The ash tree is renowned in british folklore for its protective and healing properties particularly in child health it is even said that newborn babies were given a spoonful of ash tree sap to aid a healthy start in life the celts thought the ash tree to be sacred and was strongly linked to positive enchantment the straight grain of ash tree bark also made it a popular material for druidic spears and wands the ash is the last tree to come into leaf in spring and the earliest to lose i