
Flavonoids
Phenolic compounds
Traditional Properties:
Anti-inflammatory
Astringent
Soothing
Beech leaves have a documented history as an external folk remedy. Traditionally, the leaves were boiled and made into a poultice for swollen and uncomfortable areas. Beech has also historically been associated with rheumatic aches and joint discomfort.
Traditional Actions:
The warm Beech leaf poultice was traditionally used to soothe swelling, stiffness and discomfort around aching muscles and joints.
Preparation:
Gently boil a handful of fresh Beech leaves in water until softened. Remove the leaves and allow them to cool until comfortably warm. Place the softened leaves in a clean cloth and fold to form a poultice.
Traditional Use:
Apply the warm poultice externally to the aching or swollen area and leave in place until cool. Repeat with freshly prepared leaves when required. Do not apply to broken or irritated skin.
Acne / Beech Tree
Ingredients:
Beech twigs and small branches
Beech bark
Animal fat or lard
Key Properties:
Astringent
Cleansing
Drying
Soothing
Traditional Properties:
Antiseptic
Anti-inflammatory
Skin cleansing
Beech was an old folk remedy for troublesome skin, including boils, spots and other eruptions. The bark itself was valued for its astringency, while tar produced from Beech wood and branches became a traditional treatment for skin complaints and was incorporated into ointments and salves. Historical accounts of tree-tar medicine specifically include acne amongst its uses.
Traditional Actions:
The old remedy used the dark tar released from heated Beech wood as a cleansing application for greasy, inflamed and spot-prone skin. Mixed into fat, it formed a simple salve which could be applied externally rather than using the concentrated tar by itself. Historical preparations commonly incorporated wood tar into ointments, pastes and other topical preparations.
Preparation:
Cut the Beech twigs and small branches into short pieces and shred or break up the bark to expose more of the woody material. Traditionally, this material was packed tightly into a covered vessel and heated slowly with very little air. As the wood heated, its oils and vapours were driven out and condensed into a dark, strongly scented liquid known as Beech tar. This traditional process is essentially the same principle as charcoal burning: the wood is heated rather than openly burnt. Historical sources describe Beech tar as the product of the dry distillation of Beech wood.
For the old skin preparation, a small amount of the resulting tar was blended into softened animal fat or lard to make a dark salve. This reflects the historical practice of incorporating Beech and other wood tars into fatty ointment bases rather than treating the tar as something obtained naturally from the living tree.
Traditional Use:
The Beech tar salve was traditionally dabbed externally onto troublesome areas of the skin. Its old reputation was as a cleansing and drying preparation for spots, eruptions and oily or inflamed skin. It was an external remedy, not something to be eaten or drunk as part of this acne treatment. Because wood tar can irritate or sensitise skin, historical use shouldn’t be taken to mean that concentrated homemade tar is harmless.
Diarrhoea / Beech Tree
Ingredients:
Beech bark
Key Properties:
Tannins
Astringent compounds
Bitter principles
Traditional Properties:
Astringent
Tonic
Settling
Binding
Beech bark has a long-standing place in European herbal tradition as an astringent. An old remedy for diarrhoea and the “fluxes” was a strong tea or decoction made from the bark, the astringency being believed to tighten and settle an overactive bowel.
Traditional Actions:
The bark tea was drunk in small amounts to help bind loose stools, calm digestive upset and restore tone to the bowel. Older herbal traditions particularly valued stronger, more mature bark when a more astringent preparation was wanted.
Preparation:
Shave or finely chop a small quantity of Beech bark and place it in cold water. Bring slowly to the boil, then simmer gently until the water has taken on the colour and bitterness of the bark. Strain away the pieces of bark and allow the resulting decoction to cool until comfortably warm.
Traditional Use:
The strained bark decoction was traditionally taken as a bitter herbal drink for short-term diarrhoea and what older herbals called the fluxes. Its noticeably dry, puckering character was regarded as part of the remedy—the stronger the astringency, the more highly the bark was valued for this particular complaint.
Fevers / Beech Tree
Ingredients:
Inner Beech bark
Beech leaves
Beech mast
Key Properties:
Astringent
Bitter
Nourishing
Restorative
Traditional Properties:
Febrifuge
Cooling
Tonic
Strengthening
Beech was traditionally turned to during feverish illness in several ways. The inner bark was valued as an old fever remedy, while the leaves could be steeped as a lighter tea. Beech mast provided another part of the household remedy, being crushed, ground or otherwise prepared when nourishment and strength were needed during illness.
Traditional Actions:
The bark and leaves were used to make warming or cooling drinks intended to ease fever and support the body through a period of weakness. The mast could be crushed and prepared alongside them, giving the sufferer nourishment when ordinary food was difficult to manage.
Another old approach was to crush or mulch the mast and add it to steaming water, allowing the warm Beech vapour to be inhaled while the sufferer rested beneath a cloth or covering. This belonged to the old practice of using warmth, steam and the tree together during feverish illness.
Preparation:
Shave away the smooth outer surface of a piece of Beech bark and finely shred some of the softer inner bark. Simmer this gently in water to produce a bitter decoction. Beech leaves may also be added or steeped separately for a lighter preparation.
For the mast preparation, remove the nuts from their husks and crush or pound them into a coarse mulch. The mast could be added to hot water as part of a steam preparation, or prepared separately as nourishment. Traditionally there was no single Beech recipe: bark, leaves and mast could be prepared according to what was available and how the fever presented itself.
Traditional Use:
The bark decoction or leaf tea was traditionally taken during feverish illness, particularly lingering fevers accompanied by tiredness and weakness. Crushed Beech mast could provide nourishment, while a steaming preparation of mulched mast was inhaled as an old household treatment intended to encourage warmth, perspiration and relief during fever.
Beech mast was generally prepared rather than eaten freely in its raw state; roasting, heating, crushing and pressing were all traditional ways of working with the nuts.
Haemorrhoids / Beech Tree
Ingredients:
Fresh Beech buds
Young Beech leaves
Key Properties:
Astringent
Soothing
Cooling
Toning
Traditional Properties:
Astringent
Anti-inflammatory
Soothing
Restorative
An old Gloucestershire folk remedy used an infusion of Beech buds for piles or haemorrhoids. The tender spring growth of the Beech was gathered while the buds were fresh, making this very much a seasonal household remedy rather than something prepared from dried bark throughout the year.
Traditional Actions:
The Beech infusion was traditionally taken to soothe piles and the irritation associated with them. Young leaves also belonged to the gentler side of Beech medicine and were traditionally used in preparations intended to soothe painful swellings.
Preparation:
Gather a small handful of fresh Beech buds, preferably as they are beginning to swell and open into their young leaves. Lightly bruise or crush them, place them in a cup or small pot and pour over hot water. Cover and leave the buds to steep before straining the liquid.
For an external preparation, the softened buds and young leaves can be retained after steeping, wrapped in a clean soft cloth and allowed to cool. This produces a simple Beech compress using the same plant material rather than discarding it.
Traditional Use:
The strained Beech-bud infusion was traditionally drunk as the old Gloucestershire remedy for piles. The cooled, damp bundle of softened buds and young leaves may also be used externally as a soothing compress around the affected area, drawing upon the wider traditional use of Beech leaves for painful swellings.
Inflammation / Beech Tree
Ingredients:
Fresh young Beech leaves
Fresh Beech buds
Key Properties:
Astringent
Cooling
Soothing
Toning
Traditional Properties:
Anti-inflammatory
Astringent
Soothing
Cooling
Young Beech leaves were traditionally used for swollen and inflamed areas of the body. The fresh spring growth was softened in hot water and applied directly as a poultice, using the warmth initially to relax the affected area and the cooling leaves afterwards to soothe heat, tenderness and swelling.
Traditional Actions:
The softened leaves and buds were laid against inflamed tissue to calm discomfort and reduce the feeling of heat and tightness. As the poultice cooled, it became a cool, moist dressing, while the naturally astringent character of the leaves made them particularly suited to swollen areas.
Preparation:
Gather a generous handful of young Beech leaves and fresh buds. Lightly bruise them between the fingers or crush them with the back of a spoon, then place them in hot water until thoroughly softened. Drain away the excess water and either use the leaves directly or wrap them loosely in a clean cloth to form a poultice.
For a cooler preparation, allow the softened leaves to cool completely before applying them. The same batch could therefore begin as a warm poultice and remain in place as it gradually cooled.
Traditional Use:
Apply the Beech-leaf poultice externally over swollen, aching or inflamed areas and leave it in place until the leaves have cooled or begun to dry. Fresh leaves could be prepared and reapplied when required.
This simple old remedy made use of Beech’s tender spring growth for inflammation, swellings, stiffness and local discomfort.
