While not bottle spells in the sense that we know them today, bottle trees have their roots in Congo culture. The practice was brought over by slaves who hung blue bottles from trees and huts as talismans to ward off evil spirits. It is believed that the spirits become mesmerized by the colors of the bottles in the sun. Once they enter the bottle, they can't find their way out, sort of like roach motels. Given their origin can be traced directly to Africa, I think bottle trees are a significant part of the history of bottle conjure in the Southern United States.
It used to be that you could see bottle trees scattered all over the Southern landscape. Usually found in the country or along the bayous of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama, bottle trees are a colorful folk tradition with the purpose of warding off evil spirits, while at the same time recycling colorful bottles.
My mother and grandmother made bottle trees and proudly displayed them in their yards. Not surprisingly, I have taken up the practice, too. I find it to be a wonderful way of displaying all of those cool vintage bottles I have collected over the years that tend to gather dust in boxes or on the windowsills. On a bottle tree, they now work for me by keeping evil spirits out of the house. The spirits become mesmerized with their dancing colors in the sun and are drawn into the bottles only to be trapped for all eternity. At least, that's the way the legend goes.
There are several ways in which you can create a bottle tree. Choose a strong tree or stump with branches. Crepe myrtles and cedars trees are traditionally used, although pretty much any kind of tree will work. Trim the foliage off of the tree branches until you have as many bare branches as you have bottles. Then you simply slide the bottles onto the branches.
A variation of this is to take a fallen branch and prune it the same fashion. Then, you have a portable tree. Plant it outside of your home, near the entrance or in the garden, or in a flowerpot and place it anywhere you want in your yard or home. Then, simply slip your bottles onto the branches.
Here's a tip: If you put a little oil on the bottle necks, the spirits will slip easily into the bottles and become trapped that much quicker.
Another way to make a bottle tree is to choose a tree or find a large branch or stump, and tie two bottles at a time with shoelaces over the branches so that they hang from the tree. You know how people for some unknown reason toss a pair of sneakers tied together over a power line? Just like that, only use two bottles instead of shoes. This method does not require removing any foliage from the branches.
It used to be that you could see bottle trees scattered all over the Southern landscape. Usually found in the country or along the bayous of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama, bottle trees are a colorful folk tradition with the purpose of warding off evil spirits, while at the same time recycling colorful bottles.
My mother and grandmother made bottle trees and proudly displayed them in their yards. Not surprisingly, I have taken up the practice, too. I find it to be a wonderful way of displaying all of those cool vintage bottles I have collected over the years that tend to gather dust in boxes or on the windowsills. On a bottle tree, they now work for me by keeping evil spirits out of the house. The spirits become mesmerized with their dancing colors in the sun and are drawn into the bottles only to be trapped for all eternity. At least, that's the way the legend goes.
There are several ways in which you can create a bottle tree. Choose a strong tree or stump with branches. Crepe myrtles and cedars trees are traditionally used, although pretty much any kind of tree will work. Trim the foliage off of the tree branches until you have as many bare branches as you have bottles. Then you simply slide the bottles onto the branches.
A variation of this is to take a fallen branch and prune it the same fashion. Then, you have a portable tree. Plant it outside of your home, near the entrance or in the garden, or in a flowerpot and place it anywhere you want in your yard or home. Then, simply slip your bottles onto the branches.
Here's a tip: If you put a little oil on the bottle necks, the spirits will slip easily into the bottles and become trapped that much quicker.
Another way to make a bottle tree is to choose a tree or find a large branch or stump, and tie two bottles at a time with shoelaces over the branches so that they hang from the tree. You know how people for some unknown reason toss a pair of sneakers tied together over a power line? Just like that, only use two bottles instead of shoes. This method does not require removing any foliage from the branches.
