Monday 28 October 2013

Halloween Mystery: The Case of the Bleeding Tree


While I was outside doing witchy stuff in a forest the other night I noticed a tree that looked like it was oozing blood. It had been chopped down, and where the axe marks had bitten into the trunk it looked like wounds in raw, red flesh.

That might sound the stuff of horror films but, being a practical witch, I expect there is a scientific explanation for what looked like a blood. I'm not sure what though. I am aware that some trees have blood-red sap. The most famous of these is the dragon's blood tree, but they don't grow in England. Eucalyptus trees also have red sap, but they are relatively rare in England too. I've  been told that some tree parasites and fungi can turn the sap red - maybe that was the case with this felled tree.

I guess I'm probably not as good with tree-recognition as a witch ought to be, so, I am admitting my ignorance and asking if anyone reading this can identify the tree with blood-red sap in the picture above. If you can solve the Case of the Bleeding Tree, please leave a comment below...

Links and previous related posts:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Dracaena_cinnabari
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Eucalyptus
http://www.ehow.com/info_8731983_kind-tree-red-sap.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/10/bleeding-doors-woodwork-and-tortured.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/10/news-new-threats-to-oak-and-ash-trees.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/10/an-autumn-leaf-and-king-of-trees.html

4 comments:

Lucía Moreno-Velo said...

Is it a yew? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus) They are said to bleed when cut.

Cheers,
Lucía

Badwitch said...

It could be. Thanks for reminding me of that.

Unknown said...

Hi
Alder trees when cut often have a Reddish hue.As you probably know they favour the liminal river edges and like the Willow have been held to have been rather Malign,(according to the Readers digest book on trees ,The Alder has the spirit of the Alder or Elf-king. My memory fails me but also a connection to the God Coccidius,connection with Mars and Red or some such? Hopefully of help! Love your Blog :) Trev :)

Unknown said...

Hi
Alder trees when cut often have a Reddish hue.As you probably know they favour the liminal river edges and like the Willow have been held to have been rather Malign,(according to the Readers digest book on trees ,The Alder has the spirit of the Alder or Elf-king. My memory fails me but also a connection to the God Coccidius,connection with Mars and Red or some such? Hopefully of help! Love your Blog :) Trev :)