Pomona was a popular minor Roman goddess often known as the goddess of apples. Her day is celebrated on August 13th.
Pomona cares for and watches over fruit orchards. She is typically portrayed with a cornucopia or large tray filled with fruit carrying a pruning knife.
The Essence of Pomona
Pomona's name derives from the Latin word "pomum," meaning fruit, particularly tree fruit. She was uniquely Roman in origin, unlike many deities who were borrowed from Greek mythology. She has no Greek equivalent although is referred to as a wood nymph a Greek term.
Far from being merely another minor deity in the Roman pantheon, Pomona represents something deeply human: our relationship with the land we tend and the fruits of our labor.
The Romans created her to embody their agricultural values and their deep connection to the cultivation of fruit trees. This makes her particularly fascinating—she represents the Roman spirit of practical divinity, where gods weren't distant figures but intimate partners in daily life.
She was depicted as a beautiful maiden carrying a pruning knife, often surrounded by the fruits of her labor: apples, pears, and other orchard bounty.
Her domain extended beyond mere fruit production to encompass the entire art of horticulture, including the grafting of trees, the nurturing of young saplings, and the careful pruning that transforms wild growth into productive abundance.
What set Pomona apart from other nature deities was her focus on cultivation rather than wilderness. While other nymphs and forest spirits represented untamed nature, Pomona embodied the partnership between human skill and natural growth. She was the patron of those who understood that the best fruits come not from abandoning nature to its own devices, but from working with it through knowledge, patience, and care.
Pomona’s Connection With Halloween
While traditionally she is celebrated at the beginning of the fruit season there is some evidence she was celebrated in the fall as well to go along with the harvesting season.
November 1st was celebrated by Ancient Romans as a day to honor her and give thanks for the fruit harvest. The holiday custom of bobbing for apples is named for her.
Celts also celebrated this day to honor the sun god and be thankful.
As Europe came under Christian oppression they changed the holiday to the Feast of All Saints to honor the Christian Saints (gods)
Who Is Vertumnus?
Vertumnus is the god of seasons and change. He is Pomona’s husband and was also celebrated in August around the 23rd.
However, according to Ovid in his famous poem Metamorphoses, Vertumnus had to trick Pomona into marrying him. Pomona had rebuffed all previous suiters and was devoted only to her orchards.
Pomona was a young beautiful virginal wood nymph who caught Vertumnus’s attention. Vertumnus fell deeply in love with Pomona, but she had dedicated herself entirely to her orchards and showed no interest in romance. She had even surrounded her gardens with walls to keep suitors at bay, preferring the company of her trees to that of admiring gods and mortals.
This presented quite a challenge for Vertumnus, whose very nature was transformation and change. He used this gift to approach Pomona in various disguises, each time hoping to win her affection. He appeared as a harvester, a fisherman, a soldier, and even as a vine-tender, but Pomona remained focused on her work, politely but firmly rejecting each advance.
Finally, Vertumnus took the form of an elderly woman—a wise crone who might offer motherly advice. In this guise, he was able to enter Pomona's sacred grove and engage her in conversation. The disguised god praised a nearby elm tree that was beautifully entwined with grapevines, suggesting that like the tree and vine, Pomona would be more fruitful and fulfilled if she were paired with a worthy partner.
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Vertumnus and Pomona (c. 1618) by Peter Paul Rubens. Notice here how she carries a sycle, a grain implement, instead of a knife.
Finally, the disguised Vertumnus revealed his true form, appearing as a handsome young god radiant with the beauty of all seasons. Moved by his persistence, creativity, and the wisdom of his words, Pomona finally opened her heart to love. She married him and they had many children. It is said that apples are prolific because of their lustful relationship.
Honoring Pomona Today
In our modern world, Pomona's wisdom and energy remain remarkably relevant. As we face challenges related to sustainable agriculture, climate change, and our relationship with the natural world, the goddess of orchards offers valuable guidance for contemporary life.
Practical Garden Devotion: The most direct way to honor Pomona is through hands-on gardening, particularly the cultivation of fruit trees and productive plants. This doesn't require vast orchards—even a small apple tree in a backyard, herbs on a windowsill, or a community garden plot can serve as a connection to her energy. The key is approaching this work with intention, seeing it as a partnership with natural forces rather than mere food production.
