In my village in the outer boundary of a cottage, is a very old tree. Its been there for as long as I remember and it bears a fruit, not mentioned much these days – Medlar fruit! Medlar is the name of the tree and of the fruit which it bears and it has been cultivated since Roman times. Its not so popular today as other fruits have gradually been imported and replaced it as a popular fruit that was once eaten raw, made into jelly and a cheese.
Medlar trees can grow quite high – around 21-25 foot – and they flower late spring and early summer giving way to fruit soon after. Although the fruit is ready to pick in late October, they aren’t fully ripe to eat. Strangely enough, Medlars don’t ripen on the tree. To be edible, the fruit needs to ‘blet’ which means they go beyond the ripe stage – almost to the point of being rotten. The skin starts to wrinkle and the flesh goes a gooey brown colour. I would imagine that it puts people off wanting to eat a rotten fruit, but it is at its best when it has started to decay – up until then, you cannot eat it.
Medlars are strange looking fruit – almost like a large rosehip – which is funny as the Medlar tree is a member of the rose family. They have been given rather rude names in the past – likening the fruits strange looking shape to a ‘bottom’ or ‘backside’. The late ripening of this fruit is unusual – most fruits are done by September time, but the medlar is a useful fruit for gardeners who wish to have fruit all year round. Once the apples, pears and berries are starting to dwindle in the store cupboards – wrapped up in paper and laid on straw, the medlar is just starting to come into its own by Yule.
I’ve never tasted a medlar but apparently they taste a little like custard, with the flesh being likened to a date with hints of apricot, lemon and vanilla.
Medlars have many health benefits – they raise your immunity to colds, coughs and the like. Fight against viruses, protect against respiratory illnesses and are good for constipation and other digestive issues. They are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants.
Magical Properties
Try as I might, I couldn’t find any magical properties for medlar. I was quite surprised as it is such an ancient fruit that has been around for many years and there wasn’t any correspondences for it that I could see..
However, I did find some text from a book by Samael Aun Weor. He is an author of over 60 books on esoteric spirituality. The book is called Esoteric Medicine and Practical Magic: Experience Natures Healing Power. In it was a recipe for a potion for ‘calculi of the gallbladder, lack of appetite and all types of aches within the digestive tract’
It said to take 10 seeds from a ripened medlar. Grind or pulvarise and add 100 grams of pure water. You must perform this procedure the night before the day that you intend to drink it. It must be warmed in the morning hours and taken daily until cured.
I was thinking about what magical workings I would use with medlar and thought about this: -
You could use the seeds for fertility and prosperity workings. As the medlar is a fruit that can only be eaten when starting to decay, thoughts of closure and knowledge come to mind. Shadow work rituals, spells, bindings and banishing fear and insecurities but promoting positivity as the seeds are a symbol of rebirth.
The fruit can be given as an offering to any dark Gods or Goddesses that you may be working with too.
What would you work with Medlar for?
What thoughts do you have?..
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