NAME :  Apple

GAELIC NAME : Úll

LATIN NAME : Pyrus malus 

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

MEDICINAL PART : Fruit

PLACES OF ORIGIN : Ireland Europe Asia North America

HABITAT : Moist Soils

DESCRIPTION : If left to grow naturally can grow to heights of 15 to 20 feet. Grey bark, with oblong leaves, blossoms appear in May and are white tipped with pink.  Mature trees over fifteen years of age bear fruit from September to October.

Uses:  Apples are eaten raw as a fruit they contain boron in their skins.  The Apples are made into Cider, Apple Wine or Cider Vinegar.  Also made into preserves, and used in cakes and flans and other confectionaries.

In Ancient Ireland the apple used would probably have been the 'crab-apple' or wild apple, which has a bitter astringent taste (it dries the mouth!!) and is smaller than commercial varieties available today.

FLOWERING PERIOD : May to July

PROPERTIES : Astringent Digestive

MAGICAL PROPERTIES

RITUAL USES

Use in love rituals, marriage ceremonies and similar rituals.  Call on Angus Óg for love rituals, Airmed for healing, Aine for healing emotional disturbances.

MAGICAL USES

For all love spells use the fruit or the blossoms.

Mythology

The Apple was regarded as the fruit of immortality in Celtic Mythology.  The Welsh 'Avalon' means 'Apple Island' and is considered synonymous with Tír na nÓg in Irish Mythology and Emain Abhlach 'The Island of Apples'.  The soul of Cu Roi Mac Daire was imprisoned in an apple that resided in the stomach of a salmon which appeared once every seven years.  An apple tree grew over the grave of the tragic lover Ailinn.  Cúchulainn followed the trail of a magical apple to gain his freedom in one story.  Connla the son of Conn is fed an apple by a fairy lover which sustains him but also makes him fall hopelessly in love with her.  One of the tasks of the children of Tuirenn is to retrieve the magical apples of the Hesperides.

The Adventures of Connla

The Fate of the Children of Tuirenn

© Shee-Eire: