Herbal - Tumblr Posts
I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen with different tea ingredients, holding a desire to create my own signature tea. Here’s my favorite combination: my Floral Goddess tea! The fragrance reminds me of a fairy garden, and the ingredients remind me of a potion Aphrodite would drink herself. Enjoy! 🥀
Magickal Use of Cinnamon
Planet: Mercury/Sun/Mars/Uranus
Element: Air/Fire
Folklore: First cultivated and used in the East, Cinnamon was burned to purify the temple. It also promotes health, vigor and libido.
Main magickal uses: Clairvoyance, consecration, divination, energy, good luck, love, money, passion, peace, prosperity, protection, psychic development, success Other magickal uses: communication, happiness, harmony, healing, inspiration, knowledge, meditation, purification, spirituality, tranquility, wisdom Lore: Paul Beyerl suggests that cinnamon be paired with tourmaline for best effect. Cinnamon is important as a purification incense in China. Do not use externally on the body, as it irritates the skin.
Protection The sun is typically seen as representing male or active energy and since cinnamon is a sun-related ingredient it is thought to be useful in protection magic. For a simple cinnamon protection amulet, tie nine cinnamon sticks together and hang the bundle above your door to protect your home from from unwanted people and energies. Laying cinnamon sticks along your window sill will serve the same purpose.
Prosperity Financial and personal prosperity are also related to the sun’s active energy. Cinnamon sticks combined with other “prosperity” ingredients such as whole cloves, ginger and orange sections can be used as a simmering potpourri to help boost your efforts in job hunting, getting a raise or making general improvements to your financial status.
Love Because of its hot, fiery nature, cinnamon is a natural ally for love and sex magic. Try turning up the heat in your love life by grinding cinnamon sticks into a chunky powder and burning the powder as incense along with equal parts of red sandalwood and myrrh. Or simply place a stick of cinnamon under your lover’s pillow and see what happens.
SPELL: Money Talisman
YOU WILL NEED:
Five pumpkinseeds
Three Cinnamon sticks
One dollar bill
Green cloth
Green candle
Cinnamon or basil oil
Green ribbon
SPELLWORK
On a Friday during the waxing moon, assemble all your ingredients at dusk. Take the candle and rub (prosperity, basil, or cinnamon) oil into it while focusing on your bills and debts being paid, see them being paid, picture your self writing checks and smiling all the way to the bank. Light the candle and take the green cloth, add the pumpkin seeds, Cinnamon sticks, and the dollar bill and fold three times, tie with ribbon. Chant while you work and focus on money coming towards you;
Dollar bill, work your will. Pumpkinseeds do your deeds. Cinnamon sticks, do the trick, Bring needed money & bring it quick
Repeat three times burn candle for nine minutes. Keep Talisman near your wallet or purse, and bills to be paid. Expect money to come, know it will and it shall be.
a page from my new herbal grimoire! it’s a smoke blend I really liked and wanted to save while I still had it written down 🌿💨
Here it is in digital format too: - damiana - lobelia - CA Poppy - coltsfoot - tulsi - mugwort - lavender
Reasons Herbs May Not Work
It breaks my heart when I see people give up on herbs too easily.
More and more people are turning to herbs because there is a growing disappointment with using pharmaceuticals for chronic illness.
Many people are getting fed up with taking a pill that never really cures their illness and gives them awful side effects. Maybe they are concerned about acetaminophen giving their young child asthma (1) or they see the growing evidence about the risks associated with statins (2) and they say enough is enough!
From this moment forward they vow to never resort to drugs again and instead try a more natural and holistic approach thus leading them to the world of herbs and herbalism.
But sometimes their love affair with herbalism is stopped short.
They reach for the closest herb book, try a few remedies and then declare that the herbs don’t work! They tried using horehound for coughing with no relief. They tried meadowsweet for their headache to no avail.
They begin to wonder, “Are herbalists a bunch of delusional wood fairies touting the miracles of something that never works?”
As much as I would love to be considered a wood fairy, I’ll have to say no, this is not the case. I’ve seen herbs work hundreds of times. I’ve seen them work for serious infections as well as serious chronic diseases. I’ve seen them work when modern medicine failed.
Yes, herbs work!
I want to share a handful of reasons why herbs might not work in a given situation.
1. Improper dosing (either too little or too much)
When buying over the counter drugs like NyQuil or Tylenol, they come in a package that is clearly marked with the dosage instructions. Generally these are very simple instructions. “Adults take 2 tablets, three times daily.”
Herbs don’t always come with directions. If you buy bulk herbs the dosing instructions are absent entirely. If you buy a tincture or a bottle of capsules the dosage listed on the bottle has most likely been chosen by the FDA’s labeling mandates and not by an herbalist.
I am not going to lie to you. Dosage in the herbal world is confusing.
In herbalism dosage varies from person to person, from plant to plant and from preparation to preparation.
A 15 minute infusion of a teaspoon of nettle leaf will not extract the same vitamins and minerals as a four-hour infusion of an ounce of nettle leaf in a quart of water.
A few drops of lobelia tincture can promote relaxation. A strong cup of lobelia tea could make you vomit.
One way I commonly see dosages being flubbed in herbalism is people using small amounts of tonic/adaptogen herbs in tincture, versus the traditional use of large amount of tonic/adaptogen herbs as decoctions or powders. (As always go with what works, but if you aren’t getting the results you’d expect after taking 5 drops of ashwanganda tincture twice a day, consider your dose!)
Frequency of dosing can also be an issue. During acute illnesses we generally use slightly smaller amounts but with more frequency. I may take elderberry elixir 1-2 times each hour at the onset of an illness for example. General recommendations are to take herbs 3 times a day, but that won’t cut it for acute illness.
2. Low quality plant material
Herbs often don’t come with an expiration date. Quality can also vary significantly and will suffer greatly if the herbs have been improperly harvested or improperly processed.
Plants decay. They simply go bad. The rate at which they do this varies significantly from plant to plant. If you’ve just pulled a bag of herbs from your back shelf and had to blow off an inch of dust… well, they are probably not at their prime.
Keep reading
Herbs for Protection
General Protection ~ Hawthorn, Comfrey, Heather, Hyssop, Bay Leaf, Mistletoe, Mullein, Peony, St. John’s Wort, Solomon’s Seal, Vervain, Clover, Mugwort, Agrimony, Poke, Overlain, Violet, Aloe, Fennel
Against Negative Energy ~ Nettle leaves, Elecampane, Rosemary, Yarrow, Dill, Ivy, pennyroyal, Betony, Cayenne, Fern
Banishing ~ Dragonsblood, Angelica, Cactus, Asafetida, Garlic, Rue, Heliotrope, Lilac
Protection of Material Items ~ Juniper, Myrrh
Home Protection ~ Marjoram, Bay Leaf, Coriander, Holly, Foxglove, Pure Salt, Camomile
Uncrossing ~ Ague Root, Hyssop, Peppermint, Thyme, Cinquefoil, Wormwood, Verbena, Rose
Ward Off Evil both Spiritual & Mundane ~ Acacia, Basil, Agrimony, Sandalwood, Boneset, Mullein, Rosemary, Frankincense, Rue, Violet, Caraway, Balm of Gilead, Fern, Lilac, Periwinkle
Bad Dreams & Nightmares ~ Lavender, Dandelion, Hyacinth
Physical Attack ~ Carnations, Geranium, Camphor, Elder, Vetivert, Juniper
Psychic/Astral Attack ~ Cedar, Clove, Dill, Ivy, Yarrow, Nettle leaves, Pennyroyal, acacia, St. John’s Wort,
Top Ten Magical Herbs
1. Rosemary:
Anti-depressive
Protection
Purification
Exorcism
Magic Defense
Banishing
2. Sage:
Aphrodisiac
Protection
Divination
Longevity
Clairvoyance
Prosperity
Passion
3. Basil
House protection
Purification
Prosperity
Spell breaker
Strenght and Courage
Harmony and peace
Psychic Development
Exorcism
Against evil eye
Business Blessings
4. Bay leaf
Consecration
Divination
Dreams
Healing
Protection
Purification
Wisdom
Wishes
Love
5. Cinnamon
Protection
Money
Business
Success
Promotion
Against Disagreement
6. Lavander
Clairvoyance
Cleansing
Consecration
Hapiness
Healing
Love
Headache
Anti- Stress
Anti- Anxiety
Relaxing
Anti-Depressive
7. Lemon Balm
Interaction
Fellowship
Family
Relaxing
Calming
Sleep
Sedative
Love
Bath
Anti- Stress
8. Thyme
Healing
Love
Purification
Psychic Powers
Sleep
Courage
Attract Fairies
9. Mint
Money
Prosperity
Travel (protection)
Exorcism
Calming
Justice
Protection
10. Mugwort
Sedative
Lucid Dreams
Keep away bad spirits
Protection
Astral Projection
Divination
Prophetic Dreams
Herbal Amulets
From Magical Herbalism by Scott Cunningham
To See Ghosts: Carry lavender and inhale its scent.
To allay fears: Carry a mixture of nettle and yarrow.
To Detect Witches: Carry a sachet of Rue, maidenhair, agrimony, broom-straw, and ground ivy.
To Be Courageous: Wear a fresh borage flower, or carry mullein.
To Avoid Military Service: Wear the 4-leaved clover if you wish to avoid duty.
To Ensure Safety and Protection on A Journey: Comfrey worn or carried will safeguard you.
To Prevent Storms and Wreckage While At Sea: Put a clove of garlic in your purse or in your pocket. In the South Pacific or in Hawaii wear a garland of ti leaves.
To Guard against Rape: Wear the heather to avoid all acts of passion.
To Keep One from Dreaming: Hang a sprig of lemon verbena around the neck.
To Conceive: Wear the mistletoe, the cyclamen, or the bistort.
To Prevent Weariness while Walking: Put mugwort in the shoe.
To Keep Venomous Beasts and Wild Animals Afar: Wear avens or mullien.
To Keep Others from Deceiving You: Wear the pimpernel or snapdragon.
