Sorbus aucuparia as "Thor's protection". In English folklore, twigs of "S. aucuparia" were believed to ward off evil spirits and witches. The plant was called "the witch" in England and dowsing rods to find ores were made out of its wood. Twigs of "S. aucuparia" were used to drive cattle to the pasture for the first time in spring to ensure their health and fertility. The wooden shafts of forks and other farm implements were constructed from "S. aucuparia", to protect farm animals and production from witches' spells. In weather lore, a year with plentiful rowan fruit would have a good grain
Fraxinus excelsior narrow crown. The bark is smooth and pale grey on young trees, becoming thick and vertically fissured on old trees. The shoots are stout, greenish-grey, with jet black buds (which distinguish it from most other ash species, which have grey or brown buds). The leaves are opposite, long, pinnately compound, with 7–13 leaflets with coarsely serrated margins, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, long and broad and sessile on the leaf rachis. There are no stipules. These features distinguish ash from mountain ash ("Sorbus aucuparia") in which the leaves are alternate with paired stipules. The leaves are often among the last to