- Irish name: Feoras
- Scientific name: Eonymus europaeus (well-named, of Europe)
Under Brehon Law, the spindle was considered among the Lower Divisions of the Wood.
Deciduous. 3-6 metres tall, with opposite, finely serrated leaves which are lanceolate in form, on green, square stems.
The deep-greeen foliage turns yellow through to dark red in autumn.
The four-petaled, hermaphrodite, spring flowers appear in April. They are small, inconspicuous and pollinated by a variety of insects.
Pink fruit capsules ripen in autumn. As ripening advances, the capsules split to reveal a bright orange pulp, within which can be found the orange seeds. The fruit, though eaten by a variety of birds (which aid in seed dispersion) is poisonous to humans.
Spindle, best known as a small hedgerow tree, can be found throughout most of Ireland. It grows best on limestone, where the soil is well-drained.
Making use of Spindle
Spindle wood is very hard, and can be cut to a sharp point; it was used in the past for making tools that needed to wear well, such as wool spindles. The tough, straight stems were once prized as knitting needles.
The wood makes fine artist’s charcoal.
The bright colours of spindle fruit led to its popularity as a dye for clothing (and sometimes for food). Rather than pink or orange, as we might expect, this dye was generally yellow or even green when mixed with alum.
Boiling all parts of the plant leads to the release of oils, which when mixed with wood ash form a crude soap.
The berries, roasted and finely ground, act as an insecticide in the treatment of lice infestation in livestock (or the family!). These also act as a powerful emetic and later an effective laxative.
The leaves are used by the holly blue butterfly (Celastrina argiolusas) as a foodplant. A variety of moths also feed on the leaves.
No part of this plant should be consumed.
Folklore
Pictures and further information will be added to this account.