To Keep Disease Afar: Wear a sprig of rue around the neck.
To Enable A Soldier To Escape His Enemies: Wear the vervain and you shall accomplish this.
To Avoid Being Sent To The Gallows: Wear or carry a carnation.
To Ensure Victory: Wear woodruff to win.
To Ensure That Friendly Words Are Spoken To You: Wear the heliotrope.
To Enter the Underworld: Carry an apple, or the branch of an apple tree that bears buds, flowers, and fully ripened fruit.
To Regain Lost Manhood: Carry an acorn or mandrake root.
To Remain Youthful: Carry an acorn.
To Prevent Drunkenness: Wear a chaplet of saffron, crocus, parsley, or rue to prolong your enjoyment.
To See Fairies: Gather wild thyme and carry it with you, or put it on the eyelids (with your eyes closed) and sleep on a fairy hill.
To Be A Successful Fisherman: Carry a bit of the hawthorn.
To See A Unicorn: As this beast usually lives among the ash trees, carry a bit of the wood or leaves and you may see one. Or lie down among ashes and place one of its leaves on your chest and wait for one to make itself known.
Ten Mistakes New Herb Gardeners Make (and How to Avoid Them!)
Mistake 1: Growing from seed. When you first start out trying to grow fresh herbs, I recommend you begin by trying to grow from seedlings rather than planting your own seeds. These great little starter plants are widely available in grocery stores in the late spring. For the same price as a packet of fresh herbs from the produce section, you can buy your own little starter plant. Lots can go wrong in the seed to seedling transition (including not thinning out plants properly), so its probably best to begin by skipping that complicated task or you are in danger of washing out before you really begin.
Mistake 2: Starting with the wrong varieties. I recommend you start by trying to grow fresh basil. It is the perfect trainer herb. First, basil grows quickly, allowing you to observe the effects of your care more easily. Second, basil leaves wilt visibly when not watered enough, but recovers well if you water the wilted plant. This makes basil a great ‘canary in the mineshaft’ to help you figure out how much water is enough.
Mistake 3: Watering herbs like houseplants. Instead, water herbs a moderate amount every day. While some houseplants flourish with one solid watering per week, most delicate herbs require moderate and regular watering. This is particularly true during hot summer months. If you have good drainage at the bottom of your pot (at least a drainage hole, possibly rocks beneath the soil), it will be difficult to water herbs too much.
Mistake 4: Not cutting early and often. As a novice gardener, it may seem like your puny little plant just isn’t ready for a trip to the barber, but then you will find yourself sitting there wishing for leaves without much success. Again, basil is a great herb to practice pruning. As with all herbs, you want to cut the herb just above a set of growing leaves. With basil, when you cut the plant that way, the originally trimmed stem will no longer grow. However, two new stems will grow around the original cutting, creating a “V” shape (see the photo above, can you spot the Vs?). If you don’t trim basil aggressively, it will continue to grow straight up, and become too tall and top-heavy. Making your first trim approximately 3-4” above the soil produces a nice sturdy plant. Of course you want to be sure you are always leaving a few good sturdy leaves on the plant (see below). As it continues to grow, continue to prune it approximately every 3-4" for a nice solid plant. I like to let it grow for some time and then cut back to within 2-3 inches of the original cut. After only a few early trial cuts, this usually makes for a nice clipping with plenty of basil to use for a pizza.
Mistake 5: Taking the leaves from the wrong place. When you are just starting out it seems to make so much sense to pick off a few big leaves around the bottom of the plant, and let those tender little guys at the top keep growing. Wrong. Leave those large tough old guys at the bottom alone. They are the solar panels that power your herb’s growth. Once your plant is big enough to sustain a decent harvest, keep on taking from the top, as you have been when you were pruning. That way you get all those tender new herbs that are so tasty, and your plant gets to keep its well developed solar power system in place. Plus, if you pluck from the base and leave the top intact, you get a tall skinny plant that will flop over from its own weight (and yes, I know this from experience). When you pluck from the top, instead of clipping off just below a pair of leaves, you want to clip off just above a pair of leaves. It is a bit counter-intuitive as a novice, but trust me it works. The place where the leaf joins the stem is where new growth will occur when your plant sends off new stems in a V.
Mistake 6: Letting your plants get too randy. If you are pruning regularly, this may never become an issue, but unless you are growing something for its edible flowers, be sure to cut back herbs before they start growing flowers. My friend once brought me to her backyard garden and pointed, frustrated, at her wimpy, small basil plants. “I just keep tending them, but they don’t even produce enough leaves to put on a salad!” she lamented. I pointed to the glorious stalk of flowers at the top of each plant, “That’s your problem” I explained. Because herbs are kind of like college boys: if you give them half a chance, they will focus all their energy on procreation and neglect growth. If you want leaves, keep cutting off the little flower buds whenever you find them (see photo above), and it will encourage your plant to focus on growing more leaves.
