The lowly Dandelion

According to Cunninghan's "Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs:

  Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Folknames: Blowball, Cankerwort, Lion's Tooth, Piss-a-Bed, Priests Crown, Puffball, Swine Snout, White Endive, Wild Endive,

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Jupitar

Element: Air

Deity:  Hecate

Powers: Divination, Wishes, Calling Spirits

Magical Uses: To find out how long you will live, blow the seeds off the head of a dandelion. You will live as many years as there are seeds left on the head.  To tell the time, blow three times at the seed head. The number left is the hour.  The root, when dried, roasted and ground like coffee, is used to make a tea. This same tea, steaming and placed besidce the bed, will call the spirits.  To send a message to a loved one, below at the seed head in his or her direction and visualize your message.   Dandelion, burried in the northwest ocrner of the house, brings favorable winds. 

I am not so sure of some of these magical uses of the dandelion and I am speaking of the ones about how long you live..... it would seem to me that when you blow the seeds off the head of dandelion, there isn't must left and therefore that would tell me I don't have much longer to live.  And the one about telling the time, well, blowing three times at the seed head, would leave very little time to count.  But the rest of these magickal uses I can accept.  Oh, and one other thing - why is Hecate the selected deity of the dandelion???

  Easily identified by its bright yellow flowers, dandelions may be considered weeds by many a homeowner, but in the old days, dandelions greens offered a much-needed edible source and a spring tonic. The flowers can be made into wine, and the leaves - which have lots of vatimin A and C -may even be tossed into a salad.  The root of the dandelion will yield a magenta dye.

  In the language of flowers, the dandelion is called an oracle of love.  It reminds you that wishes do come true, The magickal properites of this herb include divination, increasing psychic abilities, and granting wishes. Old flower folklore suggests plucking a dandelion's seed head on the night of a full moon, then requesting the aid of the four winds. Make a wish, and blow away the seeds.

    In Maida Silverman's "A City Herbal"  she gives the location of dandelions as: Everywhere, even in the cracks of roads and sidewalks.  

  When people think of 'weeds' Dandelion is the one that most often comes to mind, and this is too bad, because Dandelions are cheerful looking little plants, and especially in city jungles. 

  Dandelions leaves grow in a rosette from a long tap root. They are dark green, long and narrow, with edges that are usually but not necessarily coarsely toothed. Hollow flower stems grow from the center of the rosette and ooze a bitter, milky white juice when picked.

  In the Northeast the bright yellow flower heads appear each in March sometimes. They are most profuse during the months of April and May, but have been seen as late as November.  Dandelion 'flowers' are actually hundreds of individual, tiny strap-shaped florets combined into a single flower head and are important pollen sources for honeybees. Extremely sensitive to sunlight, Dandelions open early on sunny days and close at dusk. They react to weather conditions, too, and will close early in the day if rain threatens.

Dandelions are a perennial and reproduce from seeds. The fluffy round seed heads are especially beloved by small children, who love to blow them off and recite all sorts of rhymes and chants - alluded to in such folknames as Clockflower, Blowball, and Telltime - as they watch the little 'parachutes' sail away on the wind. These very seeds are perhaps the secret of this plant's biological success; the germination of 90 percent of the seeds of a single is not unusual.

  Dandelions have a taproot that is almost impossible to remove from the ground in one piece, and any broken off bits will produce a new plant.

     It is suggested in Hoodoo to use dried dandelion root in this way:

Dried DANDELION ROOT, when chopped up, brewed into tea, and drunk faithfully three times a week, is alleged to help one Dream True and to enhance the gift of Second Sight. To make a Wish-Granting Mojo, write your secret desire on paper and cross it with your Name written three times. Fold the Name-Paper toward you around a small, whole DANDELION root. Dress it with Holy Oil and carry it in a red bag with three Mojo Beans and seven Job's Tears, to aid in wish-fulfillment.
(website: Herb-magick.com)


This taproot grows straight down and has been known to reach a length of three feet or more. It has a purpose as far as nature (if not man) is concerned, for it transports minerals, especially calcium, up to the surface of the soil from deeper levels, enriching it for the benefit of more shallow-rooted plants. After Dandelions die, the root channels left in the soil are helpful to earthworms.

  In the most dreary, inhospitabe places, where cement covers everything and the dingy browns and grays are made even more drab by dust and pollution, a Dandelion will have found a crack to grow in and, covering itself with flowers, pierce the gloom like so many little suns.

   In the past, Dandelion was considered a most valuable medicinal plant. The leaves and roots were supposed to be a powerful diuretic and were specific for treating urinary and liver disorders. William Coles, a seventeenth-century physician-herbalist, stated: "It is very effectual for the obstructions of the liver, gall and sp0leen, and the distempers that arise there from, jaundice and the hypochondriacal passion. It wonderfully opens the urinary tract."  The same writer further observed that 'children given this remedy produced such great quanities of urine that they wet their beds at night." 

  Dandelion was credited with many of the same properties of Chicory, and was often substituted for it. A broth or wine made from with Dandelion was considered excellent for strengthening the system, especially if taken over a long period of time, and produced sleep and rest for persons exhausted by fevers.