Toothache / Beech Tree
Ingredients:
Beech wood
Beech twigs
Beech bark
Key Properties:
Warming
Cleansing
Astringent
Aromatic
Traditional Properties:
Antiseptic
Soothing
Pain relieving
Cleansing
Beech was traditionally associated with toothache through the dark, aromatic tar obtained by slowly heating its wood, twigs and bark with very little air. This produced the strongly scented wood tar from which Beechwood creosote was later refined, and both acquired an old reputation for easing painful teeth.
Traditional Actions:
The Beech preparation was used locally rather than swallowed as a medicine. A very small amount of the prepared tar or its refined creosote was traditionally placed against the troublesome tooth, where its warming, numbing and cleansing qualities were believed to quiet the pain.
Preparation:
Small pieces of Beech wood, twigs and shredded bark were packed into a covered vessel and slowly heated with restricted air. As the woody material heated rather than openly burned, its vapours condensed into a dark liquid or tar.
In later herbal and apothecary practice, this crude Beech tar was further distilled and refined to produce Beechwood creosote. The refined preparation, rather than pieces of bark or wood themselves, became particularly associated with toothache.
Traditional Use:
Traditionally, a tiny quantity of the prepared Beech tar or Beechwood creosote was placed onto cotton or another small absorbent material and held against the aching tooth or cavity. It was used externally and locally for temporary relief rather than drunk or swallowed.
This is one of those remedies where the traditional use is worth preserving but not reproducing literally with homemade tar today: concentrated wood tar and creosote can irritate or burn the mouth, and toothache can indicate decay or infection.
Wound / Beech Tree
Ingredients:
Fresh Beech leaves
Beech bark
Key Properties:
Astringent
Cleansing
Cooling
Protective
Traditional Properties:
Wound cleansing
Astringent
Soothing
Healing
Beech leaves and bark were traditionally valued for treating minor wounds, grazes and damaged skin. The bark could be made into a strong astringent wash, while fresh leaves could be bruised and softened to form a simple woodland poultice placed over the affected area.
Traditional Actions:
The bark wash was used to cleanse the wound and tighten the surrounding tissue. Bruised Beech leaves were then laid over the area as a cool protective dressing, traditionally believed to soothe soreness, calm swelling and encourage the skin to heal.
Preparation:
Shave or finely chop a little Beech bark and simmer it in water to make a strong decoction. Strain thoroughly and allow it to cool.
Meanwhile, gather several clean fresh Beech leaves, lightly bruise or crush them to soften the fibres, then dip them briefly into hot water. Allow them to cool before laying them together to make a simple leaf dressing.
Traditional Use:
Traditionally, the cooled bark decoction was used to bathe a minor wound or graze. The softened leaves were then laid over the cleaned area and secured loosely with a clean cloth, forming a simple Beech poultice that could be replaced with fresh leaves as required.
Celtic Tree Lore of the ?? Tree
Bruce Clifton
Folklore of the ?? Tree
Bruce Clifton
Animal Spirit of the Beech Tree
Bruce Clifton
Beech Tree – Animal Spirit Oracle
Bruce Clifton
We have alphabetised this list of animal spirit that harmonise with the Beech tree solely for ease of reference; no sense of hierarchy or entitlement is intended or implied:
1) Crow
2) Mouse
3) Squirrel
4) Stag
Crow / Beech Tree
The Crow sits comfortably within the character of the Beech: intelligent, observant and quietly authoritative. Beneath the great canopy, the Crow becomes a watcher and a keeper of what the woodland remembers. Beech mast provides food for woodland birds, while the height and broad branches of a mature Beech offer the Crow a commanding place from which to observe the world below.
Within folklore, the Crow frequently inhabits the boundary between the ordinary and Otherworld, carrying associations with prophecy, hidden knowledge, transformation and messages that are not immediately understood. This complements the Beech as a tree of old knowledge, wisdom, communication and the preservation of memory.
Together, Crow and Beech speak of knowledge gained through observation rather than noise. The Crow watches, remembers and learns; the Beech stands, records and endures. Their message is to look beyond appearances, listen before speaking and trust the wisdom accumulated through experience.
Crow brings intelligence, observation, hidden knowledge, communication and transformation to the Beech, strengthening its connection with ancestral wisdom and the ability to recognise what others overlook.
Mouse / Beech Tree
Squirrel / Beech Tree
Stag / Beech Tree
Totems and Entities of the ?? Tree
Bruce Clifton
B1
Gods and Deities of the ?? Tree
Bruce Clifton
A1
?? Tree – Gods and Deities Oracle
Bruce Clifton
A2
Secret Harmonies of the ?? Tree
Bruce Clifton
B1
?? Tree – Secret Harmonies Oracle
Bruce Clifton
B2