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Kew
Witch's Forest: Trees in magic, folklore and traditional remedies
There is more folklore, mythology and magic associated with our trees and forests than with any other living things. Known throughout the world as dark and wild places where witches make mischief and eerie creatures dwell, forests are also places of sanctuary for the ancient magic and the most enchanting species of trees. Witch's Forest is a beautifully illustrated, captivating journey through the magical woodland and its stories, from birch broomsticks and the sacred olive, to alder doorways and the Tree of Life.
208 pages, Hardcover
Published September 19, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 25, 2024
More accurate rating: 7.5/10.
This very nicely illustrated publication about trees in culture and folklore completes the triangle started, then continued, by Sandra Lawrence's other two book about ethnobotany, and ethnomycology, The Witch's Forest and The Magic of Mushrooms. Like its predecessrs, Witch's Forest is divided into different thematic chapters, and presents both general information about the botany, and ethnobotany, of trees as a whole, and more precise information about different species of trees.
Given the vastness of this topic – and as compared to Ms Lawrence's two other books – I was actually more satisfied, overall, with the balance this one struck between pure botany and folklore. I'd also argue it featured a little more general information than its predecessors, but I actually liked this. Outside of that, this book will essentially give you what it says on the tin, and I would thus recommend it to both botany and ethnobotany enthusiasts alike – just like I did Ms Lawrence's two other books!
PS: I am a teensy bit salty Avalon wasn't mentioned in relation to apple trees though...
This very nicely illustrated publication about trees in culture and folklore completes the triangle started, then continued, by Sandra Lawrence's other two book about ethnobotany, and ethnomycology, The Witch's Forest and The Magic of Mushrooms. Like its predecessrs, Witch's Forest is divided into different thematic chapters, and presents both general information about the botany, and ethnobotany, of trees as a whole, and more precise information about different species of trees.
Given the vastness of this topic – and as compared to Ms Lawrence's two other books – I was actually more satisfied, overall, with the balance this one struck between pure botany and folklore. I'd also argue it featured a little more general information than its predecessors, but I actually liked this. Outside of that, this book will essentially give you what it says on the tin, and I would thus recommend it to both botany and ethnobotany enthusiasts alike – just like I did Ms Lawrence's two other books!
PS: I am a teensy bit salty Avalon wasn't mentioned in relation to apple trees though...
August 2, 2025
The title of this book says it all: Witch’s Forest is about Trees in Magic, Folklore and Traditional Remedies. Sandra Lawrence begins her book with a (very short, half-page) introduction, and then plunges right into the subject matter: how trees, both as a whole and as individual species, have been part of myth, folklore, traditional medicine and more for almost as long as civilization has existed.
The chapters are short, each examining a particular aspect of how trees were (and to some extent still are) venerated and thought of as magical. Interwoven into each chapter are subchapters that look at individual species, mostly in connection with the chapter they’re part of. These subchapters are fairly brief, mostly only a page long, and supplemented by a full-page illustration of the species.
The illustrations are profuse, all beautifully reproduced on very good quality paper, and by some well-known names in the world of botanical art over the past few centuries. Besides the botanical art depicting the trees, there’s also plenty of other art—woodcuts, paintings, engravings, photographs—that illustrate related topics: the world tree (Yggdrasil); the Pandavas going into exile in the forest; wood nymphs cavorting in the Roman forests; druids, witches, poachers, ghostly beings in woods… the art, to me, is one reason to get this book: it’s so wonderful.
The text, on the other hand, impressed me less, but then, that’s because I was not referring to Witch’s Forest for research. If I had been doing research—say, on the ash tree (or oak, or elm, or whatever) in mythology, folklore and folk medicine—this would have been extremely valuable, because the breadth of Lawrence’s research is obviously vast. She delves into all sorts of information regarding the tree as it has been regarded over the centuries: what myths surround it, what superstitions it engendered, what uses it was put to, etc etc—and that too in different cultures. When all of that has to be fitted into a single page (or at the most two pages), it gets difficult to achieve a coherent, easy writing style. Lawrence tries, but the text ends up being a barrage of information, a series of facts, one after the other.