  The Chinese are well acquainted with Dandelion. It grows throughout the country, especially in the Yangtze River valley. Some of their more picturesque names for it are Flowering-and-Hoeing Weed, Yellow-Flowered Earth Nail, and Golden Hairpin Weed. The entire plant is believed to have tonic properties, and Chinese herbal doctors prescribe it for the relief of abscesses, swellings, and snakebites. The tender young shoots are eaten as a vegetable.

   The Mohegan Indians of Connecticut used the roots to make a tonic, and a strong infusion of the leaves was administered as a physic. Dandelion juice was once a major ingredient of patent medicines, and until quite recently was listed in the official American and British pharmacopoeias. It is still employed in modern herbal medicine. For this purpose the roots are collected, preferably in the fall, and are used fresh or dried. Dandelion has even been used consmetically. The flowers, picked just as they start to open, made a fine complexion wash, and the milky juice of the stems was supposed to remove freckles. A poultice of the crushed plant was thought to be good for skin rashes. Old herbalists claimed that the juice 'caused new haire to grow' and 'laid down the hairs of the eyebrows.' 

 Dandelion Wine: makes approximately 3 quarts

3 quarts Dandelion flowers, 2 lemons, 1 orange, 3 pounds of white sugar

1 package active dry yeast.

  Remove the green parts of the Dandelion flowrs, and place the flowers in a large, clean crock or jar. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and pour it over the flowers. Let stand three days, stirring once a day. On the fourth day, squeeze the lemons and orange and set the juice aside, then add the sugar and the rinds of the lemons and orange to the flowers and water. Bring all ingredients to a full boil and simmer one hour. Add the citrus juices, let cool and pour all back into the jar. Soften the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water, spread this paste on a slice of toast, and float it on top of the liquid. Let stand three more days. Now strain the liquid, pour it back into the jar, and let stand overnight. Next day, strain through filter paper and pour into clean, sterilized bottles. Cork lightly until the bubbling (fermentation) stops, then secure tops firmly.  Let the wine mature at least six months before drinking.

Wicked Plants

There is a book out called "Wicked Plants"and is about plants that can do us harm and yet we probably have them growing around our home and/or neighborhood. 



http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m1LLZ44J80F3Q3

Wolf's bane/Monkshood - Baneful Herb

 Wolf's bane, Monkshood (Aconite napellus)



  This plant, Aconite, has other folk names that include blue rocket, friar's cap, and Venus's chariot, Cupid's car, Dumbledore's Delight, Leopard's Bane, Storm Hat, and Thor's Hat. Many poisonous places have the same common names; this is why botanical  names are crucial for identification. Among the deadliest of plants, aconite is a hardy perennial that is a native of Europe and Asia, and it thrives in shady areas.

Aconite produces tall stems of up to five feet in height and bears beautiful purple-helmeted flowers in the early summer. The herb has delphinium-looking foliage. This plant is inexorably linked with Witchraft, magick and poison gardens. The tales of the dangers of aconite are prevalent in old herbals.

  In the language of flower, monkshood has the definition of deceit and warns that a deadly foe is near. Magickally, this herb will grant invisibility and protection from werewolves and vampires. This plant is sacred to Hecate; it is also supposed to cure lycanthropy.
[From Ellen Dugan's "Garden Witch's Herbal"]

• Gender - Feminine
• Planet - Saturn
• Element - Water
• Deity - Hecate
• Powers - protection, invisibility

Magickal Uses:  Wolf's bane is added to protection sachets, especially to guard against vampires and werewolves. This is quite fitting, since wolf's bane is also used by werewolves to cure themselve. The
seed, wrapped in a lizard's skin and carried allows you to become invisible at will. Do not eat or rub any part of this plant on the skin; it is virulently poisonous.
{From - "Cummingham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs"]


  To give you an idea of just how deadly this herb is, in the dark times, aconite was an arrowtip poison used to kill wolves. It was also a 'death drink' given to condemned prisoners.

Warning:  This plant is subject to legal restrictions in some countries. Do not take internally or wipe any part of the plant on the skin. The plant will cause skin irritation, and even skin-to-plant contact can be dangerous. Always handle with gloves. All parts of this plant are exceptionally toxic.
[From Dugan's "Garden Witch's Herbal"

***************************

From:  http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/aconi007.html



Aconite


POISON!

Steadman Shorter's Medical Dictionary, Poisons & Antidotes: Aconite

Botanical: Aconitum napellus (LINN.)

Family: N.O. Ranunculaciae

Description

Cultivation

Part Used

Chemical Constituents

Medicinal Action and Uses

Poisoning from, and Antidotes

Other Varieties

Other Species

---Synonyms---Monkshood. Blue Rocket. Friar's Cap. Auld Wife's Huid.

---Part Used---The whole plant.

---Habitat---Lower mountain slopes of North portion of Eastern Hemisphere. From Himalayas through Europe to Great Britain.

Aconite is now found wild in a few parts of England, mainly in the western counties and also in South Wales, but can hardly be considered truly indigenous. It was very early introduced into England, being mentioned in all the English vocabularies of plants from the tenth century downwards, and in Early English medical recipes.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---Description---The plant is a hardy perennial, with a fleshy, spindle-shaped root, palecoloured when young, but subsequently acquiring a dark brown skin. The stem is about 3 feet high, with dark green, glossy leaves, deeply divided in palmate manner and flowers in erect clusters of a dark blue colour. The shape of the flower is specially designed to attract and utilize bee visitors, especially the humble bee. The sepals are purple - purple being specially attractive to bees - and are fancifully shaped, one of them being in the form of a hood. The petals are only represented by the two very curious nectaries within the hood, somewhat in the form of a hammer; the stamens are numerous and lie depressed in a bunch at the mouth of the flower. They are pendulous at first, but rise in succession and place their anthers forward in such a way that a bee visiting the flower for nectar is dusted with the pollen, which he then carries to the next flower he visits and thereby fertilizes the undeveloped fruits, which are in a tuft in the centre of the stamens, each carpel containing a single seed.