Seasonal Awareness: Pomona's marriage to Vertumnus reminds us of the importance of seasonal cycles in our lives. Modern pagans and nature-lovers can honor her by paying attention to the natural rhythms of growth, harvest, and rest. This might involve celebrating the first spring blossoms, the summer abundance of fruit, or the autumn harvest with gratitude and awareness.
Sustainable Practices: Pomona's focus on cultivation over exploitation makes her a natural patron for sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. Supporting local farmers, choosing organic produce, learning about permaculture, or advocating for environmental protection can all be forms of devotion to her principles.
Knowledge Sharing: The goddess of orchards was also a goddess of horticultural knowledge. Sharing gardening wisdom, teaching children about plants, or supporting agricultural education honors her legacy. Many modern practitioners create study groups focused on traditional farming methods, herbalism, or sustainable gardening practices.
Ritual and Ceremony: For those drawn to more formal worship, creating seasonal rituals around planting, tending, and harvesting can provide meaningful connection to Pomona's energy. This might involve blessing seeds before planting, offering first fruits to the goddess, or creating altar spaces decorated with seasonal flowers and fruits.
Modern Altars: Contemporary altars to Pomona often include fresh fruits, particularly apples and pears, along with pruning shears, seeds, and images of fruit trees. Some practitioners include representations of the changing seasons to honor her connection to Vertumnus.
Tips To Celebrate
Plant an apple tree. You can learn more about growing apples here
Make a wand from an apple branch. Wands made of apple wood are known to be powerful for protection and enchantment.
Use fruits and nuts in your spells
Cut an apple in half and bury it to settle an argument
Apples were sometimes thrown to scare away evil spirits
Bake an apple pie
National Apple Day in the US and UK is October 21st. Eat apples and honor Pomona that day.
In Italy, Pomaria, The Apple Festival – Val di Non takes place on October 8-9
Fun Fact: Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter series has the first name, Pomona. She was played by Miriam Margolyes.
Invocation to Pomona By Shirley Two Feathers
“Lady of the Apple Tree, Whose red-cheeked visage greets the dawn,
Lady of the Pear Tree, Whose sweetness salves the questing tongue, Lady of the Peach Tree, Whose blush transforms the morning sky,
Lady of the Plum Tree, Whose scent entices, smooth and smiling, Lady of the Cherry Tree, Whose scarlet lips are drenched in raindrops.
Lady of the blossoming branch, Who entices bees to dance with you,
Lady of the secret orchard where Vertumnus gained his entry, Where he came in secret, clothed in inVestments of the ancient Crone, God of growth, god of seasons, God of turning, he took you there
As you offered up your nectar and all the trees above you burst their buds. Lady of the ancient ones, the Trees Who give forth their children one by one that we may know not just mere survival but sweetness as well, help us to remember the beauty and abundance of your gifts.”
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Pomona's Role in Roman Society
In Roman culture, Pomona held a position of considerable importance that extended far beyond her mythological stories. She had her own festival, the Pomonal, celebrated on August 13th, during the height of the fruit harvest. This timing was no coincidence—Romans understood that successful agriculture required divine favor, and Pomona's blessing was essential for abundant harvests.
The Romans established a sacred grove called the Pomonal located about five miles from Rome, where her priest, the Flamen Pomonalis, conducted rituals and maintained her worship. This priest was one of the twelve minor flamens, indicating Pomona's significance in the official state religion. The grove served as both a religious center and a practical demonstration of advanced horticultural techniques.
Roman gardeners and farmers would invoke Pomona's protection over their orchards, asking her to guard against pests, diseases, and harsh weather. They understood that successful fruit cultivation required not just hard work but also a harmonious relationship with the natural forces that Pomona represented. Her worship involved practical elements: the dedication of first fruits, the proper timing of pruning and grafting, and the sharing of horticultural knowledge within the community.
The goddess also played a role in Roman concepts of property and civilization. Orchards represented a particular type of land use that required long-term thinking and investment. Unlike annual crops that could be planted and harvested in a single season, fruit trees required years of careful tending before they produced. Pomona thus embodied the Roman virtues of patience, foresight, and the transformation of wilderness into productive, civilized space.
Author, Ame Vanorio, is a lifelong pagan, an environmental educator, and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Pomona was a popular minor Roman goddess often known as the goddess of apples. Her day is celebrated on August 13th.