The Legend of the White Heather

White Heather is the traditional symbol of good luck in Scotland and it is considered good luck for the bride and groom to wear or carry the White Heather.

Most Heather is purple in color, but there is also rare white heather. Rumored to grow over the final resting places of faeries and only where no blood has been shed, the plant is said to be extremely lucky.

Queen Victoria introduced carrying white heather at weddings for luck. Some Clans have attributed victory to wearing white heather sprigs, or evading capture by hiding in patches of white heather.

According to myth, the Celtic Bard Ossian's beautiful daughter, Malvina, was betrothed to a gallant warrior named Oscar. One day, Malvina was awaiting Oscar's return from war, when she was approached by a messenger. Oscar had died in battle and sent the messenger with a spray of heather to give to Malvina as a final token of his love.

Malvina began to cry and her tears fell on the heather, which immediately turned white. She wandered the moors sobbing, her tears turning every heather plant they touched to white. She said "although it is the symbol of my sorrow, may the white heather bring good fortune to all who find it."

And so, in Scotland, to this very day, white heather continues to be a token of good luck.