In the Anglo-Saxon vocabularies it is called thung, which seems to have been a general name for any very poisonous plant. It was then called Aconite (the English form of its Greek and Latin name), later Wolf's Bane, the direct translation of the Greek Iycotonum, derived from the idea that arrows tipped with the juice, or baits anointed with it, would kill wolves - the species mentioned by Dioscorides seems to have been Aconitum lycotonum. In the Middle Ages it became Monkshood and Helmet-flower, from the curious shape of the upper sepal overtopping the rest of the flower. This was the ordinary name in Shakespeare's days.



The generic name is said to have been derived from , a dart, because it was used by barbarous races to poison their arrows, or from akone, cliffy or rocky, because the species grow in rocky glens. Theophrastus, like Pliny, derived the name from Aconae, the supposed place of its origin. The specific name, Napellus, signifies a little turnip, in allusion to the shape of the roots.



---Cultivation---The chief collecting centres for foreign Aconite root have been the Swiss Alps, Salzburg, North Tyrol and Vorarlberg. Much was also formerly collected in Germany. Supplies from Spain and Japan are imported, so that the demand for English Aconite is somewhat restricted. The official Aconite is directed by the British Pharmacopceia to be derived only from plants cultivated in England, and a certain amount of home-grown Aconite has been regularly produced by the principal drug-farms, though good crops are grown with some difficulty in England, and cultivation of Aconite has not paid very well in recent years.



Aconite prefers a soil slightly retentive of moisture, such as a moist loam, and flourishes best in shade. It would probably grow luxuriantly in a moist, open wood, and would yield returns with little further trouble than weeding, digging up and drying.



In preparing beds for growing Aconite, the soil should be well dug and pulverized by early winter frosts - the digging in of rotten leaves or stable manure is advantageous.



It can be raised from seed, sown 1/2 inch deep in a cold frame in March, or in a warm position outside in April, but great care must be exercised that the right kind is obtained, as there are many varieties of Aconite- about twenty-four have been distinguished - and they have not all the same active medicinal properties. It takes two or three years to flower from seed.



Propagation is usually by division of roots in the autumn. The underground portion of the plants are dug up after the stem has died down, and the smaller of the 'daughter' roots that have developed at the side of the old roots are selected for replanting in December or January to form new stock, the young roots being planted about a foot apart each way. The young shoots appear above ground in February. Although the plants are perennial, each distinct root lasts only one year, the plant being continued by 'daughter' roots.



This official Aconite is also the species generally cultivated in gardens, though nearly all the species are worth growing as ornamental garden flowers, the best perhaps being A. Napellus, both white and blue, A. paniculatum, A. Japonicum and A. autumnale. All grow well in shade and under trees. Gerard grew four species in his garden: A. lyocotonum, A. variegatum, A. Napellus and A. Pyrenaicum.



---Part Used---Collection and Drying. The leaves, stem, flowering tops and root: the leaves and tops fresh, the root dried. The leaves and flowering tops are of less importance, they are employed for preparing Extract of Aconitum, and for this purpose are cut when the flowers are just breaking into blossom and the leaves are in their best condition, which is in June.



The roots should be collected in the autumn, after the stem dies down, but before the bud that is to produce the next year's stem has begun to develop. As this bud grows and forms a flowering stem, in the spring, some of the lateral buds develop into short shoots, each of which produces a long, slender, descending root, crowned with a bud. These roots rapidly thicken, filled with reserve material produced by the parent plant, the root of which dies as the 'daughter' roots increase in size. Towards the autumn, the parent plant dies down and the daughter roots which have then reached their maximum development are now full of starch. If allowed to remain in the soil, the buds that crown the daughter roots begin to grow, in the late winter, and this growth exhausts the strength of the root, and the proportion of both starch and alkaloid it contains is lessened.



On account of the extremely poisonous properties of the root, it is considered desirable that the root should be grown and collected under the same conditions, so that uniformity in the drug is maintained. The British Pharmacopceia specifies, therefore, that the roots should be collected in the autumn from plants cultivated in Britain and should consist of the dried, full-grown 'daughter' roots: much of the Aconite root that used to come in large quantities from Germany was the exhausted parent root of the wild-flowering plants.



When the roots are dug up, they are sorted over, the smallest laid aside for replanting and the plumper ones reserved for drying. They are first well washed in cold water and trimmed of all rootlets, and then dried, either entire, or longitudinally sliced to hasten drying.



Drying may at first be done in the open air, spread thinly, the roots not touching. Or they may be spread on clean floors or on shelves in a warm place for about ten days, turning frequently. When somewhat shrunken, they must be finished more quickly by artificial heat in a drying room or shed near a stove or gas fire, care being taken that the heated air can escape at the top of the room. Drying in an even temperature will probably take about a fortnight or more. It is not complete till the roots are dry to the core and brittle, snapping when bent.



Dried Aconite root at its upper extremity, when crowned with an undeveloped bud, enclosed by scaly leaves, is about 3/4 inch in diameter, tapering quickly downwards. It is dark brown in colour and marked with the scars of rootlets. The surface is usually longitudinally wrinkled, especially if it has been dried entire. The root breaks with a short fracture and should be whitish and starchy within. A transverse section shows a thick bark, separated from the inner portion by a well-marked darker line, which often assumes a stellate appearance. Aconite root as found in commerce is, however, often yellowish or brownish internally with the stellate markings not clearly shown, probably from having been collected too early. It should be lifted in the autumn of the second year.



Aconite root is liable to attack by insects, and after being well dried should be kept in securely closed vessels.



---Chemical Constituents---Aconite root contains from 0.3 to 1 per cent alkaloidal matter, consisting of Aconitine - crystalline, acrid and highly toxic - with the alkaloids Benzaconine (Picraconitine) and Aconine.



Aconitine, the only crystallizable alkaloid, is present to the extent of not more than 0.2 per cent, but to it is due the characteristic activity of the root. Aconite acid, starch, etc., are also present. On incineration, the root yields about 3 per cent ash.



The Aconitines are a group of highly toxic alkaloids derived from various species of Aconite, and whilst possessing many properties in common are chemically distinguishable according to the source from which they are obtained. The Aconitines are divided into two groups: (1) the Aconitines proper, including Aconitine, Japaconitine and Indaconitine, and (2) the Pseudaconitines - Pseudaconitine and Bikhaconitine.



This disparity between Aconites is a very important matter for investigation, though perhaps not so serious from a pharmaceutical point of view as might at first appear, since in the roots of several different species the alkaloid is found to possess similar physiological action; but this action varies in degree and the amount of alkaloid may be found to vary considerably. It is considered that the only reliable method of standardizing the potency of any of the Aconite preparations is by a physiological method: the lethal dose for the guinea-pig being considered to be the most convenient and satisfactory standard. Tinctures vary enormously as to strength, some proving seven times as powerful as others.



The Aconite which contains the best alkaloid, A. Napellus, is the old-fashioned, familiar garden variety, which may be easily recognized by its very much cut-up leaves, which are wide in the shoulder of the leaf - that part nearest the stem - and also by the purplish-blue flowers, which have the 'helmet' closely fitting over the rest of the flower, not standing up as a tall hood. All varieties of Aconite are useful, but this kind with the close set in helmet to the flower is the most valuable.



The Aconite derived from German root of A. Napellus appears to possess somewhat different properties to that prepared from English roots. The German roots may be recognized by the remains of the stem which crown the root. They are also generally less starchy, darker externally and more shrivelled than the English root and considered to be less active, probably because they are generally the exhausted parent roots.



---Medicinal Action and Uses---Anodyne, diuretic and diaphoretic. The value of Aconite as a medicine has been more fully realized in modern times, and it now rank as one of our most useful drugs. It is much used in homoeopathy. On account of its very poisonous nature, all medicines obtained from it come, however, under Table 1 of the poison schedule: Aconite is a deadly poison.



Both tincture and liniment of Aconite are in general use, and Aconite is also used in ointment and sometimes given as hypodermic injection. Preparations of Aconitc are employed for outward application locally to the skin to diminish the pain of neuralgia, lumbago and rheumatism.



The official tincture taken internelly diminishes the rate and force of the pulse in the early stages of fevers and slight local inflammations, such as feverish cold, larnyngitis, first stages of pneumonia and erysipelas; it relieves the pain of neuralgia, pleurisy and aneurism. In cardiac failure or to prevent same it has been used with success, in acute tonsilitis children have been well treated by a dose of 1 to 2 minims for a child 5 to 10 years old; the dose for adults is 2 to 5 minims, three times a day.

---Note---The tincture of Aconite of the British Pharmacopoeia 1914 is nearly double the strength of that in the old Pharmacopoeia of 1898.



Externally the linament as such or mixed with chloroform or belladonna liniment is useful in neuralgia or rheumatism.



---Poisoning from, and Antidotes---The symptons of poisoning are tingling and numbness of tongue and mouth and a sensation of ants crawling over the body, nausea and vomiting with epigastric pain, laboured breathing, pulse irregular and weak, skin cold and clammy, features bloodless, giddiness, staggering, mind remains clear. A stomach tube or emetic should be used at once, 20 minims of Tincture of Digitalis given if available, stimulants should be given and if not retained diluted brandy injected per rectum, artificial respiration and friction, patient to be kept lying down.



All the species contain an active poison Aconitine, one of the most formidable poisons which have yet been discovered: it exists in all parts of the plant, but especially in the root. The smallest portion of either root or leaves, when first put into the mouth, occasions burning and tingling, and a sense of numbness immediately follows its continuance. One-fiftieth grain of Aconitine will kill a sparrow in a few seconds; one-tenth grain a rabbit in five minutes. It is more powerful than prussic acid and acts with tremendous rapidity. One hundredth grain will act locally, so as to produce a well-marked sensation in any part of the body for a whole day. So acrid is the poison, that the juice applied to a wounded finger affects the whole system, not only causing pains in the limbs, but a sense of suffocation and syncope.