Mistake 7: Using tired soil with no nutrients. Tired soil that has been sitting in your garden or lawn for ages often looks grey and a little depressing. Would you want to grow in that stuff? Give your plants a dose of the good stuff and they’ll thank you for it. I grow my herbs in a combination of potting soil, used coffee grounds (with a near-neutral PH, available for free at Starbucks), and organic compost. If I have some on hand, I also throw in crushed egg shells. Those without access to compost (and no deep commitment to organic growing) may find Miracle grow useful. My momma swears by it for tomatoes. A diluted solution of Miracle grow occasionally can help many herbs flourish.
Mistake 8: Getting in a rut. There is an element to passion about herb gardening. In order to be good at it, you need to feel rewarded. So don’t stick too long with one or two herbs just because they work. Branch out to a few other basic herbs that you will use regularly in your kitchen. There are few things more rewarding as an urban foodie than being able to pop out to the fire escape to clip fresh herbs to use in my cooking. Once you have become comfortable with basil, I recommend moving on to try growing oregano, mint, rosemary and thyme. All are regularly useful herbs in the kitchen, and all are relatively easy to grow. You will notice that rosemary cleaves after cutting in a somewhat similar way to basil, but grows much more slowly, so the effect is difficult to notice. Some plants also respond to clipping by throwing out more full leaves at their base. I have long wanted to grow cilantro but have not had much luck with it.
Mistake 9: You mean there’s more than one kind of mint?When choosing herbs, read the label carefully. For example, there are two main varieties of oregano: Mediterranean and Mexican. Mediterranean oregano is the more common variety, and what you likely own if you have conventional dried oregano in your cupboard. I have Mexican oregano growing on my back fire escape. I love Mexican oregano in spicy dishes, for making beans from scratch, and often use it in tomato dishes where I don’t want the flavor to seem too much like marinara. Similarly, there are many different kinds of mint. You don’t want to be thinking of the pungent spearmint plant and accidentally take home the much more subtle (and not mojito savvy) applemint by mistake.
Mistake 10: Feed me Seymour! If you are planting in soil instead of pots, take care that your cute little herb seedling doesn’t become a giant plant that takes over your garden. A word of warning for oregano and mint: both can be voracious growers. If you are planting outside in a garden, rather than in pots, you may want to consider potting these herbs and then burying the pots in the ground. This will add a measure of control to the root systems of these herbs, which can otherwise take over a garden and strangle nearby neighbors. When in doubt, check out wikipedia, they usually are careful to point out which herbs are in danger of overwhelming your garden.
Some really useful info here if you’re new to herb gardening.
🍜Healing Soup Spell 🍜
I based this recipe off of this recipe I found a few years ago and it has gone through a LOT of tweaking, especially in regards to herbs and the like.You can 1000% customize this spell to your heart’s content – especially if you’re not a Norse practitioner like me! I came up with the spell during my undergrad when I was helping organize an academic conference and didn’t have the time to get sick since the conference was a week away and it works wonders!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter (I’d highly recommend my garlic butter protection spell!) ½ an onion (protection, cleansing, absorbing negative energy) ½ c. of celery, chopped (calming) 1 c. of carrots, diced (protection, healing) ½ to 1 lb. of chicken (grounding, healing, protection, strength) 1 ½ c. of vegetable broth, salted 5 c. of chicken broth, salted 1 ½ c. pasta of choice (I use pasta in fun shapes!) ½ tsp. basil (protection, purification, harmony, calm) ½ tsp. oregano (happiness, strength, vitality, energy) ¼ tsp. sage (protection, purification, cleansing) 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (protection, purification, banishing, healing, sleep) Grated ginger to taste; about 1 tsp. (health, prosperity) Sea salt or pink salt to taste (purification, cleansing, banishing, grounding and centering) Pepper to taste (protection, banishing, wards off dark/negative energy) 6+ cloves of garlic, minced; dependent on personal taste (health, prosperity)
Cooking Instructions:
1. Rub salt and pepper into your chicken and throw it into a frying pan with the rest of your butter and cook your chicken. Once it’s finished cooking, let your meat rest and then shred it. 2. As your chicken rests, in a medium to large sized pot, heat up 1 tbsp. butter until it’s mostly melted. Then throw in your onion and your celery and cook them until they’re soft. 3. Add your vegetable and chicken broth into the pot with the celery and onion and add your diced carrots into the broth pot. 4. Add your herbs and wait until your vegetables go soft. 5. After your vegetables soften, put your shredded chicken into the pot along with your desired pasta and the sprigs of rosemary. Cook for about 20 minutes or so (or at least until you reach the desired density of pasta; I prefer mushy noodles when I get sick because my throat swells). 6. After this time, take your herbs that you’ve used and sprinkle the herbs on your soup in the form of the following runes: Ansuz, Sowilo/Sowulo, and Laguz. Ansuz - Good health, harmony, blessings. Sowilo/Sowulo - The sun, life-force, health, victory, wholeness. Laguz - Water, healing power of renewal, life energy. Note: If you don’t work with runes and/or aren’t a Norse practitioner, you can absolutely omit this step OR you can create your own sigil beforehand. If you don’t want to use these specific runes, you can also do your research into what other runes might be beneficial for you! 7. Once you’ve sprinkled on your rune-herbs, you can do a little chant if you so desire. I like to sing the Healing Incantation from Tangled. As you chant or sing, stir your soup, clockwise/sunwise/deosil/doesil to imbue your soup with luck. 8. Consume your soup! I find that this recipe makes enough to last a few days, too!
