Berkano (ᛒ): meaning of the rune of the birch, growth and care

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Berkano, ᛒ, eighteenth rune of the Elder Futhark, named after the birch. Meaning of the name, runic poems, lore about the tree and a modern symbolic reading.

Key points

Rune	ᛒ (Berkano)
Phonetic value	b
Reconstructed name	*berkanan (reconstructed)
Meaning of the name	birch
Family (aett)	Third, 2nd rune of the family
Position in the futhark	18 of 24
Reversed reading	Yes, used in modern readings

Who is Berkano?

Berkano is written ᛒ: two triangular loops stacked on a vertical staff, like an angular letter B. It is the eighteenth rune of the Elder Futhark and represents the sound b.

Its reconstructed name *berkanan designates the birch, a tree with white bark and light foliage, very common in northern regions.

The rune's name and its meaning

The name *berkanan is reconstructed from Old English beorc, Old Norse bjarkan (later bjǫrk) and German Birke. English birch descends from it. In the three poems, the word keeps a very consistent meaning.

The birch is a pioneer tree: it is among the first to settle on cleared ground, after a fire or a felling. This trait helps explain why it is so readily associated with the idea of a beginning.

What the runic poems say

Poem	What it says (summary)
Anglo-Saxon runic poem	The birch bears no fruit, but produces seedless shoots; it is fair in its branches, tall in its crown and laden with leaves.
Norwegian runic poem	The birch is the greenest of branches; the poem also evokes Loki, the cunning god of Norse myth.
Icelandic runic poem	The birch is a leafy branch, a small tree, a young and fresh shrub.

All three poems speak of youth and lightness: the birch is a tree that rises quickly.

Inscriptions and ancient uses

The b rune appears in the row of runes on the Kylver stone (around 400), in eighteenth position. It is fairly common in proper names.

The birch has a long history of uses. Birch tar, obtained by heating the bark, served as glue as early as prehistory: in 2019, Danish researchers recovered human DNA from a piece of birch tar chewed some 5,700 years ago. Besoms of twigs and birch branches decorating spring festivals remain popular traditions in northern and eastern Europe.

Berkano in a modern reading: upright

Reminder: rune casting is a modern practice. The following readings come from contemporary books.

Upright, Berkano is associated with growth, care, renewal, and whatever begins small and needs to be nurtured. The image of the young tree in the wind and of sap rising in spring contributes to this. Many authors read in it themes related to family, home and the creation of a project.

In a spread, it may invite you to ask what is being born in you and what needs care. It promises nothing: it suggests tending to what is growing.

Reversed Berkano

Reversed, Berkano is read as growth that stops or gets stuck: a project that stagnates, a family worry, neglected care. Some authors also see in it an excess of protection that smothers.

These readings are conventions. They can serve as starting points: what in me needs air and light?

A reflection exercise with Berkano

Plant or repot something, even a simple seed in a pot. Note the date and what you hope to see grow, without impatience.

If you have nothing to plant, choose a project that is just starting and set yourself one small act of upkeep each week for a month.

Berkano's place in the futhark

Berkano is rune no. 18 of 24. It occupies position 2 in the third family (aett), sometimes called the Tyr family. It follows Tiwaz and precedes Ehwaz.

Berkano follows Tiwaz, the steadfast, committed god: after the arrow, the young tree. In a modern reading, the sequence runs from decision to growth. A reading, nothing more.

To see all the runes in relation to one another, see the rune guide and the page the Elder Futhark: history and reading of the 24 runes.