I remember reading on JKRowling.com that the wood that makes up a wizard's wand is very important and that she based it on Celtic mythology, so I looked it up. here is some general information that I found. J.K. is so amazing!
TREE SYMBOL GOD MEANING
BIRCH (Beth)
from December 24 - January 20 White Stag
the Sun Arthur, Taliesin, the sun god Hu, the invisible creator Celi The Birch Tree represents inception. The rebirth of the Sun from winter's solstice. The first tree that takes away the decay of the mysterious elder. Both the Birch and the Elder stand on either sides of the one Nameless day. They both represent a link between life and death, with the Birch being the beginning of all things. It is associated with the training of Druids. The birth of new life. Energetic and spontaneous.

ROWAN (Luis)
from January 21 -
February 17 The Green Dragon
Duck
Insight and Blessing
the Planet Uranus
(flame)
The Fire Festival of Brigantia Brigid and Brigantia The Rowan tree was believed to be magical tree which grew red berries that were the food of the gods. These berries were so sacred that it was believed that the Gods guarded them jealously and kept them from man. The Druids believed that the Creator, Celi who was an invisible god, manifested in nature including the restless elements such as lightning, which was also associated with Dragons. Dragons are associated with new life and thus this period of time is also associated with the coming of new life out of the dark winter.

ASH (Nion)
from February 18 -
March 17 The Trident or Sea Horse
Snake
Connections
the Planet Neptune (Lir) Lir and Manannan Related to their Irish Gaelic word for Heaven, Nionon, the Ash has special sacred meaning. Three of the five trees planted to establish the five provinces we Ash trees. In Celtic mythology the ash is known as the tree of enchantment and it is said the Welsh magician Gwydion fashioned his wands from ash wood. The Celts believed that they came from the Great Deep or the Undersea land of Tethys. It is this reason that the Ash is associated with the sea.

ALDER (Fearn)
from March 18 -
April 14 The Pentacle or
The Hawk
Red Fox, Ram, Stallion
A strong foundation
the Planet Mars (Maurth)
The Vernal Equinox Bran, Arthur, Airem and Teutates The Alder is associated with courage and it represents the evolving spirit. Bran was a mighty warrior of ancient Britain. Not always the victor, but never defeated. In one battle Bran fights the Ash King on behalf of the Alder King. Though he loses the battle, he is still recognized as a great warrior. The period of the Vernal Equinox is an extremely important period in the Celtic year. as it represents free will and liberty in a moral context. It is still considered a crime to cut down a sacred Alder tree and he who does is considered the cause of any trouble in the village.

WILLOW (Saille)
from April 15 -
May 12 The Sea Serpent
Cat or Hare
Intuition
The Moon
(Llun)
The Fire Festival of Beltane Ceridwen, Morrigan, Morgan le Fay, and
Dana The Willow tree since ancient times has always been associated with death. In Northern Europe, the word witch and wicked is derived from the name of the Willow. It is considered to be a tree of enchantment. In Celtic mythology it is associated with the creation myth of two scarlet sea serpent eggs which contained the Sun and the Earth. These eggs were hidden in the boughs of the Willow tree until they hatched, thus bringing forth earthly life. The Willow is also associated with death as it is the obvious conclusion to birth and life.

HAWTHORN (Uath)
from May 13 -
June 9 The Chalice
Vulcan
(Govanna) Govannan or Goibniu The Hawthorn tree associated with the sacred and the unlucky. To destroy a Hawthorn was to incur great peril to the person responsible. The Hawthorn tree is embodied in the character of the chief giant Yspaddaden in a Welsh romance of Kulhwch and Olwen. A guardian figure who tries to protect the virginity of Olwen. He is felled and the blooms of summer soon open, thus symbolizing the advance of summer defeating winter at last. It is associated with Govanna (Vulcan) a smith god that is the custodian of the celestial fire and higher powers of the mind. Thus it is symbolize as the Chalice as it too represents divine secrets and everlasting life.

OAK (Duir)
from June 10 -
July 7 The White Horse
The Golden Wheel
the Planet Jupiter
(Jovyn)
Summer Solstice Dagda The principal sacred tree of the Druids, the Oak Trees symbolized the turning of the year. During this time of year the Druids would carve a circle in to the tree for protection against lightning. The Oak represents the trial we all go through in life while changing and becoming that whom we are meant to be we must also consider the greater good and moral responsibilities. It represents the soul, which in Celtic terms is the "eye of god." Change, sacrifice, and understanding. It is a time when the sun starts his movement into darkness and is sacrificed to darkness as the earth begins to move back into winter.