If you’re a TERF, a Nazi, a white supremacist, a racist, etc. do not interact with this post or my blog.
Fun little thing about medieval medicine.
So there’s this old German remedy for getting rid of boils. A mix of eggshells, egg whites, and sulfur rubbed into the boil while reciting the incantation and saying five Paternosters. And according to my prof’s friend (a doctor), it’s all very sensible. The eggshells abrade the skin so the sulfur can sink in and fry the boil. The egg white forms a flexible protective barrier. The incantation and prayers are important because you need to rub it in for a certain amount of time.
It’s easy to take the magic words as superstition, but they’re important.
✨🌱 ℝ𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪 🌱✨
- Salvia Rosmarinus -
✨🌱 Rosemary is a herb widely used in cooking and the craft. Not only does it taste amazing with roasted veg and potatoes it also has a lot of magical uses. 🌱
✨🌱Used mostly in cleansing and purification magic, rosemary is also good for mental clarity. It’s also great for calming headaches. 🌱
✨🌱 Some of it’s other properties include;
Promoting youth
Longevity
Protection
House blessings
Removing negative energy
Promoting health
✨(Always do your research on herbs before using them in any way!)✨
making my own approximation of four thieves vinegar out of what I have laying around. also made the leftover herbs into a little sachet.
four thieves vinegar was used by grave robbers to protect against bacteria and fungi and disease. it had a blend primarily of cloves, lavender, Rosemary, and cinnamon. nowadays there are many variations on this, my version has juniper berries, frankincense, cinnamon, cloves, and lavender. it is great for protecting against germs
Fern Seeds in Celtic Folk-Magic
“We have the receipt of fern seed: we walk invisible”
(Shakespeare, Henry IV Part I, Act 2, scene 1)
In Celtic magical and folkloric traditions (among others,) one piece of botanical magic was so widely known that it made casual appearances works like Shakespeare’s Henry IV: the mystical properties of the fabled Fern Seed. Ferns themselves are attributed with a vast array of magical and medicinal capabilities throughout different cultures, such as healing, protection, fertility, and weather magic, but they are, in particular, associated with Faeries and the Faery Realm. However, within the context of Brythonic, Gaelic, and Breton folklore (along with various other cultures across Europe,) there are magical practices specifically associated with Fern Seeds. As put by Thomas Jackson in A Treatise Concerning the Original of Unbelief, 1625:
“It was my happe since I undertook the Ministrie to question an ignorant soule… what he saw or heard when he watch’t the falling of the Ferne-seed at an unseasonable and suspitious houre. Why (quoth he) … doe you think that the devil hath ought to do with that good seed? No: it is in the keeping of the King of Fayries and he, I know, will do me no harm: yet he had utterly forgotten this King’s name until I remembered it unto him out of my reading of Huon of Bordeaux.” (i.e. Alberich/Oberon)
The magical qualities of Fern Seed are recalled even into the modern era, with mainstream representations of the practice recounted as recently as Madison Julius Cawein’s 19th century poem, The Spell:
“St John hath told me what to do
To search and find the ferns that grow
The fern seed that the faeries know;
Then sprinkle fern seed in my shoe,
And haunt the steps of you, my dear,
And haunt the steps of you.”
In other traditions, the seed was said to be capable of disclosing the location of lost things and secreted treasure. This particular belief gave rise to a custom known as “Watching the Fern,” which involved observing ferns (particularly those known as moonworts) on Midsummer Eve in hopes that, if lucky, one would witness the blooming of a rare blue flower that shed seeds which, if properly collected, conferred the collector with the ability to discover lost items and hidden treasures. It was also thought that drinking the sap of these “Blossomed” ferns on Midsummer Eve granted extended longevity or perpetual youth. Elsewhere, they have been used to bring luck, converse with animals, and protect against harmful magic, however, Fern Seeds are probably best known for their purported ability to empart invisibility upon those who obtain them. During the Middle Ages especially, it was widely believed that if one could successfully collect Fern Seeds in the proper manner, they would gain the gift of moving unseen through the world.
The most prominent tradition surrounding the collection and employment of Fern Seeds states that they are shed from their fronds on Midsummer’s Eve at midnight (also venerated as the Eve of the Feast of St. John the Baptist.) It was thought that one could harvest the cryptic fern seeds by stacking twelve pewter plates beneath a fern frond. At midnight, a brilliant blue blossom opened, producing a single golden seed. The seed would then pass through eleven of the pewter plates and come to rest on the twelfth. Aside from this, various other requirements for successful harvesting of the Fern Seed have been observed, such as the need for the seeker to go collecting bare-footed, and in a spiritual state of mind. However, even adhering to any and all of these conditions, the seeker still often found their Fern Seeds stolen by wandering Faeries, who also relied on the magics of the Midsummer Seed. Other myths stated that the flower was bright crimson, and would light up the darkness when it unfurled its petals at midnight. At this point, if the seed wasn’t harvested immediately, the Devil was said to claim the flower for himself.
As attested to by Richard Bovet in his 1684 treatise on demonology, Pandaemonium:
“Much discourse about the gathering of Fern-seed (which is looked upon as a Magical herb) on the night of Midsummer’s Eve, and I remember I was told of one that went to gather it, and the Spirits whistlit by his ears like bullets and sometimes struck his Hat or other parts of his Body. In fine: though that he had gotten a quantity of it, and secured it in papers and a Box besides, when he came home he found it all empty. But probably this appointing of times and hours is the Devil’s institution.”
In many regions, great precautions were taken to protect would-be-collectors with charms and spellcraft as well. An account by English author, Samuel Bamford, describes incanting and rituals meant to accompany all attempts made to gather the Fern Seed, as well as the grim consequences that could befall any seeker who blundered in their supplications, or was judged as unworthy by the Resident Wights. The fern was said to be located in a Faery Clough (Narrow Valley,) and the collectors traveled there armed with multiple items, including a pewter platter, an earthenware dish, and a skull lined with clay and moss, adorned with a tress of the hair of a loved one. Numerous orisons were recited whilst the seed was gently scraped onto the plates through use of a Hazel Rod.
Now, it is worth noting that, while societies of antiquity believed that all plants must reproduce by seeds, Fern’s are actually one of a few extant plant spieces that reproduces through the process of sporulation. This misunderstanding led many people to believe that fern seeds were merely invisible, since the plants still managed to reproduce despite having no visible means of reproduction that lined up with the contemporary botany of the time. However, given that many varieties of fern do produce spores visible to the naked eye, despite their diminutive nature, many people did claim to have seen the elusive “seeds” at one time or another. All of this lent itself then to the belief that, if a person obtained one of these invisible seeds, they too could become invisible. That said, the practice lives on to this day, with those who partake in the tradition of “Watching the Fern,” observing to see if any of these spore should form at midnight on midsummer Eve—bringing with them the magic of the Faeries.
Day 215: Tincturing Workshop
I’m leading a tincturing workshop this Sunday, so I thought it might be nice to share the packet I’m going to be handing out. It includes some tips on alcohol and vinegar tincturing, as well as recipes and some local Ozark yarbs to work into your herbal preparations. Enjoy!
Recipe Sheet – Tincturing Workshop
Brandon Weston ozarkhealing.com facebook.com/MountainManHealing mountainmanhealing@gmail.com
Alcohol Tinctures
Fresh Herb:
Finely chop or grind clean herb to release juice and expose surface area.
Fill jar 2/3 to ¾ with herb. ~ OR ~ Fill jar ¼ to ½ with roots.
Pour alcohol over the herbs.
Jar should appear full of herb, but herb should move freely when shaken.
Dried Herb:
Use finely cut herbal material.
Fill jar ½ to ¾ with herb ~ OR ~ Fill jar ¼ to 1/3 with roots.
Pour alcohol over the herbs.
Roots will expand by ½ their size when reconstituted!
Alcohol Percentages*
40% – 50% (80-90 proof vodka)
“Standard” percentage range for tinctures.
Good for most dried herbs and fresh herbs that are not juicy.
Good for extraction of water soluble properties.
67.5% – 70% (½ 80 proof vodka + ½ 190 proof grain alcohol)
Extracts most volatile aromatic properties.
Good for fresh high-moisture herbs like lemon balm, berries, and aromatic roots.
The higher alcohol percentage will draw out more of the plant juices.
85% – 95% (190 proof grain alcohol)
Good for gums and resins.
Extracts aromatics and essential oils that are bound in the plant and do not dissipate easily.
The alcohol strength can produce a tincture that is not quite pleasant to take.
Often used for drop dosage medicines.
Will totally dehydrate herbs.
*information comes from the Mountain Rose Herbs blog
Macerating
Maceration is the process by which the active chemical compounds are leached into the solvent solution. This is usually done by shaking the jar that contains the alcohol or vinegar and the herbal plant matter.
Alcohol tinctures need to be left to macerate for at least 2-3 weeks depending upon the ABV. The higher the ABV the less maceration time is needed.
Vinegar tinctures need to be left to macerate for at least a month before straining and bottling.
Easy Alcohol Tincture Recipes
Sarsaparilla Tincture: Anti-Inflammatory, Tonic (do not take if you have kidney problems)
Sarsaparilla root
Vodka
Wild Cherry Tincture: Antispasmodic, expectorant, sedative
Wild cherry bark
Vodka
Herbal Bitters (simplified): Tonic, diaphoretic, colds, flu, febrifuge, chills (contains thujone, may cause drowsiness)
1 quart jar
¼ c. thyme
¼ c. oregano (or dittany)
¼ c. chopped fresh ginger
¼ c. hyssop
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp. cloves
Vodka
Stomach Bitters (simplified): Stomach issues, cramps, urinary issues, digestive issues
1 quart jar
4 tbsp dried dandelion root
2 tbsp fennel seed
2 tbsp fresh ginger
2 tbsp dried peppermint leaves (or mountain mint)
Vodka
Vinegar Tinctures
Measurements and instructions are the same as with the alcohol tinctures at the beginning of the packet. Remember: vinegar tinctures need to be left longer to macerate, at least a month.
