When making a wand or a staff, you may wish to pick a type of wood associated with the magical intent that you have for said tool. The following is a brief list of woods that may help in your decision making:
Ebony: magical power and protection
Oak: strength, good luck, protection, good health, and healing
Pine: wealth, exorcism, and healing
Redwood: longevity
Cherry: love
Teak: wealth
Cedar: healing, longevity, purification, and protection
Maple: love and wealth
Mahogany: protection against storms and lightening
Rattan: good luck and strength
Walnut: good health
Willow: often used for magic that involves the cycles of life: birth, death, and rebirth. It can be used in magic to help the ill and elderly. Burning willow is also said to help a recently passed soul cross over.
Fir: associated with prosperity, power, and nobility. It is also often used as wands in rituals involving birth or rebirth.
(Also, if you can find furniture made of the same wood listed above, it can bring those qualities into your home and help fill your home with those magical vibrations.)
Source:
The Magical Household: Spells & Rituals For The Home ~ Written by Scott Cunningham and David Harrington
The following information on wood and wands is in alphabetical order. I have broken the information down into short sections and will add more as I type it.
Alder: associated with the magical properties of both strength and foundation. It is, therefore, often used in wands associated with spells or rituals related to these qualities, as well as in rituals or spells associated with water. Alder wands are also used in rituals for: spiritual growth, bravery, confidence and charisma, and shielding the astral self from unwanted energies.
Apple: associated with the magical properties of fertility, peace, and joy. It is often used as a wand for rituals related to these properties. Apple wands are also used in spells and rituals related to: fairy magic, love, visions/psychic awareness, harmony and peace.
Ash: often used as a wand in rituals or spells associated with: communication, intelligence, metal blockages, promoting spiritual love and health, protection against unwanted energies, horse magic, protection, for enhancing skills in the arts, and weather magic. (I would assume weather magic is referring to working with the weather and it's cycles)
Aspen: useful for wands in rituals and spells associated with: intuition, communication with the spirit realm, and to overcome adversity or obstacles.
Basswood: the wood is scared to the Goddess Aphrodite and Arianrhod. It is also associated with the element of air. Basswood wands are used in magic related to love, attraction, healing, enchantment, creativity, lunar cycles and the stars, and enlightenment.
Beech: a scared wood of the summer solstice. Beech wands are used in magic related to divination and psychic work, aspiration, desire, contacting ancestral spirits, and victory.
Birch: the tree is associated with the element of water. Birch wands are used in magic related to birth, rebirth, renewal, lunar magic, protection, healing, cleansing and banishing.
Elder: the tree is sacred to the Goddess Cailleach Beara and associated with Ravens. Elder wands are used in magic associated with fairies and fairy magic, banishing, and protection.
Elm: associated with both the elements of earth and air. In mythology the tree is considered the home of the fairies. Elm wands are used in magic associated with plants and gardening, rebirth, endurance, fertility, death and the cycles of life, and invoking the Goddess.
Hawthorn: associated with the element of air, the owl, and male energies. The tree is also sacred to the celtic maiden of summer, Olwen. Hawthorn wands are used in spells and rituals associated with purity, protection, fairy magic, psychic protection and awareness, glamor magic, banishing and cleansing.
Hazel: associated with the elements of fire, water, air, and associated with female energies. The tree is sacred to Aphrodite and Danu. Hazel wands are used in spells and rituals associated with love, creativity and art, change, revenge, knowledge, and travel.
Hickory: associated with male energies and sacred to the Gods Lugh and Apollo. Hickory wands are used in spells and rituals associated with direction, abundance, and since it is closely related to the Oak tree it has those similar magical uses as well. These include: strength, good luck, protection, good health, and healing.
Honey Locust: this tree is said to be loved by fairies because its thorns protect their gathering areas. Honeylocust wands are used in spells and rituals associated with protection, binding, fairy magic, and glamor spells.
Holly: associated with female energies and the element of earth. The tree is sacred to the Gods Mars and Govannon. Holly wands are used in magi associated with balance, strength, purity, power, protection, sleep, beauty, love, easing the loss of love or the passing of a loved one, and revenge.
Ivy: Associated with masculine energies and sacred to Persephone. It is associated with determination, strength, positivity, spiritual growth, protection, defense against spirits, and success.
Lilac: Associated with the element of air and sacred to the Gemini zodiac. It is useful as a wand for spells involving love, romance, passion, intelligence, communication, protection, glamor magic, and divination.
Osage Orange: Associated with masculinity, fire, spirit, and earth. The wand is useful in magic dealing with astral healing and spiritual guides.
Poplar: Associated with masculinity, spirit, water, and fire. It is ruled by Venus. Poplar wands have diverse energy, thus, they are considered an all-purpose wood for wands. It is also useful for banishing, evocations, hope, rebirth, and divination.
Black Walnut Wood: It is associated with both feminine and masculine energies. It is also associated with the elements of spirit and earth. It is sacred to the Gods Vashaan, Zues, Jupiter, Thor, and Vishnu. It is useful for spells and rituals involving astral travel and motivation.
Yew: It is sacred to the Goddess. It is useful for spells and rituals associated with divination, intuition, personal growth and transformation (not actual physical transformation, as this is not possible)