HOLLY (Tinne)
from July 8 -
August 4 The Unicorn
War Horse
The Flaming Spear
Balance
Earth (Abred)
The Fire Festival of
Lammas Danu A symbol of luck and good fortune. In Celtic mythology the Holly is the evergreen twin of the Oak. It is called a kerm-oak. The Oak rules the light part of the year while the Holly rules the dark part. The Unicorn represents a horse with a horn that resembles the flaming spear. The Celtic symbol of the Flaming Spear is associated with the Celtic month of Tanist because the Celtic T is shaped like a barbed spear. Both the Oak and Holly are symbolized with the Summer Solstice and the White Horse of the Oak becomes the The Unicorn of the Holly in transformation. The Fire Festivals that took place during this time were usually in honor of the Earth. Therefore, the Holly also represents those eternal, ever-green aspects of mother earth.

HAZEL (Coll)
from August 5 -
September 1 The Rainbow Salmon
the planet Mercury
(Mugher) Ogma and Manannan The Hazel nut is the emblem of concentrated wisdom. One could gain knowledge simply eating nuts. In this aspect it is associated with the Salmon, a sacred symbol of wisdom. In Irish Lore it is the Hazel was the Bile Ratha where in which the poetic Fairy lives. It was a capital crime to felling a Hazel tree. Ogma, who is credited with creating writing, is associated with great "knowing." It is he who is credited with mandating that the Oral tradition of the Celts be closely guarded and preserved, yet through his creativity he created the alphabet based on tones and sounds.

VINE (Muin)
from September 2 -
September 29 The White Swan
Lizard
Unlocking
the Planet Venus
(Gwena)
The Autumn Equinox Branwen, Guinevere,
Etain The Vine is the symbol of sensuality and emotions. A hardy, long lived plant. It's symbol, the White Swan represents the radiant divinity of the Gods who are said to go to their underground forts during the Autumn Equinox. The White Swan is also associated with the White Ghost or the White Phantom - Gwenhwyvar. To the Celts, the Autumn Equinox is a time when the light will eventually give up its hold to the darkness, but for a brief moment all is in balance. The light and the dark hold equal positions. To the Celtic mind it represents the balance of the mundane and the supernatural; the mortal and the immortal.

IVY (Gort)
from September 30 -
October 27 The Butterfly
The Mute Swan
The Boar
Progress and tenacity
the Veiled Moon
the Planet Persephone which is said to exist just beyond Pluto Rhiannon and
Arianrhod In contrast to the the Vine, Ivy is evergreen, and it represents the perennial aspects of the human psyche. The Celts associate Ivy with their lunar goddess Arianrhod and their ritual to her marked the opening of the portal to the Otherworld. Thus the dark side of the moon. This door symbolizes an entrance to the world of the Faery People. The Butterfly is the the symbol of the Faery Faith. Thus Ivy represents mysterious and the mystical.

REED (Ngetal)
from October 28 -
November 24 The White Hound
The Stone
the Planet Pluto
(Pwyll)
The Fire Feast of Samhain Dis, Pwyll, Arawn Identified with the submerged or hidden dryad, The Reed represents the mysteries of death. In fact the Fire Feast of Samhain celebrates the dead and on Samhain, the boundary between the Otherworld and this world dissolve. It is a night of great divination. Or in another fashion, it represents the hidden roots to all life. The Reed is associated with with being both a savior and custodian. Pwyll, the Celtic ruler of the Otherworld was given "The Stone" , one of four treasures given to him for safekeeping. The Stone represents the right of the kings and queen to have divine power. Thus the Reed is also the symbol of Royalty. The White Hounds represent the dogs that guard the lunar mysteries.

ELDER (Ruis)
from November 25 -
December 22 The Black Horse
The Raven
Badger
Healing
the Planet Saturn
The Winter Solstice (Alban Arthuan) Pryderi, Bran The Symbol of both death and rebirth. Like the Winter Solstice, it highlights a time of evolution. The Celts believed that it was during this time that their sun or solar spirit was held prisoner. Just as Pryderi was forced into exile. It is also a time of trouble and struggle for supremacy. In deed what is now will one day be no more, and that which is to come, will also, one day be no more.




Other trees used by the Druids in their cosmology and/or alphabet are:


Yew (Idho) - symbolizes death, rebirth and reincarnation. Change and regeneration.
Apple (Quert)- represents beauty and youthfulness. All things innocent and fresh. Eternity.
Blackthorn (Straif)- member of the Rose Family it is the Fairy Tree. Guarded by Fairies, if harmed or cut on the wrong day misfortune will follow he who fells the tree (bush). Strength in adversity.
Silver Fir (Ailm)- a tall tree associated with the Yuletide and Solstice.
Furze or Gorse (Onn)- a thorny shrub associated with the Spring Equinox. Symbol of fertility.
Heather (Ur) - a large shrub - another name for Venus or Guinevere. Generosity and persistence.
Poplar or Aspen (Eadha)- Courage and endurance.
Mistletoe - Graves makes a case for an additional blank ogham, the unhewn dolmen arch, which he associated with mistletoe. Mistletoe had great ceremonial importance to the Celts and is associated with birth and rebirth.
Sequoia - represents wisdom and longevity.
Beech - the symbol of stability and evenness.
Dogwood - symbolizes Glamour and refinement.
Cedar - represent protection from harm and evil forces.
Cypress - symbolizes sadness and morning.
Hazelnut - represents elation, loss of inhibition and exhilaration.
Elm - symbolized the dark side of the psyche.
Fir - represents change and shape shifting. Objectivity.
Pine - symbolizes continuation and hardiness.
Sycamore - symbolizes development, perseverance and vitality. They are often able to grow where no other tree can
Spruce - represents versatility and symbolizes coldness.

that is amazing lee. i think im a holly according to jkrowling.com but according to you i am a oak. i think it is very interesting with the names of woods to do with peoples births and personalities and things. its so amazing.

this is why i love Harry Potter becasue this is so indepth and everything is so though out.
interesting reading.

-Sarah

Lee,

Thanks for posting all of that information! Very helpful!

It is interesting that Lily Potter had a willow wand (HPL) which has the meaning of "birth and death."

I think it very interesting that she chose the wands for the three main characters that represent the wood for the time of the birth, with the exception of the discrepancy in Ron's wand.

I do hope she answers that question because her web site says Ron's second wand (his only one that was really his wand as the first was Charlie's hand-me-down) was Ash, though in Prisoner of Azkaban, it is described as a Willow.

Which wand for Ron, JKR?

And Harry's Holly wand could mean "good fortune?" Let's hope so for Harry!

Oh..That is very interesting thanks for sharing it. It makes me wonder more now than ever how wands get distributed..Only because I have taken several different "quizes" on about every site..and believe me there are a lot of them as I am sure most of you are aware...I've had every kind of wand imaginable...I am quite happy with the wand I was given here though...I'll gladly stick with this choosing!

Yes, it just so happens I use the exact same chart as JKR for the wands on this forum, though like JKR I do stray from the chart where I see fit. And looking further into your wand, Shelerella, it seems I have made a mistake. I must have read the chart wrong, but you were due for a wand made of Hawthorn which incidentally is also good for tranfiguration, which you deescribed to me. I will change it if you would like, just send me and owl.

~Albus

Thats me, and that sounds awesome, thanks for the information Lee, very useful and highly interesting, god I love Harry Potter and all its mysteries.

ahh, this is great information.
I just really wish magic is real.

This is why HP is such a brilliant series, because JKR puts so much effort into making her stories as historically sound as possible...
She almost makes it seem as if HP could actually be real.....She bases it all on fact....

Wow that is very interesting!!!!! I think it's really awesome how JKR puts historical meaning into her books!! Mine was a Rowan and I think it's neat how it has Blessing and the Coming of New Life associated with it!!


-Kelso

Ill have everyone know, I use the same chart as JKR for assigning wands. In some cases I designate more exotic wands for more exotics people, but mostly its the wood you were born to be destined to... that is why I use your birthdate.

Its fun when the wood descriptions match the person exactly.. it shows that there is some wierd force connecting people... what you call that power, is up to you.

~Albus

**1500th Post!! **

That is all so interesting! Thanks for posting that! I love how complex JKR makes the sotry, and how much history and fact she puts into it. She is amazing.
Mine is willow. . .

According to that my wand wood is holly lol. Actually when i was young i was very lucky, so perhaps there is some small truth lol. In the teen vogue magazine it says that in the films they use rubber wands. I know its not altogether with the topic, but its about wands all the same. =]
By the way, is it still on J.K.Rowlings website about how to find your wand type? Or was it just earlier on?

How nice. Ivy huh?? This is really good, so when I'm going to join some role plays and they ask me what wood my wand is made, then I'll tell them it's Ivy.

I lurve the meaning, so thanks Lee for posting this up. Kudos to you!!

You know Albus, I've always wondered how you manage to sort everyone with the proper wand and I've finally come across your secret! I thought you were just that creative, which amazed me! I still of course know you're creative but now I know there's a method to your madnes!



Haha just as I was dedicated! Wait, I'm a little confused as to the significance of the Celtic Mythology. Is there a reason for using it or did she just like the idea? Either way it's extremely interesting but I was just curious.

This is very interesting...J.k must have thought a lot about people's wands before she gave it to them, although I remember reading somewhere that she didn't know about this whenshe gave Harry his wand. Does anyone know what Ebony symbolises, though? I couldn't find it on the list, but that could be just useless eyesight. That's the wood I got for my wand in the sorting...