Apple (Malus sylvestris)
Folk Names: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Bough, Silver Branch, Tree of Love; Crab Apple, Crab Tree
Description: The apple is native to Europe and western Asia. It prefers deep, moist, fertile, well-drained soil, and full sun to fruit. Two to three compatible varieties must be planted together to produce fruit however. It may grow up to fifty feet, but most are dwarf trees of no more than six feet, and semi-dwarfs of fifteen feet for orchards. The leathery, elliptical, serrate leaves are bright green and smooth above, paler and downy beneath. The flowers are up to two inches across and arrive in early spring along with the leaves. They are generally white flushed with pink, in three to six corymbs at the tips of young leaves. Fruit appears in late summer into fall. Wild varieties may grow from eight to fifty feet, but most are under twenty. The leaves are generally oval, green, and darker above than below. Some are reddish throughout the growing season. The flowers vary from pure white to pink or red to purplish-red one-half to two and one-fourth inches across with single or double rows of petals. It is a very fragrant blossom, and produces tiny red or yellow apples.
Effects: gentle
Planet: Venus, Jupiter Zodiac Libra, Taurus, Leo
Element: water
Associated Deities: Abellia/Abellio (Celtic god of apple tree), Aphrodite/Venus, Apollo, Athena/Diana, Dionysus, Enki, Freya, Gaea, Hera, Iduna, Odin/Froh, Olwen, Pomona, Thiassi, Uttu, Zeus
Traditions:
When the early explorers returned from their travels, introducing new fruits and vegetables into Europe, the name apple was often applied to the new produce until a better name came along. The name apple was at one time given to melons, avocados, cashews, cherimoyas, dates, eggplants, lemons, oranges, peaches, pineapples, pine nuts, pomegranates, potatoes, quinces, and tomatoes. Along these lines, Robert Frost wrote:
The rose is a rose,
And was always a rose.
But the theory now goes
That the apple's a rose.
The apple derives its name from the Latin pomum, meaning fruit in English, and is classified as a pome, a fruit that has many tiny seeds within a core at the center. They belong to the pome group as opposed to the stone group, referring to the type of seeds contained in the fruit. If not for the Romans however, the apple would never have graced our palates.
Some historians report the apple's origin lie in Southwestern Asia, just south of the Caucasus Mountains between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Apple seeds found in Anatolia were carbon dated 6500 BCE, and archeologists have even found a fossilized imprint of an apple seed from the Neolithic period in England. Ramses II ordered cultivated varieties of apples planted in the Nile delta in the 13th century BCE, and apples were being grown in Attica, Greece, in a very limited quantity during the 7th century BCE.
The wild apple of ancient Asia, malus pumila var mitris, was barely edible. The wild trees were more like crab apples, producing hundreds of tiny fruits that were sour and consisted mostly of numerous, small, dark brown seeds and core; hardly worthy of the legends and lore that now surround one of the world’s favorite fruits. Domestic apples fall under the broad category of malus sylvestris. Presently, there are at least 7,500 different varieties of apple.
Over time, the Roman horticulturists established a number of consistent varieties. They boasted 7 different kinds of apples by the 6th century BCE. By taking cuttings called "scions" from a tree that had desirable qualities and grafting these onto sturdy rootstocks, branches developed to produce the quality of apples they desired. In order to grow consistent apple variations, the Romans discovered that they must be cultivated by this method or they would revert back to one of the original parents, just as any hybrid fruit or vegetable would do. Our domestic apples, malus domestica, are a hybrid combination of malus pumila, malus sylvestris, and malus mitris.
From the earliest times, apples have been regarded as sacred or magical in almost every country in which they grow. The apple is the Celtic tree of regeneration and eternal life, representing the sun, the source of all life. It was known to grow in the Celtic Otherworld, and King Arthur was taken to Avalon, the Isle of Apples, to heal his wounds. The apple-tree was one of three things which could only be paid for by living objects in Ireland, the others being a hazel bush and a sacred grove. It is symbolic of love, healing, and immortality and indicates the ability to make choices. Apples were offered to the dead and are buried at Samhain as food for those waiting to be reborn. Apples make excellent gifts to all spirits.
