THE APPLE TREE
Who doesn’t love a good crispy, juicy apple?! There are so many varieties; Macintosh, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, Cortland, Empire, Pink Lady, and my all time favorite, Honey Crisp! And there are more than that too, along with little tart crab apples. And all of them are good for different things. For example, the tart Granny Smith is the best for making Apple pies, but the Honey Crisp, in my opinion, makes the best apple sauce you will ever have. Oh and let’s not forget warm apple cider on a cool Autumn day, yum!
But aside from the beautiful fruit the Apple tree produces, she has other interesting properties and folklore associated with her as well. The Celtic Ogham symbol for Apple is Q for ‘Qert’ which literally means apple. But it also stands for limitless giving, abundance and wealth, love, divination and access to the otherworlds. The Apple Tree is used in many different ways in magic. It is one of the very versatile trees/plants and is used in so many different traditions.
Folklore
The Apple Tree is said to attract both love and abundance to you. One tale is that you can toss an apple and if the person you love or are interested in catches it, they are ‘obligated’ to now be yours. And in the old English tradition of ‘wassailing,’ which means ‘good health,’ there comes a tale of the old farmer who made his batch of mulled cider on Christmas Eve. He had given most of his cider away and was down to his last cup. But instead of drinking it he went out and placed it under the oldest apple tree in his orchard. When he came back on Christmas Day there was a little old dwarf at the tree who thanked him for the mulled cider. So in return, the Dwarf or Elf told him a secret, that there was a pot of gold under that very tree. So the man dug and sure enough there was a pot of gold, and the farmer was rich for all the days of his life. And he was very generous with his wealth and his apple trees continued to give good harvests because of his generosity. So of course this fable or tale reminds us to always share our wealth with others and to give back as we receive. If you like this tale, or want to know more about the tradition of ‘wassailing’, you can watch the ‘Story Crow’ here on Youtube tell it in more detail:
The mythic isle of Avalon, the fairy realm, and more ‘otherworlds’ are said to be accessed near an apple tree. Bobbing for apples is even rumored to have started from an old Druidic tradition. Usually the apple and apple trees are seen in a very positive light. But sometimes they have a negative story connected to them. For example, In Greek mythology we hear of the ‘apple of discord’ which kicked off the Trojan war. Then we have the poisoned apples in Disney movies like Snow White. And the most famous tale of course being the apple given to Eve by the serpent from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden Eden, who then shared the apple with Adam which then caused the ‘fall of man.’ Of course we know now these stories and myths are allegories and metaphors with much more esoteric meanings rather than literal accounts of events.
Healing Properties or Uses
Apples not only make great pies, cider, jello, applesauce, jam and more, but have lots of health benefits like reducing inflammation, improving gut health, supporting brain function and disease prevention. We all know the oldest and probably most common ‘folklore’, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” That one actually has some truth to it! They are rich in antioxidants, fiber, polyphenols and phytochemicals. They can help lower cholesterol, manage blood sugar for diabetics, and promote heart health.
For more on the amazing health benefits of apples check out these great articles:
https://www.health.com/apples-benefits-7643492
Magical uses
Cut the apple on its side, so you get the star shape in the middle when you cut it. Then remove the seeds and let them air dry. If you carry them in your pocket or in an amulet they are said to bring you love and abundance. You can carry around the apple blossoms from a tree for this same purpose. They say you can split an apple in half and share it with your lover to ensure a long, happy relationship. They are also used for divination purposes and for fertility or longevity spells. If you want to know the longevity of your life span, peel an apple and the longer you can get one continuous peel, the longer your life span. If you want to ensure a longer life, carry the actual wood from an apple tree in your pocket. Apples are also associated with the dead as well and therefore are used quite often in ancestral veneration and on holidays like Mabon and Samhain (Halloween) to honour the dead and your ancestors.
I found some of these little magical tips from this great article here if you would like to read more:
And finally, apples are great for carving sigils into. For example, if you want to attract love or wealth to you, simply carve the words like ‘wealth’ or ‘love’ into the apple, focus your intention, then eat it! And that’s it. Wallah! A simple easy apple spell that no one will even realize what you’re doing, if you happen to be a closet witch. No pomp and circumstance needed.
Hooray for the beautiful, versatile Apple Tree and her delicious fruit!
Thank you for joining me again! As always, be good to yourself, each other and Mother Gaia! Take any small step you can towards living a Greener Life! And join me for my next blog on trees/plants/herbs. Or check out my new blog series: A deep dive into Tarot and the Major Arcana. Many fairy blessings!
-AF- The Grove Witch
Leave a Reply