AA: Whisper Tree

Whisper tree (also called ghost willow, ghost sallow)

120 years

Moist soils and shaded areas in cold and temperate climates. Narrow river banks within dense forests are most favoured. Excessive sunlight, light-type magic, heat and lack of water will quickly sicken and kill the tree.

Common. Found naturally throughout Wispwood and the eastern parts of Molvahain forest, and cultivated for use predominantly in Iadlain and Reluir. The bonsai versions designed for communication are exported widely to the Koben Empire and in limited quantities to the Miras Kingdom, therefore samples are available throughout Alva, though the tree only seems to grow well in Wispwood.

Refer to image for the average size of the natural, fully-grown tree. Bonsai versions typically range from 15-30 cm (6-12 inches) in height.

• Trunk & branches: Tough, pliant, dark purple wood covered with rough, brittle bark. Branches are slender, flexible and down-sweeping.
• Leaves: Long, tapered and dark greyish-green in colour. A thin layer of very fine, silky white hairs on the topsides of the leaves gives them a distinctive silvery sheen.
• Flowers: Petal-less catkins, typically a pale silvery-green. They ripen into purplish, inedible seed pods.
• Magic: Whisper trees which originated from the same seed pod share a magical sound-sharing link - sounds in the immediate surrounds of one tree will be echoed by all the ‘sibling’ trees, often in an indistinct whisper, and this constant sound around the trees is what gives them their current name. Distance does not appear to affect this link at all.

Deciduous and dioecious, relying primarily on wind-pollination. Flowers are produced early in spring and seeds are dropped in late autumn. In the wild, the seed pods are ideally dropped into a nearby stream or river, where they may be carried a distance and lodge in wet soils. Very moist conditions are needed for the seeds to germinate.

• Communication - The primary use of whisper trees is for long-distance communication. By speaking in close proximity to a tree, individuals can convey their voice through it to a sibling tree owned by another person, thus enabling conversation between them. In natural conditions, the shared sounds are often too soft and indistinct for effective communication, but with good quality trees and adequate magical enhancement, relatively clear speech can be achieved. Whisper trees cultivated for this purpose are usually grown in small, bonsai forms (for portability) and covered with a light-and-sound-dampening shroud when not in use (for protection and privacy).
• Medicine - Whisper bark is effective in reducing pain, fever and inflammation, but it is rarely used for this due to its unpleasant side-effects and the availability of cheaper, easier alternatives. Common side-effects include nausea, heartburn, upset stomach and tinnitus, while excessive or long-term consumption can lead to seizures, bleeding of the stomach and auditory hallucinations.
• Carpentry - Whisper wood can be used as timber but it is not favoured and thus very rare. This is because, even dead and dried, the wood produces a soft but constant ‘white noise’, which is both uncomfortable and impractical.

- Ghost willow is the historical and technically correct botanical name of the plant. ‘Whisper tree’ is an Iadlish colloquialism that became popularised after the tree was reliably developed for long-distance communication and sold outside of Wispwood under this name (to avoid being mistaken for other types of willow, and clearly indicate to those unfamiliar with Wispwood that the tree was meant to make whispering sounds). As such, while research, old texts and specialists still favour the term ghost willow, whisper tree is the more widely used and accepted name today.