Some species of Aconite were well known to the ancients as deadly poisons. It was said to be the invention of Hecate from the foam of Cerberus, and it was a species of Aconite that entered into the poison which the old men of the island of Ceos were condemned to drink when they became infirm and no longer of use to the State. Aconite is also supposed to have been the poison that formed the cup which Medea prepared for Theseus. (Note---Aconite and Belladonna were said to be the ingredients in the witches' 'Flying ointments.' Aconite causes irregular action of the heart, and Belladonna produces delirium. These combined symptoms might give a sensation of 'flying.'---EDITOR)



Various species of Aconite possess the same narcotic properties as A. Napellus, but none of them equal in energy the A. ferox of the East Indies, the root of which is used there as an energetic poison under the name of Bikh or Nabee. Aconite poisoning of wells by A. ferox has been carried out by native Indians to stop the progress of an army. They also use it for poisoning spears, darts and arrows, and for destroying tigers.



All children should be warned against Aconite in gardens. It is wiser not to grow Aconite among kitchen herbs of any sort. The root has occasionally been mistaken for horse-radish, with fatal results - it is, however, shorter, darker and more fibrous - and the leaves have produced similar fatal results. In Ireland a poor woman once sprinkled powdered Aconite root over a dish of greens, and one man was killed and another seriously affected by it.



In 1524 and 1526 it is recorded that two criminals, to whom the root was given as an experiment, quickly died.



The older herbalists described it as venomous and deadly. Gerard says: 'There hath beene little heretofore set down concerning the virtues of the Aconite, but much might be saide of the hurts that have come thereby.' It was supposed to be an antidote against other poisons. Gerard tells us that its power was 'So forcible that the herb only thrown before the scorpion or any other venomous beast, causeth them to be without force or strength to hurt, insomuch that they cannot moove or stirre untill the herbe be taken away.' Ben Jonson, in his tragedy Sejanus, says:

'I have heard that Aconite

Being timely taken hath a healing might

Against the scorpion's stroke.'

Linnaeus reports Aconite to be fatal to cattle and goats when they eat it fresh, but when dried it does no harm to horses, a peculiarity in common with the buttercups, to which the Aconites are related. Field-mice are well aware of its evil nature, and in hard times, when they will attack almost any plant that offers them food, they leave this severely alone.
 
 

Burdock

Burdock (Arctium lappa)

Burdock's botanica name (as seen above) is derived from the Greek arctos, meaning bear, and the Celtic llap,meaning hand, or to seize. These words refer to the infamous
round seed pouches of burdock, covered in prickly hools which seize the clothing, fur,
and hair of all bodies grazing past burdock's mature brown burrs. The plant propagaters far and wide by hitching a ride on sheep, dogs, humans and cows, spreading its medicine through countryside and city lot. Velco fasteners were originally patterened upon the burrs of Arctium, and the seeds inside are potent medicine.

Some of the folknames of the burdock are: beggar's buttons, stick tights, cockle burr, clotbur, and batweed, along with HGappy Major, Hardock, Hurrburr, mand Personata.

  Cunnngham's "Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs" gives these aspects and correspondences to Burdock:

Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
and Powers are Protection and Healing. 

Magickal uses: Cast around the home to ward off negativity. Add to protection incenses and use in such spells. Gather burdock roots in the waning Moon, dry and then cut them into small pieces. String these on red thread (like beads) and wear for protection against evil and negativity.  The leaves of burdock,when laid to the soles of the feet, help to cure gout.

In "A City Herba;" Ms. Silverman writes: "Burdock was a favorite herb of Venus, and therefore useful in love matters, to which this old charm attests: a girl picks a burr and names it for her lover. She then
throws it against her skirt, or has a friend do so. If it sticks, he is true; if it does not, he is faithless. It was also averred that the young stalks of Burdock, peeled and eaten raw or boilded in the broth of fat meat, were not only pleasant to eat but 'increased seed and provoked bodily lust.'  Contrariewise, however, another claim that the root of Burdock boiled, soaked and eaten with fat meat 'cures venery'
(lust).

Botanical Description:  Burdock is a large, variable-looking plant. The first year's growth is a large rosette of ruffled, heart-shaped leaves.

The second year, this rosette sends up a thick many-branched stem from two to four feet high. The lower leaves are large, heart-shaped, and light green, with downy gray undersides. The upper leaves are egg-shaped and smaller.

  Burdock blooms through mid-July through September. The flower petals are purple and bristly looking; they protrude from a cuplike receptacle thickly covered with hooked prickles. These receptacles and bracts, but not the petals, eventually become the familiar dry brown burrs that, clinging to anything they brush against, distribute Burdock far and wide.

It's tenacious taproot frequently grows straight down through the soil to a depth of three feet or more. It cannot be pulled out of the grund, but must be dug up,. Any pieces that remain in the soil will become new plants.

  Burdock is an alien. Originally from Europe, it was introduced by early settlers, quickly escpaed cultivation, and is now found, throughout the United States. Despite its name Burdock is not a true Dock, but is a member of Compositae, or Daisy, family. Some botanists recognize different species; to the lay person all are quite similar in appearance. Burdock is a biennial and reproduces by seeds.

Cooking with Burdock for Autumn Nourishment

Autumn is root time and I have to say that my favorite root of all has got to be burdock! I love the way it tastes and its slow-acting, nourishing medicine. 



