Flower Essences in Spring: the Apple Blossom

Apple - Malus domestica - Malus sylvestris

The apple tree, which belongs to the rose family, is a small to medium-sized tree with a height of 10 and 15 m. Its silhouette recalls the shape of its fruit. The cultivated apple tree that is so popular with us and can be found in almost every garden, loves our temperate climate. Except for in the cold regions of the world, it is cultivated and/or wild all over the world.

It originally developed from various wild forms, one of which was native, namely the crab apple, already used for the preparation of a Bach flower essence, the others come from Asia.

Flowering in April and May, the five white petals are often tinged with pink on the outside, a signature that suggests a connection of heart and inspiration.

The apple tree is one of the oldest trees used by humans. It is relatively undemanding when it comes to the soil conditions, but it does not like frost, which destroys the flowers and thus fruit formation. On the other hand, the seeds do not germinate without first having experienced frost. This prevents death after premature germination in autumn. Fruit collection time is between August and October, depending on the variety.

Background information

   The apple and the apple tree play a major role in legends (Isaac Newton’s falling apple), fairy tales (the poisoned apple in Snow White), religion (see Martin Luther’s saying about planting an apple tree) and politics (e.g. as the imperial orb). In the Celtic tree horoscope, the days from December 23rd to January 1st. and 25.6. to 4.7. are considered days of the apple tree, this has a special meaning for those born then. In the medicinal plant horoscope, December 31st is the birthday of the apple tree people.

   The apple tree is stone old in the truest sense of the word: Food remains from the Stone Age found and examined by archaeologists indicate that the apple was used to feed people even then. The wild apple has been at home in Germany and Europe since ancient times. Refining with shoots brought by the Romans from Asia resulted in hundreds of delicious varieties, a variety that unfortunately has shrunk to just a few ones today.

In naturopathy, people like to prescribe apple cider or apple wine to cleanse, strengthen and re-tuning of the entire organism, both are well tolerated, stimulate the appetite and promote digestion. The vitamin C content offers protection against infection. Coughs and hoarseness, fever, stone diseases and gout used to be treated with prepared apples, e.g. fried, as juice or as tea. In England, people used to scald sliced Reine de Reinette apples with boiling water, add lemon juice and sugar and give this to fever patients as a drink.

Ancient folklore says that the apple tree is under the protection of the gods as it is not struck by thunder and lightning. When the heroes enter Valhalla, they are first offered an apple, which is said to guarantee eternal beauty, strength and youth.

For the Celts, the apple was the fruit of immortality, eating it brought eternal youth and health. In Germanic mythology, the goddess Idun is the guardian of very special apples. These are the only ones capable of keeping the gods young forever. When the goddess of eternal youth is kidnapped into the underworld, the entire horde of gods threatens to grow old and must therefore free the captive in order to be able to enjoy her rejuvenating apples again. The Celtic druids regarded the apple as the fruit of knowledge.

As late as the 19th century, families still had the custom of planting an apple tree for the child at every birth, as a tree of life, so to speak. The children learned to take responsibility for ‚their‘ tree so that it contributed to their growing up. In addition, conclusions about the life of the tree’s child were drawn from the type of growth and state of health. Today, this custom is practiced only by a few. What a pity.

The concept of the apple of discord goes back to Greek mythology. According to legend - as related in an explanatory note to Homer’s Iliad - there is the golden apple of discord.

Apparently the apple also plays its part in the subject of vanity and its insult. On the other hand, the apple predicted to women who wished to marry that if they managed to peel an apple in a single continuous strand of its peel, they would find a husband in the same year. The apple symbolizes wholeness, perfection, beauty and energy.

Fertility is another theme associated with the apple, as it is said that after a year that brought a bountiful apple harvest, many boys are born thereafter, while a bountiful pear harvest indicated girl births.

There are three apple essences

Apple - Malus domestica, Crab Apple - Malus sylvestris and Wild Apple - Malus domestica.

Unfortunately, the crab apple is threatened with extinction in Germany, and the wild apple is sometimes confused with it. However, this is made from the seeds of edible apples that have sprouted.

All apple essences have a clear physical reference:

Apple brings new energy, a good body feeling and a certain lightness, which is why it is used particularly often at the end of pregnancy. It gets your circulation going and drains you. It also makes it easier to adapt to hormonal changes such as at the beginning and end of pregnancy. It motivates, makes you want to exercise and enjoy bodily experiences and stimulates the immune system.

Crab Apple allows you to become one with your body again in case you reject it or parts of it. When you feel ugly and/or dirty, not comfortable in your own skin, in short: not at peace with yourself. Typical are pedantic habits and a certain compulsion to exaggerated cleanliness. Crab Apple helps to accept yourself and is therefore a particularly good remedy for allergy sufferers whose immune system is directed against completely harmless substances such as pollen or food or, even worse, against the body’s own protein (so-called autoimmune diseases).

Finally, Wild Apple is used by people who are finding life increasingly difficult because their physical strength is actually decreasing, whether due to illness or old age. Like the Apple essence, it drains water, making the body lighter and more flexible. In addition, however, it draws attention to the beautiful things that can still be achieved. Wild Apple changes your perspective. As an old person, you don’t have to mourn not being able to climb Mount Everest personally on foot if you can draw on your memories, convey wisdom and humanity and let your grandchildren hop around on your knees. The range of motion may become smaller, but this does not have to affect the zest for life. Wild Apple teaches the beauty of old age.

All three apple essences are not only suitable for internal use, but also as an additive for skin and healing creams.