There was just so much information, I forgot almost all of it even as I read it. What did stay with me, though, was the overarching impression of just how much, across the world and across the centuries, trees have been central to our lives.
For that, and for the lovely art it contains, I’d recommend this book.
Or, of course, if you’re doing research. Into European trees, in particular. While Lawrence does include a handful of other trees from Asia, Africa and America (the baobab, banyan, redwood and sequoia, among others), and she occasionally mentions tree-related lore from areas outside Europe, the emphasis is decidedly on Europe.
The chapters are short, each examining a particular aspect of how trees were (and to some extent still are) venerated and thought of as magical. Interwoven into each chapter are subchapters that look at individual species, mostly in connection with the chapter they’re part of. These subchapters are fairly brief, mostly only a page long, and supplemented by a full-page illustration of the species.
The illustrations are profuse, all beautifully reproduced on very good quality paper, and by some well-known names in the world of botanical art over the past few centuries. Besides the botanical art depicting the trees, there’s also plenty of other art—woodcuts, paintings, engravings, photographs—that illustrate related topics: the world tree (Yggdrasil); the Pandavas going into exile in the forest; wood nymphs cavorting in the Roman forests; druids, witches, poachers, ghostly beings in woods… the art, to me, is one reason to get this book: it’s so wonderful.
The text, on the other hand, impressed me less, but then, that’s because I was not referring to Witch’s Forest for research. If I had been doing research—say, on the ash tree (or oak, or elm, or whatever) in mythology, folklore and folk medicine—this would have been extremely valuable, because the breadth of Lawrence’s research is obviously vast. She delves into all sorts of information regarding the tree as it has been regarded over the centuries: what myths surround it, what superstitions it engendered, what uses it was put to, etc etc—and that too in different cultures. When all of that has to be fitted into a single page (or at the most two pages), it gets difficult to achieve a coherent, easy writing style. Lawrence tries, but the text ends up being a barrage of information, a series of facts, one after the other.
There was just so much information, I forgot almost all of it even as I read it. What did stay with me, though, was the overarching impression of just how much, across the world and across the centuries, trees have been central to our lives.
For that, and for the lovely art it contains, I’d recommend this book.
Or, of course, if you’re doing research. Into European trees, in particular. While Lawrence does include a handful of other trees from Asia, Africa and America (the baobab, banyan, redwood and sequoia, among others), and she occasionally mentions tree-related lore from areas outside Europe, the emphasis is decidedly on Europe.
November 12, 2023
I think I would have enjoyed this more had I not read The Long, Long Life of Trees very recently. Stafford's book was written in a more natural and easy manner whilst Lawrence's book seems all over all the place structurally speaking. We get information about certain trees then random folk stories about that type of tree and other different ones, then we jump to medicinal use of trees etc etc. It just feels a little too fragmented to facilitate top quality writing. The illustrations however and visual layout is excellent.
A 2.5 stars.
A 2.5 stars.
January 3, 2025
Whilst I didn’t find this personally as engaging as the Magic of Mushrooms or the Witches Garden, this is a very interesting read that does get you thinking about how we as people have thought and interacted with the trees around us.
September 12, 2023
A beautiful mix of nature, history, folklore and magic with wonderful illustrations. Full review to come.
April 1, 2024
Fascinating book. Beautifully illustrated and formatted. Informative in every sense. Recommended for all tree huggers
May 4, 2025
some interesting things I hadn't heard before and very in-depth and full of beautiful pictures.
August 4, 2025
Enjoyed this book, but it was more or less a short encyclopedia. Somehow expected more out of it.
January 17, 2024
A must read! I spent so long going down little rabbit holes wanting to know even more about the stories. A really fascinating insight into the folklore from around the world and the surprising uses for different trees. It has certainly got me thinking a little differently when I go for a forest walk.
June 5, 2025
An excellent book about the cultural significance of forests and various kinds of trees, however it is primarily Europe-focused. Most genera that are covered have very little, if any, information about cultures outside of Western Europe, and particularly, England.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews