Blossom

File:Orange Blossom.JPG]]

The ancient Phoenicians used almond blossoms with honey and urine as a tonic, and sprinkled them into stews and gruels to give muscular strength. Crushed petals were also used as a poultice on skin spots and mixed with banana oil, for dry skin and sunburn.{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=2 }}

In herbalism the crab apple was used as treatment for boils, abscesses, splinters, wounds, coughs, colds and a host of other ailments ranging from acne to kidney ailments. Many dishes made with apples and apple blossom are of medieval origin. In the spring, monks and physicians would gather the blossoms and preserve them in vinegar for drawing poultices and for bee stings and other insect bites.{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=24 }} File:MeihuaShan 1.jpg]] Descending from China and south east Asia, the earliest orange species moved westwards via the trade routes.{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=57 }}

In 17th century Italy peach blossoms were made into a poultice for bruises, rashes, eczema, grazes and stings.{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=59 }}

In ancient Greek medicine plum blossoms were used to treat bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and tighten loose teeth. Plum blossoms mixed with sage leaves and flowers were used in plum wine or plum brandy as a mouthwash to soothe sore throats and mouth ailments and sweeten bad breath.{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=62 }}

{{Nihongo|Hanami|花見||"flower viewing"}} is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers; in this case almost always refer to those of the {{nihongo|cherry|桜|sakura}} or, less frequently, {{nihongo|plum|梅|ume}} trees.{{cite book |last=Sosnoski |first=Daniel |url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontoja00dani |title=Introduction to Japanese culture |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |year=1996 |isbn=0-8048-2056-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/introductiontoja00dani/page/12 12] |quote=hanami. |url-access=registration}}

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the National Trust organises the environmental awareness campaign #BlossomWatch, which is designed to raise awareness of the first signs of Spring, by encouraging people to share images of blossoms via social media.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-24 |title=Blossom watch day: National Trust urges UK to share blooms |url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/24/blossom-watch-day-national-trust-urges-uk-to-share-blooms |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}

File:Almond Blossom in Butte County (2025)-104A8325.jpg|Almond blossoms in Butte County, California

File:Blackthorn in blossom.jpg|Blackthorn in blossom

File:Apple Tree in Full Bloom.JPG|Apple blossoms in full bloom.

File:Pear blossom.jpg|Pear blossoms in full bloom.

File:Plum tree in blossom woodvale.jpg|Plum blossoms in full bloom.

File:Blossom of Peach (4391499291).jpg|Peach blossoms in full bloom.

File:Flowering crabapple in Washington DC.jpg|Crabapple blossoms.

File:PikiWiki Israel 28684 White Lemon Blossoms.jpg|Lemon blossoms.

File:Strawberry blossom.JPG|Strawberry blossoms.

File:Blackberry Blossom - geograph.org.uk - 216207.jpg|Blackberry blossoms.

File:شکوفه زردآلو، بهبهان .jpg|alt=Apricot Blossom in Behbahan, Iran|Apricot Blossom in Behbahan, Iran

File:شکوفه درخت کنار، بهبهان.jpg|alt=Ziziphus Blossom in Behbahan, Iran|Ziziphus Blossom in Behbahan, Iran

• Fragrance extraction

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Blossoms}}

{{Wiktionarypar|blossom}}

• [https://www.smartshoppingtricks.com/blossom-in-different-languages/ Blossom in other languages].
• {{cite book|author=Millais, John Everett|author-link=John Everett Millais|url=http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/picture-of-month/displaypicture.asp?venue=7&id=112 |title=Apple blossoms|publisher=Lady Lever Art Gallery}}
• {{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17341878 |work=BBC Nature |title= In Pictures: Your blossoming spring}}

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Category:Plants