This plant has a thick, long taproot in its first year of growth. That’s the root you’ll be looking for. Second year plants are putting their energy into seeds, and will only have a shriveled root remaining.



This year I wasn’t able to harvest burdock root for myself, but we bought some at our local co-op grocery store, and I’ve been integrating it into our family diet in as many was as I can think of over the past month. I want to share some of the ways I came up with, but first I’ll tell you some of the benefits of doing so.



Susun Weed in Healing Wise says that burdock root helps “provide optimum nutrition to the glandular and immune systems, liver, kidneys, blood, lungs, and nerves.” Chromium, iron, magnesium, silicon, thiamine, and inulin are among its many useful constituents. Fresh root is also high in vitamin C. Not only is it packed with nutrition; the mucilaginous fiber of the root will absorb, bind and remove poisons and toxins in our digestive tracts.



Sound good?



One more quote from Susun for you: “Longevity, steady energy, sexual vitality, and freedom from chronic disease and cancer are a few of the reported effects of long-term frequent use of burdock.”

Okay, let’s get cooking!




The first dish I created was a simple combination of roasted roots. I cut up potatoes, carrots, beets, kohlrabi and burdock into bite sized pieces and put them on a cookie sheet. I then tossed them in olive oil and sprinkled a garlic salt combination of spices called Spike on top, and put them into a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes, stirring them with a spatula every fifteen minutes to help keep them from sticking to the cookie sheet. All the roots together were delicious, and this really felt like a perfect fall meal!

The next week, I stir-fried a sliced burdock root with broccoli and onions and served this as a side dish with fish. I also cut them up an included them in my mix of vegetables to go into burritos (this was one of the most effective ways to get the kids to eat some burdock without them even realizing it.). I also put burdock root in my pot of chili. Finally, I added cut up pieces of the root to a lamb stew that I made in the crock-pot. Are you getting the idea? Truly there are endless ways to incorporate this tasty root into our fall diets.

The above cooking information come from Herb Mentor,......

Queen Anne's Lace/Wild Carrot

I have seen so much Queen's Anne Lace this year, it seems to quite prolific around here this summer.  It is in the Parsley family. The seeds are beneficial antiseptic diuretic usefil in the treatment of cystitis and prostatitis. Also the seeds are used for the prevention and washing out of gravel and urinary stones. As a diuretic, it helps with dropsy and the elimination of uric acid from the body (thus, used for gout). The seeds, which are high in volatile oil, are soothing to the digestive system, useful for colic and flatulence. Some herbalists employ the seeds as an implantation preventer. The root is very high in Vitamin A and minerals. The juice is reputed to have anti-cancer activity. The root helps to expel worms and is an effective antacid for heartburn and gastritis. A poultice of the root is excellent for first aid, especially for itchy skin. CAUTION: Queen Anne's Lace has several poisonous look alikes. Do NOT use this herb (seeds) with pregnancy.

http://www.holoweb.com/cannon/queenann.htm

Women have used the seeds from Daucus carota commonly known as wild carrot or queen anne's lace, for centuries as a contraceptive, the earliest written reference dates back to the late 5th or 4th century B.C. appearing in a work written by Hippocrates. John Riddle writes in Eve's Herbs, that queen anne's lace (QAL) seeds are one of the more potent antifertility agents available, and a common plant in many regions of the world. "The seeds, harvested in the fall, are a strong contraceptive if taken orally immediately after coitus."1 (penis/vagina sex)
This information comes from this website:
http://www.sisterzeus.com/qaluse.htm   I think you will find a very interesting site to read through.

The ubiquitous biennial summer wildflower Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota ssp carota) is common throughout North America, though originally from Europe & Asia.  It's also called Wild Carrot, since the domestic carrot is a variant or subspecies of the same species (D. carota ssp sativa). It's probable that Queen Anne's Lace arrived in North America with the first European settlers as a food plant; it is by now naturalized across the continent.


Queen Anne's Lace or Lace Flower is of course named for the lacecap blossom which, on close examination, is a compound umbel made up of several smaller lacecaps.


According to legend, Queen Anne, wife of King James I, challenged her lady's-in-waiting to a contest to see who best could produce a piece of lace as beautiful as a carrot's flower. No one could out-match the young queen. However, just as she finished, she accidentally pricked her finger with a needle, for which reason Queen Anne's Lace has a single red flower right at the center.

At first glance the Queen Anne's Lace looks completely white, but if you look at the center, there indeed is that central maroon-brown to purple blossom! Just one, so tiny it's easily unseen.

It's alternately called Bird Nests because as the flower dries & goes to seed, it curls upward forming a near-globe with bird-access in the middle, drying into the shape of a bird's nest. They're occasionally called Bee's Nests because pollinators of several kinds will be seen crawling over the umbels in July.
 

Here it is starting to go to seed and creating a bird's nest look

and here it is slightly drier..

The edible root of the wild carrot is thin, pale, & much more difficult to get a good harvest from compared to a fat domestic carrot, but can be worth the trouble because quite flavorful. There are however some toxic look-alike plants such as Poison Hemlock or Fool's Parsley (Conium maculatum) or Water Hemlock (Cicuta maculata), so take care with wild collecting. The wild carrot is the only one which has the maroon central flower.

 
Traditionally a tea made from Queen Anne's Lace was used to treat diabetes, but when scientific research got 'round to testing its efficacy, it had none. Teas made from various parts of the plants including roots, leaves, blooms, & seeds have been variously used for everything from dropsy to kidney disease to scurvy.




Most of its traditional uses turn out not to be valid, though its use for treating mild cases of worms may have some faint foundation. And very broadly speaking, Queen Anne's Lace is a bacteriacide, is rich in vitamins, plus it has chemical components that have been proven to function as an abortifacient, like a morning-after pill, which is perhaps a warning to women attempting to get pregnant. An additional warning goes to who has had allergenic skin reactions to chrysanthemums or celery, as they will likewise be susceptible to dermatitis if exposed to Queen Anne's Lace.
 

Basil

Basil

Basil is a greatly under-appreciated herb; in addition to enhancing the flavor of food, it has many medicinal and magickal properties. Indeed one of the folk names is Witches' Herb.

It has long been inhaled to relieve headaches, head and sinus congestion. Today we would put the oil in a vaporizer but snuff was once made from the dried leaves. It clears the mind, reduces mental exhaustion and aids concentration and memory. A tea of the leaves reduces temperature and alleviates many symptoms of the common cold.

Basil is used in spells for love, protection and wealth. In much of Europe it is associated with love, where it is said that any boy will love the maiden from whom he accepts a sprig of the plant. Magically it is added to love sachets and incenses. To resolve arguments a couple should rub the leaves on their skin and sit with their foreheads together and a leaf between. To discover if a relationship will work, place two leaves on a live coal, or charcoal disc; if they lie together and burn the relationship will be good, but if there is spitting and crackling the amount will indicate the degree of strife to come. To see if a lover will be faithful place a fresh leaf on the hand. If it withers before the day is out they will soon seek another partner. Basil is carried in the pocket to draw wealth. If the leaves are powdered and sprinkled about the home no evil will be able to enter. They are also burned in incenses of purification and protection.

Basil is of the Element of Fire and its deities are Vishnu and Erzulie. It has powers of love, exorcism, wealth and flying. Some of the magickal uses are: the scent of fresh basil causes sympathy between two people, and this is why it is used to sooth tempers between lovers. It is added to love incenses and sachet, and the fresh leaves are rubbed against the skin as a kind of natural love perfume.

Do you want to know is someone is chaste or promiscuous? Simply lay a sprig of fresh basil on their hand. It will immediately wither if that person is 'light of love.'

Basil brings wealth to those who carry it in their pockets and is used to attract customers to a place of business by placing some in the cash register or on the doorsill. The basil is also used to ensure one's mate remains true. Sprinkle basil powder over your body thoroughly while he or she is asleep, especially over the heart, and fidelity will bless your relationship. Basil is strewn on floors because where it is, no evil can live. It is also used in exorcism incenses and in purification baths. Small amounts are sometimes placed in each room of the house to bring protection.

Basil is also used to keep goats away from your property, to attract scorpions, and to prevent inebriation. Witches were said to drink about 1/2 cup of basil juice before flying off into the air. Basil can be used to diet, but only a second party's help, and without the dieter's knowledge. According to an ancient spell, a woman (or a man, presumably) will not be able to eat a bite from any dish if basil has been secretly place beneath it.

Basil given as a gift brings good luck to a new home.

Sage

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Folk Names: Garden Sage, Red Sage, Sawge

It is associated with the planet Jupiter and the Element of Air.
It's powers are: Immortality, Longevity, Wisdom. Protection and Wishes.

Sage as its name suggests, is good for the mind, as it strengthens the memory, brings clear thinking and enhances the senses.

But it is also one of those herbs which have been traditionally used to treat a number of ills. A tea made from the leaves is said to aid the digestion, help the liver and kidneys, help treat ulcers, reduce aches and pains. It makes a good gargle to reduce sore throats, mouth ulcers, and bleeding gums. Mixed with sugar and lime juice it is used to reduce fevers, delirium, nervous problems and cure headaches. The leaves can be used to create an antiseptic wound dressing or a poultice for aches, strains and sprains. Dried leaves make a snuff which is used in the treatment of asthma, and chest infections. In ancient Greece and Rome it was considered to prolong life and youthfulness if it was eaten regularly.

Sage should be planted alongside Rue, both to protect the Sage from pests and to encourage its vigor. Indeed it is held unlucky for sage to be the only plant in the bed. It is said that where Sage grows well then the business will thrive, and also that strong Sage plants indicate a woman of strong will.

Magically Sage is used in spells for wisdom, knowledge and protection. Inhale freshly cut Sage leaves or the oil to enhance visualization. When someone dear to you travels away, hang a sprig in the kitchen: so long as it is healthy they will be happy in their travels. Burn freshly cut Sage wood to bring about a change in fortune.

Magical Uses of Sage:

Sage has been utilized to ensure a long life - sometimes even immortality. This is done by eating some of the plant every day, or at least in May, for:

He who would live for aye

Must eat sage in May.

Sage is carried to promote wisdom, and the leaves are used in countless healing and money spells. To guard yourself against contracting the dreaded evil eye wear a small horn filled with sage.

There are a few curious gardening tips regarding sage: first, it is bad luck to plant sage in your own garden; a stranger should be found to do the work. Second, a full bed of sage brings ill luck, so ensure some other plant shares the plot. Incidentally, toads love sage.