Easy Vinegar Tincture Recipes
Fire Tonic: Colds, flu, chills, general tonic
1 32 oz. bottle apple cider vinegar. I like to use unfiltered, it seems to taste better and it’s easier on the stomach.
5-10 cloves of garlic, crushed
3-5 hot peppers, as hot as you can stand
1 3 inch knob of ginger, crushed
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
¼ c. chopped mullein
¼ c. chopped rosemary
¼ c. chopped thyme
¼ c. crushed star anise or green sweetgum balls (sources for shikimic acid which helps fight the flu virus)
Take all of this and combine it in large mason jar, all the herbs and vegetables are going to take up a lot of room. Let this stand in a dark place for about two months. Shake everyday. After it’s finished macerating strain off the liquid, add about a half cup honey, bottle.
Alternate Ozark yarbs to use: Dittany, Self-heal, Plantain, Horsemint
Vinegar Oxymels
Also called “sipping vinegars” these mixtures are basic vinegar tinctures sweetened and thickened with honey to make them more palatable.
Basic Oxymel:
1 part herb : 3 parts honey and apple cider vinegar
Quart mason jars: fill up ¼ jar with herb, ¼ with honey, then the rest with vinegar. Macerate for a few weeks.
Easy Oxymel Recipes
Colds and Immune System Oxymel:
1 part elderberries
1 part ginger root (dried)
Another for Colds with Cough Oxymel:
1 part Mullein
1 part Horehound
Stomach Complaints Oxymel:
2 parts ginger
1 part peppermint
1 part fennel seed
Sinus Congestion Oxymel:
2 parts garlic
1 part cayenne pepper
1 part thyme
1 part rosemary
Beginners Ozark Medicinal Plants
Caution should always be taken when looking for medicinal plants out in the wild. Do not consume or use any plant that you are unsure about. The internet is a wonderful resource for plant identification. Look up photos and identification information for plants from reputable sources before collecting any plant out in the wild. NOTE also that many Ozark medicinal plants are endangered and should not be harvested out in the wild.
When wild-harvesting take only what you need at that time. DO NOT STOCKPILE! Chances are the plants will go bad before you can use them. A good rule of thumb for any plant is to count three plants then take one, that way there are plants left behind to go to seed. Leave the roots intact unless the root is being harvested, then try and leave a piece of the root or any seeds/berries behind in the soil.
Responsible harvesting means these medicinal plants will be around for many more generations.
I’m not including photos of plants on purpose! I want folks to go look up the plants and find as many identifying photos and identifying information as they can. Do the work! Google is an amazing resource for plant identification.
+ means the plant is not native but is common in the Ozarks
Black-Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta: Flowers, roots:
Root infusion used for dermatological needs. Used to wash snakebites. Decoction of whole plant taken to aid with heart disease. Decoction of root taken for colds and chills. Cold infusion of flowers taken for headache and as a febrifuge. Similar properties to other coneflowers (Purple coneflower, Missouri coneflower, etc.) Some say the active compounds are not water soluble. Better used as a tincture or extract.
*** Cautions: Asteraceae family ***
Cinquefoil, Five Finger Grass, Potentilla simplex: Leaves, root:
Leaves taken for colds and as a febrifuge. Root astringent, infusion taken for dysentery, diarrhea, and as a mouthwash for sores and thrush.
+Cleavers, Galium aparine: Leaves:
Strong infusion as laxative. Externally as a dermatological aid. Has been linked to aiding with lowering blood pressure.
*** Cautions: Laxative ***
Common Dittany, Cunila origanoides: Leaves, stems, flowers:
Related to Oregano and Marjoram and can be used in similar ways. As an infusion it’s good for colds and to help open up the sinuses. Boiled strong it helps the body sweat and can aid in lowering fevers. Infusion used to help aid a painful birth. Used as a stimulant and tonic. Contains trace amounts of thujone, an active chemical also found in wormwood, mugwort, and yarrow, and may cause drowsiness or headaches. Use only in small amounts and with caution.
*** Cautions: Contains trace amounts of thujone ***
Elderberry, Sambucus nigra or Sambucus canadensis: Berries, flowers, leaves, bark:
Berries used in formulas against chills and cold. Helps support the immune system. Infusion of berry used internally for rheumatism. Flower infusion used as a febrifuge and to sweat out a cold. Leaf infusion used to wash sores and prevent infection. Bark poultice used on sores, wounds, rashes, and other dermatological needs.
*** Cautions: Berries mildly toxic when unripe, foliage toxic in large quantities ***
Goldenrod, Solidago: Leaves, Flowers:
There are many different varieties of goldenrods, all of which have very similar medicinal uses. Topically the plant has traditionally been used in salves to help with sore muscles and arthritis. Internally it has traditionally been used as a diuretic to help bladder and kidney issues and to help break up “stones”. It is also a good diaphoretic that can help reduce a fever, and an astringent that can aid in remedying diarrhea. The flowers also make a wonderful yellow dye.
