rowan, Sorbus aucuparia

Having previously griped about mistakes with plants on TV and in movies, I suppose I should give credit when they get it right. The other night we watched a "Vera" that had a role for rowan. It was planted where the first victim was buried. Tradition has it that rowan wards off witches and evil spirits, and it's attractive in flower or fruit. In that plot the fruit was an ongoing clue. Rowan is a tradition of long standing in Eurasia, as food, and in medicine, heraldry, and other traditions. Here it spreads to the wild, often planted by birds. I had one such along the back fence. The power company cut it down - so far I've noticed no witches or evil, but I kind of miss it. In America, we might call this mountain-ash. It has been reported from AK, CA, CO, CT, IA, ID, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, UT, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY, AB, BC, LB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK, and from SPM. Lenawee Co MI, 5/10/12.