In many parts of England, destroying an orchard was nearly a sacrilegious act. It was said that, if an orchard were destroyed to make way for another crop, the crop would never prosper. Under no circumstances was a flowering branch to be brought into the home. To do so was a sure way to bring sickness. In Yorkshire, it was considered unlucky to strip an apple-tree completely, and an apple or two (even deformed or inedible fruit would do) was always left as a gift for the birds (or faeries). If any apples were left on the tree in spring however, there would be a death in the family within the year. It is also a good idea and lucky to leave a fallen apple or two on the ground in the orchard to keep any spirits who may be wandering through content. In Germany if the first apple on a new tree is picked and eaten by a mother with many children, the tree will be abundantly fertile as well.
Apple wassailing, or Apple-howling, is a ceremony often held in areas where cider is made, such as Somerset and the West Country of England. This is a ceremony of the Christmas season, performed usually on the Twelfth Night. Celebrations focused on giving thanks to the wood spirits and all spirits that safeguarded the crop. At dusk, everyone entered the orchard and chose one tree to represent all. Lots of noise was needed to rouse the sleeping tree-spirit and drive off the spirits of bad luck. The visitors fired guns through the topmost branches of the trees, blew horns, and beat on pots and pans. After singing old hymns to the apple tree, starting with "Hail to Thee, old Apple Tree, Whence thou may'st bud, and whence thou may'st blow, Hats full! Caps full! Bushel-bushel-bags full! And my pockets full too! Huzza," the company toasted the tree three times and threw cider over its roots. They asked the tree to bear well and generously and put a piece of bread or toast soaked in cider into a fork of the tree's branches. Hot cakes were placed in the best trees. Participants often danced around the trees. Omitting the ritual would bring bad luck and a poor yield of apples that year.
The apple corresponds with Friday, the rune ing or inguz, and according to the Celtic Tree alphabet, the letter quert. It is one of the seven sacred or noble trees. By ancient Irish law, anyone who cut down an apple tree faced a death penalty.
Apples and apple trees are sacred to many deities. The tree is sacred to nearly all Mother Goddesses. Considered a food of the gods, if you cut an apple in half crosswise the center reveals as a five pointed star. The Pythagoreans believed the ignorant should not eat of this fruit because the apple contained a Pythagorean Pentagram. Cut widthways, secrets were revealed in the shape of its pips. The Romany (Gypsies) believed this was the only proper way to cut an apple, especially when it was to be shared by a newly married couple, before and after sexual intercourse.
Diana Nemton of Gaul was depicted with an apple bough and was a goddess of apple groves. The apple also has connections with Pomona, the Roman Goddess of fruit trees. The ritual meal of Diana’s festival in Greece or Venus’ in Rome (August 13th) consists partially of apples still on the bough. They are one of the most sacred foods and symbols of Samhain. One of the foods of the dead, apples should be buried to give the reborn something to eat during cold winter months. This is the rebirth of a Norse custom. According to their traditions, apples were buried with the dead as a resurrection charm. An apple branch bearing apples, buds, and flowers all at once is a symbol of immortality. Such a charm was used to gain entry to the Underworld.
The Sumerian goddess Uttu is offered apple by god Enki to accept him and be his wife. This also seems to have been an ancient Greek custom. Any man wishing to propose to a woman would only have to toss her an apple. If she caught it, he knew she had accepted his offer.
The golden apples of Greece come from Gaea, goddess of the earth. They were given as gift to Hera when she married Zeus. The apples grew to a tree of life in the garden of the Hesperides, the daughters of Atlas and Hesperis, in far west of the world. Herakles later tricked Atlas into retrieving the apple for him as eleventh task he had to complete for King Eurystheus of Mycenae. King Eurystheus then offered them to Athena, and Athena told Herakles to return them to Gaea. Modern Greek scholars believe that the golden apples of the Hesperides were actually oranges or lemons. A golden apple was also given to Aphrodite by Paris during the contention between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite over who was most beautiful. In return, Aphrodite gave him Helen.
In the Norse pantheon, Idun, goddess of youth, guards her golden apples for the gods. Her apples prevent the gods from aging. When Thiassi stole and hid the apples, the gods grew old with no new spring. Idun found them and returned gods to youth; Loki also tried to steal apples. Froh is a Norse fertility god of fruitfulness sometimes interchangeable with Odin. He won the beautiful giantess Gerda, daughter of Gymir, by offering her eleven golden apples. Odin fathered child with Rerir by sending her a magic apple which caused her to conceive when she ate it.
The Judeo-Christian traditions also attached special significance to the apple. Most believe it to be the tree of knowledge or the fruit of immortality. It is entirely possible that the tree of knowledge mentioned in Genesis was in fact a fig. On the first Sunday of Lent, a burning brand was thrown in among the apple trees to protect the village from fire. Before eating an apple, it was the custom to rub it before eating to remove any demons or evil spirits which might be hiding inside. Not rubbing the apple was an invitation to the Devil according to medieval lore. It is said that the prophet Mohammed inhaled the fragrance of an apple brought to him by an angel just before his last breath of life. Unicorns were thought to live beneath apple or ash trees
In Somerset at Congresbury, land auctions for single acre plots on two pieces of common land were once conducted with the assistance of apples. Each plot was marked and a matching mark was made on an apple. The apples were placed in a bag and drawn as lots by the commoners to allocate their plot.
Magic:
Apples are indicative of choices and are often used for love and healing magic. Any part of the apple may be used as a good luck charm or to improve your emotional state. The apple branch represented the seeking of your heart's desire. For this reason, it makes an excellent dowsing stick. The wood is also suitable for magic wands, especially when the wand is for love. Apples or their wood can be fashioned into poppets or magic figures. The cider may be used in place of blood or wine in old spells. The dried seeds, blossoms, or bark make excellent incense.
Two-year-old apple wine was considered a cure-all in the second century, and the fruit may also be eaten to ward off fevers. According to other sources, a holy name must be inscribed on the apple and then it should be eaten for three consecutive days. Any part of the tree or fruit may be used to honor any god or goddess of fertility. Kara-Kirghiz women cure barrenness by rolling under apple tree. Conversely, an apple inscribed with “sator arepo tenet opera rotas” would help get rid of an unwanted child. According to Norse custom, the apple could be eaten to gain immortality through wisdom and the wood was added to longevity charms.
An old folk spell says to cut an apple into three pieces, then rub the cut side on warts, saying: "Out warts, into apple." Then bury the pieces. A variant of this stated that the apple should be cut in half and each half rubbed on each wart, after which the apple should be tied together and buried. As the fruit rotted, the warts would disappear. Potatoes have also appeared in this folk remedy. This cure might be used on any affliction and buried during a waning moon.
If you grow apples, you may wish to bury thirteen leaves after harvest to ensure good crop the next year, or you may engage in wassailing to please the spirits of the orchard. Even if you don’t specifically grow apples, pouring cider onto freshly turned earth before planting is a suitable libation to the earth spirits. It may also be poured onto the roots of any tree before beginning a tree ritual.
With the exception of the rose (which is related to the apple), I do not think there is any one plant used more in love spells and divination than the apple. The fruit may be use in all love spells, sachets, incense, and potions. Infuse apple oil into pink wax, strain out, and make candles to attract love.
A sweet and simple spell to share with the one you love is to eat an apple with them. Your feelings for each other will remain mutual. Hold an apple in your hands until warm and give to your intended. If he or she eats it, your love will be returned. These spells may have derived from a decree that bridal couples would have to share an apple on their wedding night due to the high price afforded by the apple in ancient times.
A medieval spell instructed the spell caster to take an apple from the tree and write with sharp knife “Aleo + Deleo + Delato” while reciting: “I conjure thee, apple, by these names which are written on thee, that what woman/man toucheth and tasteth thee, may love me and burn in my love as fire melteth in wax. Then the apple was given to the one he or she wished to love them.
Pick a green and red apple three days into the waning moon. Breathe on its green skin, and rub it with a scarlet cloth while saying, “Fire sweet and fire red, warm the heart and turn the head.” Kiss the red half, and later give it to your intended. It is said the one who holds it shall weaken, and the one who eats it shall be yours.
