This is the beautiful Blackthorn. You cannot miss these striking white blossoms at this time of the year. Blackthorn blossom appears before the leaves, and when the flowers are young they taste like almonds. Be careful when picking them, however! The thorn is long, sharp and can cause infection. Legend says that the poisoned needle which sent Sleeping Beauty into her 100 year coma was made from Blackthorn.
In the Autumn the Blackthorn produces blue-black sloes. We will look again at Blackthorn later in the year.
The Ogham symbol and mantra for Blackthorn is Straif. 
It is one of Celtic Earth Magic’s Master symbols. Straif is a very powerful energy, and can be used to clear negative attachments to people and the land. For instance, if black magic has been used in an area we can call upon the vibration of Straif to bring light into the Earth. The same symbol and energy can be used if a person has been involved with a violent, possessive partner or acquaintance, and they are still feeling that influence and fear.
This symbol is only placed into a student’s energetic field at level IV, when they have completed all three previous levels of Celtic Earth Magic.
I love the Blackthorn, and its powerful energy. It can be extremely useful in healing sessions to clear negative conditioning, especially in deep Shamanic work.
In the Celtic Earth Magic level II course, Entering the Sacred Grove, students are taught how to use all the twenty-five symbols for healing, and at this stage Straif is at its gentlest, as are all the Ogham symbols.