*** Cautions: Asteraceae family, may cause skin irritation ***
Horsemint, Monarda bradburiana: Leaves, flowers:
Infusion used for colds, chills, as a febrifuge, and for bowel complaints. Can be used externally in oils and salves for dermatological needs. Used in many of the same ways as Monarda fistulosa.
Jewelweed, Impatiens capensis: Leaves, stems, flowers:
Sap produced by the leaves and stems used for poison ivy, rashes, burns, and other dermatological needs. Cold infusion of leaves as a febrifuge. Infusion whole plant taken internally for stomach cramps.
*** Cautions: Seeds toxic ***
+Mullein, Verbascum thapsus: Leaves, flowers, root:
Leaves and flowers can be used to clear chest congestion (smoked or as an infusion), as an analgesic for rashes, aches and pains. Leaves can be wilted and used in poultices for swollen glands. Roots can be used in decoctions for gynecological issues.
+Plantain, Plantago major “Broadleaf Plantain” or Plantago lanceolata “Ribwort Plantain”: Leaves, roots, flowers:
Leaves used in poultices for bug bites, inflammations, rashes, cuts, bruises, stings, and other skin complaints. Whole plant infusions for colds, fever, upper respiratory complaints, rheumatism, hypertension, regulating blood sugar, bladder problems, kidney problems. Root used as a gentle expectorant and in helping sinus issues. “Snake Weed” because of the belief that the plant can help draw venom out of a snakebite. It was also thought that a person could carry the plant to help ward off snakes.
Self-Heal, All Heal, Prunella vulgaris: Leaves, flowers:
Infusion is an analgesic used to wash sores, wounds, and used in salves for many dermatological needs. Used to flavor other medicines. Infusion used as a febrifuge and against colds. Used for sore throats. Mild sedative. Helps with stomach and bowel complaints. Antidiarrheal. Respiratory aid.
Spicebush, Lindera benzoin: Leaves, Bark:
The red berries of the spicebush have long been used as a substitute for cinnamon or allspice in mountain recipes. The leaves can be made into a pleasant infusion for colds and headaches while the bark can be brewed strong for fevers and chills. The leaves can also be used topically for skin irritations, rashes, and bites.
Sumac, Rhus glabra “Smooth Sumac” or Rhus typhina “Staghorn Sumac”: Berries, Leaves, Bark:
The berries are used in a tasty beverage I’ve heard called “sumacade”. It’s lemony taste is quite pleasant, and the drink is high in vitamin C. The berries and bark are astringent and can be used as an effective gargle for a cough or mouth sores. A decoction of the bark can also be taken internally for diarrhea. In the Fall the red leaves can be dried and smoked to induce dreaming.
Sweet Everlasting, Rabbit Tobacco, Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium/Gnaphalium obtusifolium: Leaves, flowers:
Decoction whole plant used as a sedative and to aid sleeping. Analgesic for sores, pains, aches, wounds, and many other dermatological needs. Antirheumatic (internal). Decoction for colds and chills. Smoked and used in infusions to clear chest congestion. Chewed for sore mouth and throat. Used in sweat baths against many illnesses. NOTE harvest leaves in the Fall when they start to turn brown.
*** Cautions: Asteraceae family ***
Sweetgum tree, Liquidambar styraciflua: Leaves, bark, gum, balls:
Leaves can be used in poultices for several dermatological issues, cuts, and bruises. Gum and inner bark used for diarrhea and flux. Infusion of bark taken for “flooding” (gynecological). Infusion of bark given as a sedative. Sweetgum balls, when green in the Spring before seeds have formed can be soaked in alcohol then given for colds and the flu (antiviral, antibacterial due to contained shikimic acid).
White-Leafed Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum albescens: Leaves, Flowers, Stems:
As an infusion, can be used to help treat headaches, stomach complaints, and colds. Brewed strong it can help to reduce fevers.
Wild Bergamot, Beebalm, Monarda fistulosa: Leaves, flowers:
Infusion used for coughs, colds, and sore throats. Carminative for stomach complaints. Diaphoretic, febrifuge, and diuretic. Mild sedative. Abortifacient, so caution should be taken. Externally an analgesic used in poultices for pains, aches, cuts, and rashes.
Witch Hazel, Hamamelis vernalis (Ozark Witch Hazel) and American Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana: Leaves, bark:
Leaves and bark astringent used externally as a skin toner and for many dermatological issues. Infusion taken for colds and as a febrifuge. Antirheumatic. Decoction of bark taken as an emetic.
*** Cautions: Bark emetic***
+Yarrow, Achillea millefolium: Flowers, leaves:
Leaves astringent, used in bowel complaints and with dermatological needs. Foliage infusion used for colds, as a febrifuge, upset stomach, and as a mild sedative. Leaves can be smoked to loosen phlegm and clear chest congestion.
*** Cautions: Asteraceae family ***