Whatsoever your heart desires
Write it down in words of fire
Cut the Sacred Apple through
Place your wish between the twoSeal with twigs from the Lady's Tree
Place in a kiln until dried it be
Sleep upon it night or day
Until good fortune comes your way
The above spell can be used for anything you want, whether it is a person (which is unethical and dangerous) or a thing. I’m not sure where I found it, so I can’t give you any specifics on it. I would say, “words of fire,” may be interpreted as charcoal or ashes of some kind used to write your words. You could burn the end of a stick for this affect or mix some ashes with water and use that to write your wish. The spell is not specific on what you should write your wish on so use paper or your imagination (leaves, bark, etc). Because this is an apple spell, the “Lady’s Tree” may also be Apple, or it may be birch. Use whichever you feel is best. If you don’t have access to a kiln, you may use your oven. Bake the apple on the lowest setting until it is dried through.
Many omens and charms are associated with apples. Nearly all of them seem to be associated with finding your significant other. Some evolved as games such as apple-bobbing, called apple-dookin' in Scotland. Traditionally speaking, the girls were to polish, mark and then float an apple in the tub of water. The boy that retrieved her apple with his bite would be her spouse. Another apple game for boys is called Snap Apple. Apples were hung from the ceiling on strings, while the boys leapt in an attempt to sink their teeth into one. The first boy to bite into an apple would be the first to marry. Unmarried young people engaged in another game. Each fastened an apple on a string and twirled it around before a hot fire. The one whose apple fell off first would be the first to marry, but the last left with an apple was fated to die unmarried.
According to Romany (Gypsy) traditions, all a young woman wishing to dream of her future husband had to do was obtain an apple from a widow on the Eve of St. Andrew without thanking her. Half the apple was consumed before midnight and the other half after, ensuring a dream of her intended.
There are several variations on the following divination method. Take an apple and a candle into a dark room just before midnight. While standing in front of a mirror, cut the apple into small pieces. Throw one piece over your right shoulder and eat the rest while brushing your hair, but don't look behind you. As midnight strikes, the face of your future spouse is said to appear in the mirror. Cut an apple into nine pieces at midnight on Halloween in front of a mirror. Stick each piece with the knife and hold one at a time over your left shoulder. As the ninth piece hits the reflection in the mirror, you will see her future husband. Also, if you sit in front of a mirror in candlelight and eat the apple while thinking about the person you like, he or she will return the sentiment. In medieval Germany, a man who ate an apple that was steeped in the perspiration of the woman he loved was very likely to succeed in the relationship.
Peeling apples for a prediction has been popular for ages. Some peeling predictions required the use of a silver knife to peel the apple, while others indicated that the divination must only be performed at midnight on Halloween. Remove the peel in one long continuous piece and throw it over your left shoulder. If the peel remains unbroken, it will fall in the shape of the initial of your future spouse. If the peel broke however, you will remain unmarried. This method may also be used if someone has a very important question. Take your unbroken peel and toss it over your shoulder as you ask your question. If it fell in the shape of a "U" or an "O," the answer was "No, but it was "Yes" if it lay in any other position.
Peel an apple at midnight on Halloween and hang the peel on a nail by the front door. The initials of the first man to enter will be the same as those of her unknown lover. Apple peeling was also used see how long your life would be. The longer the unbroken apple peel, the longer your life.
The stem could also be used in divination. Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might like to marry. Twisting the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were reciting when the stem fell off. Another stem twisting divination was used for a basic "Yes" of "No" answer. Ask your question while holding the apple in your left hand. With your right, begin twisting the stem. Every time you twist the stem, say yes or no. The word that you say when the stem twists off is the answer to your question.
The seeds are another part of the apple used for divination purposes. Like the peel, a seed might also be used to find the initial of your next love. Take an apple seed and stick it to your forehead. Recite the alphabet, and the letter you are saying when the seed falls is the initial you seek. If you are having difficulty making up your mind between two people, places or situations just take two apple seeds and assign one to each of your choices. As you stand in front of a mirror, stick the seeds on your forehead. The one that falls last is the right choice.
Counting the seeds was also a form of divination. Cut an apple in half and count the seeds in the core. If the seeds are even in number, good luck is on the way. An odd number indicates a disappointment, and if you cutting one of the seeds in half, the future may hold hard lessons and uncertainty. In Austria if you cut an apple in half on St. Thomas' Night, you may discover if you will marry soon. An even number of seeds indicate a marriage soon, and odd means you will not soon be married. A cut seed is a sign of a troubled marriage, and two cut seeds indicates that you may be widowed. Cutting an apple in half and counting the seeds will also tell you how many children you will have.
The seeds might also be burnt for divination. It is a form very similar to the childhood rhyme used on flower, i.e. “she loves me; she loves me not.” Throw the pips into a fire while reciting, “If you love me, pop and fly; if you hate me, lay and die” to your imagined love.
If the sun could be seen shining through the branches of an apple tree on December 25th, then the owner of the tree would reap a healthy crop the following summer. To ensure that this would happen, the farmer could place a piece of toast in the fork of the tree, or the largest Apple tree in the orchard. The tree might be planted for a newborn boy as a "barometer" of his future. If the tree grew well, he would have a good life.
Apples were symbolic of many things in diverse cultures. If an apple appears in the grounds of your teacup, it indicates an achievement. In Britain if an apple tree comes into bloom out of season while still bearing fruit it was an augury of a death in the family. This same event is viewed as an omen of extremely good fortune in the rest of Europe however. It is also good fortune to find any type of fruit growing double. If you share it with a friend you will both receive a wish. A pregnant woman eating one could have twins.
Known Combinations:
none noted
Medical Indications: Parts Used: (Caution: seeds contain cyanide and are poisonous if eaten in quantity)
Apples are a source of enzymes, carbohydrates, iron, sodium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Unlike citrus fruits which acquire their tartness from citric acid, apples are made tart by the presence of malic and tartaric acid. Apples contain flavonoids and antioxidants that improve immune function and prevent heart disease and some cancers. Apples are normally easy on the digestion (unless you have an allergy). The natural acids present in the fruit inhibit fermentation in the intestines, and their high fiber content adds bulk that aids the digestive process, making elimination natural and comfortable. Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.
This popular fruit is said to have properties that are a muscle tonic, diuretic, laxative, antidiarrheal, antirheumatic, and stomachic. They may be peeled or grated for diarrhea, and for a fasting diet, one to two days with only grated (unripe) apple is effective. Of course, if you are allergic to malic acid like myself, this is not recommended. The dried peel may also be added to tea for rheumatic illness. Hippocrates (circa 400 BCE), the Greek physician considered the father of medicine, was a strong supporter of nutritional healing. His favorite remedies were apples, dates, and barley mush. Because of their high water content, apples are cooling and moistening and aid in reducing fever. Simply grate them and serve them to feverish patients. Steamed apples sweetened with honey are beneficial for a dry cough and may help to remove mucous from the lungs. Green apples act as a liver and gall bladder cleanser and may aid in softening gallstones.
Nutrition:
Crab apples may be jellied or used in pies but should not be eaten raw. They are especially suitable for apple butter. The crab apples or any tart apples may be boiled in cider until reduced to a thick paste to which allspice is added while it is still cooking.
For apple sandwiches, cut the apple in very thin slices and lay between slices of buttered bread. Tart apples are also good with mutton.
People once suspended apples from strings over the hearth. When the apples were fully roasted, they would fall into a bowl of spiced, mulled wine that was waiting for them beneath. This practice was the precursor to the oven-baked apple of today.
Hot spice ale, wine, or cider with apples and bits of toast floating in it was called lamb's wool but derived from the Irish La mas nbhal (lammas-ool) "the feast of apple-gathering.” It was customary to drink and take out the apple bits, wishing luck to your companions while eating them.
Mercantile Uses:
Apple bark makes a yellow or yellow/tan dye.
The wood may be used for making mallet heads and golf clubs. Pieces of apple wood add excellent flavor for smoking foods, and the split wood make ideal fire logs.
The temperate zones of Europe, Asia, and North America are ideal for apple growing where the trees can rest during a cold, dormant period of about two months to recover from the work of producing an abundant crop. New varieties of apples have been developed that produce well in warmer climates. Commercial grown apples are mostly imported from cooler countries like Russia, China, Germany, England, France, and the Northern United States.