- Barbara branches: history and meaning of the custom
- Barbara branches: Which tree is suitable?
- Cutting branches of Barbara: when and how to do it
- Bringing Barbara branches to bloom
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In early December, branches of fruit trees can be cut and placed in a warm place. At Christmas, the Barbara branches delight many with their blossoms.
In many households at Christmas you can find blossoming cherry branches or the branches of other fruit trees and ornamental shrubs. The tradition of the barbarian branches goes back to the Christian faith. There are also customs in other cultures and religions that involve cut, prematurely flowering shoots or even whole branches. Barbara branches are more than just a nice decoration, they are part of the so-called oracle customs, as are lead casting or the onion calendar. You can find out what the Barbara branches are all about and which trees are suitable for Barbarian branches in our article.
Barbara branches: history and meaning of the custom
The Barbara branches are not only a beautiful sight in winter, but also look back on a long tradition. In fact, the custom of the Barbara branches can be traced back to the story of Saint Barbara: in the year 306 AD, the daughter of a rich merchant is said to have been secretly baptized and was then sentenced to death. On the way to the prison cell, a twig is said to have gotten caught on her robe. Saint Barbara placed the branch in a vessel of water. On the day of her execution, the leafless branch is said to have miraculously blossomed - the legend of the Barbara branches was born.
To this day, the story of the Barbara branches is often told during the Christmas season. In the meantime, different regional myths and legends have formed. Blossoming Barbara branches at Christmas are said to bring good luck for the coming year. In addition, the flowering twigs are used in some regions for predictions or as oracles - for example when choosing the bridegroom: each twig is assigned the name of a suitor who blossoms first signals which suitor is the right one. In addition, the number of flowers earlier was taken as an indication of the expected harvest. Nowadays it is a popular custom to use the Barbara branches as an oracle for the lottery numbers.
Barbara branches: Which tree is suitable?
In order for there to be really flowering branches at Christmas, not only the timing of the cut is decisive, but also the selection of the right tree. But which tree is suitable for Barbara branches? Traditionally, on Barbara Day, December 4th, cherry branches are cut and brought into the house. In addition to blossoming cherry branches at Christmas, Barbara branches from the apple tree are also very popular. There are a number of trees that can be used as Barbara branches.
In fact, almost any fruit tree is suitable, for example pear (Pyrus), plum (Prunus domestica) or damson ( Prunus domestica subsp.domestica) for barbara branches at Christmas. Also chestnuts (Castanea) and wild shrubs like cornel (Cornus mas) and sloe (Prunus spinosa) are suitable for this. If you want something more unusual, you can also cut your Barbara branches in the ornamental garden: lilac (Syringa vulgaris), forsythia (Forsythia) and winter jasmine ( Jasminum nudiflorum) are just as suitable as broom (Genista), almond trees (Prunus dulcis) or ornamental fruit.
These trees are suitable for cutting barbara branches:
- Fruit trees and shrubs: Cherry, apple, plum, quince, plum, cornel, sloe
- Ornamental trees: Ornamental cherries, blood plums, lilacs, forsythia, almond trees, ornamental currants, witch hazel, ornamental quince, broom
- Other: Chestnut, Hazelnut
Cutting branches of Barbara: when and how to do it
In order to be able to look forward to lush flowers at Christmas, the branches should be cut off the tree around St. Barbara's Day, i.e. on December 4th. Once you have found the right tree, you should also pay close attention to the selection of the branch. Twigs from young trees are often less suitable, as they sometimes have no or hardly any flowers. Older trees in your garden that are already known for flowering in the spring are more suitable. When choosing, make sure you choose a branch with as many thick and rounded buds as possible - in contrast to the rather slender leaf buds, these usually produce flowers.
Bringing Barbara branches to bloom
So do the branches that have been cut offactually start flowering, it is important that they have experienced cold temperatures beforehand. The dormancy can only be broken if the tree has experienced a certain number of cold hours with temperatures below 7 °C. Only when this has happened do the Barbara branches sprout blossoms in the warm apartment. If the temperatures haven't gotten colder by December, there's a trick to getting the Barbara twigs to bloom anyway: Freeze the twigs. Just one night in the freezer can complete the cold stimulus. In particularly warm Novembers, it is a good idea to put the branches in the fridge for several days to ensure that the necessary cold hours are achieved. In this case, however, you should cut the Barbara branches a few days earlier and take them out of the fridge on December 4th so that they bloom in time for Christmas. Before placing the barbara branches in water, it is necessary to cut them at an angle as far as possible - this maximizes the surface area for water absorption. After the cooling phase in the freezer or in the refrigerator, it is better to put the branches in a cool room for another day and not in the warm living room. In this way, the probability of a strong bloom is increased again.
Once you have placed the Barbara branches in water, most of the work is already done. Only the right location should still be chosen: Although the Barbara branches need warmth after the cold stimulus and the short resting phase in order to start flowering, an overly warm room with dry heating air will cause the buds to dry out quickly. A moderately warm room that is aired regularly is therefore more suitable. In order to make Barbara branches bloom even more beautifully, it is advisable to regularly replace the water in the vase with new water that is as low in lime as possible. This promotes the vitality of the branches and is therefore also conducive to the blooming splendor. You can also spray the Barbara branches with a little water every day so that the buds stay fresh and are not attacked by the dry heating air.
Tip: If you want to be sure that your Barbara branches will actually bloom despite a warm autumn, you should use quince or sweet cherry branches. Of all fruit varieties, their dormancy is broken by the fewest hours of cold weather, so that they also bloom reliably when there were only a few cold days in autumn. Apple, lilac and laburnum branches, on the other hand, need moreCold hours and therefore not always succeed after a warm autumn.
Bringing Barbara branches to bloom at a glance:
- If there is no frost yet, put it in the freezer/fridge overnight or for several days if necessary.
- Put the branches in the vase, cut them at an angle beforehand.
- Then set it up in a cool room, for example the hallway, for another day.
- Move the branches in the vase to a moderately warm place in the apartment, where they will keep until Christmas.
- Change the water regularly (e.g. every three days).
- Spray buds with water daily.
It's not just the Barbara branches that get us in the Christmas spirit in December. In our article about the 10 most beautiful Christmas plants, you can find out which plants are also not to be thought of from the Advent season.