Novelli Photography

PYRUS SPP.

FOLK NAMES: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Branch, Silver Bough, Tree of Love



POWERS ASSOCIATED: Love, Healing, Garden Magic, Immortality



-Long used in love spells, apple blossoms placed in sachets are supposed to attract lovers. Blossoms may also be dipped in pink wax to make candles intending to encourage love.

-European folklore used apples for women’s love predictions. An apple was cut in half, and if there was an even split the woman was to be wed soon. If one seed was split, said woman would experience a rough relationship; if two seeds were split women were predicted to be widows; if the seeds were uneven in number the woman would not be married in the near future.

-Gardener lore states that if you pour apple cider onto freshly-turned earth before planting you will enrich the life of your crop. Additionally, at the end of a harvest it was said to be good luck to burry thirteen leaves of an apple tree in order to ensure a good harvest the following year.

-The Norse believed one could gain immortality through consuming apples and the wisdom the apple contained. The wood of the apple tree was also made into charms for longevity.

-Wiccans believe that the wood of an apple tree made a good wand for conducting more emotional based magic. Sometimes apples were carved into little dolls, or poppets for rituals and spells. On Samhain (the Wiccan New Year, Oct. 31st), Wiccan altars are decorated with apples, because they are believed to be the food of the dead. Because of this Samhain is also referred to as “Feast of Apples.”

-The Greeks used apples in celebration of the goddess Diana’s Festival on August 13th. Large feasts were prepared, part of which involved apples still hanging on their boughs.

-It is said that before eating an apple, one should rub it to remove any demons or evil spirits, which could be hiding inside.

-Unicorns are rumored to live under apple trees and eat the apples, a theme which is represented in various Unicorn tapestries.