Caught by the Furze

The part of Cornwall I'm from - right down the end - has some decent patches of what we used to call moorland when we were kids. Okay, so these areas weren't huge open spaces like the Yorkshire Dales or Dartmoor - they were mostly areas of ground surrounding former mine workings that had re-wilded themselves. In recent years they've been made safe for walkers and places like the Great Flat Lode near Camborne are great to visit. The old buildings and shafts of the King Edward, Frances, and Basset mines, along with Wheal Grenville and South Wheal, are monumental and almost like the ruins of cathedrals or castles.

What isn't really evident from these pictures - because of the time of year - is that the predominant shrub that covers most of the moorland is Gorse. Or Furze, or 'Fuzzy Bush', as we used to call it. If we were there in the spring the place would be a riot of yellow.

Where I live now in Buckinghamshire, there are plenty of open spaces where gorse also grows wild. One such is Coombe Hill - one of the highest spots in the county. The views over the Vale of Aylesbury are spectacular and you can look down on the Prime Minister too as nearby Chequers is clearly visible.

Gorse (Ulex europaeus) is lovely stuff. The yellow flowers that bloom in spring and summer are delicious in salads (they smell of vanilla and coconut) and they're perfect for making country wines - if you don't mind battling the savage prickles. Here's a video to show you how:

Gorse flowers all year round but reaches its peak around May. Even now, in misty moisty Autumn, there are some flowers around, which provide a source of nectar for insects about to hibernate. As the old saying goes, 'When gorse is out of blossom, kissing's out of fashion'. 

It was once used as a very nutritious protein-rich animal feed and dedicated Gorse mills existed to grind the spiny shrub into a more manageable mulch. You can see a reconstruction of one such mill from Wales here.

The Gorse plant represents the letter O in the Ogham alphabet (see here) and is pronounced 'Onn'. In Celtic Mythology, it was thought to provide protection against misfortune and was associated with resilience and optimism. In Irish custom, a twig of Gorse was often hung in dwellings, or worn on clothing. It was thought that it would help you overcome any adversity. 

It was also associated with the Sun, light and fire. The wood was used as fuel because it is saturated with natural oils, which makes it burn brightly and at a high temperature. It was highly valued for bonfires during the festival of Beltane. And in Celtic Brittany, where the Gorse flower is the national emblem, the festival of Lughnassad is known as La Fête des Fleurs d’Ajonc (The festival of the Gorse Flowers). 

I suspect that the plant's association with resilience and optimism comes from its ability to regenerate after catastrophic fires. These happen all too often during heatwaves - we had hundreds this year alone in the UK - and Gorse catches very quickly. However, its seed pods are very hardy and are opened by fire, which allows rapid regeneration. The burnt stumps also readily sprout new growth from the roots. 

And, to bring this blogpost full circle, the Gorse plant is regaining popularity in Cornwall, particularly on St Piran's Day.(March 5th). Sprigs were a traditional May Day gift between young lovers in the region, when the blossom is at its peak and you now see people wearing them to celebrate the saint's day, in much the same way the thistle represents Scotland and the leek, Wales.

So raise your glass of Gorse wine to this splendid, and often overlooked, plant.