If you desire to make a wish come true, write it on a sage leaf and hide it beneath your pillow. For three nights sleep upon it. If once you dream of what you desire your wish will be materialized; if not, bury the sage in the ground so that you do not come to harm.

Sage is a member of the Mint family, Lamiaceae. The Latin name for Sage - Salvia - means 'to heal.'

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sages-05.html

http://www.salviasupply.com/articles/sage-herb.html?act_vn

Fennel

Fennel

Fennel was used as an anti-Witch plant and hung over doors to protect the household from enchantment; it was supposed to be most effective if this was done at midsummer and the herb then was left in place all year.

However, it was also thought that to sow Fennel was to sow trouble in the house, so it was always sought from the wild.

Fennel stimulates the production of breast milk in nursing mothers, and it is said that children thus fed will suffer far less from wind. A tea made from the seeds is a great digestive, relieving indigestion and flatulence, and has long been used as an aid to losing weight. Fennel tea is also a cure for hiccoughs. Chewing the seed, on its own or in food, is also said to alleviate coughs and to speed recovery after illness. It used to be thought that Fennel would also cleanse the body and remove obstructions to liver, spleen and gall bladder. It was used to treat snake bite and mushroom poisoning. Compresses of Fennel alleviate inflamed or sore eyes and it can be added to honey to make a facial which removes wrinkles. Rubbing Fennel on the skin can help to prevent insect bites. A small amount of Fennel tea added to food was thought to induce love.

Magically, Fennel is often incorporated in baths for purification and is added to incenses for protection during spell working. Fennel seeds are sometimes included to attract money and are carried for protection.

Fennel is a herb associated with the planet Mercury. It's of the Element Fire and was often used in Dionuysian ceremonies where giant fennel stalks with pine cones attached to the end

were used. In Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs it is stated that when Fennel grows around the home, it confers protection. Wearing a piece of fennel in the left show will prevent wood ticks from biting your legs. Fennel is used in purification sachets, as well as in healing mixtures.

Sweet Cicely

I read about this herb plant on one of the blogs I follow - don't remember the name right now - and the name intrigued me. So i looked it up. Its botanical name is Myrrhis odorata (Umbelliferae).

The description of the plant is thus: bushy perennial with thick taproot hollow grooved stems that grow up to five feet. Bright green and hairy sweetly scented leaves are soft and ferny. Umbels of small white flowers appear in summer followed by dark brown sharp tipped seeds. Use seeds while green or dried, roots dug up in the fall or whole green plant for medicinal purposes. Whole plant if gentle laxative and used in healing ointments.

Infusion: Used to prepare more delicate parts of plants. 3 cups of water to ounce of dry herb or 1.5 ozs. of fresh herb; p0ur the freshly boiled water over herbs in a pot and let the herbs steep for at least 10 minutes. Strain and serve. Refrigerate unused portions, lasts up to 24 hours.

Decoction: used to prepare roots, barks, and berries. Four cups of water to 1 ounce of dry herb or 2 ounces of fresh herb; finely chop herb in pot and cover with water (which should be cold). Bring this mixture to a boil, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then strain the liquid off and press as much of the remaining liquid out of the herbs as possible. Refrigerate unused portions, lasts up to two weeks.

Tincture: a tincture is a good solution for long term treatment and will store for up to two years. 8 ounces of dried herb, 1.5 0unces alcohol (grain alcohol like Everclear)and 4 cups of water. Chop your herbs finely and put them in a glass jar with a good tight fitting lid. Pour the liquid over the herbs and tighten the lid. Keep the jar in a warm, dark place for 2 weeks. Shake the jar every two days. After two weeks, strain the liquid off through cheesecloth into a clean, colored glass jar and store away from heat and direct sunlight.

Medicinal Uses: gentle laxative, tonic

Used in spells relating to: Protection, Exorcism, Healing, Spirituality

This plant likes sunny, moist ravines, road banks, and the edges of riparian areas, never in standing water. This plant is widespread and can be found in mountainous areas up to 8,5000 feet - from British Columbia south into the mountains of California and throughout the Rocky Mountains. These plants are commonly found in stands of quaking aspen and moist, well-drained soil.

Sweet Cicely likes a soil that rich and on the moist side. It also does well in shaded locations.

If you are in a hot location the shade is really important, and the moisture because it doesn't do well in the heat. Sweet Cicely is difficult to germinate the seed because it needs to freeze than thaw before germinating. Also the seeds need to be fresh to get a good germination rate.

It's easiest to look for a plant.

The individual plants are short lived, but it seeds itself like crazy and can become quite invasive if it likes its conditions. The leaves are pretty mottled green and are large and fairly deeply cut.

Harvest young leaves and stems any time for culinary uses. Leaves wilt quickly, so pick them just before use. Sweet cicely leaves are best when used fresh, as they do not dry well and lose some of their flavor when frozen. The foliage has a sweet anise flavor and should be chopped quite finely over a fruit salad.

Harvest seed heads seed heads while seeds are green and unripe. Collect seed heads with a small portion of the stem still attached. Hang upside down by the stems to dry. Store dry seeds in an airtight container.

Where to Start? - The All List

First post here in my new blog site - and with such a large subject as this where do I start?
Well I figured that maybe putting up the list by Granny Moon called the All List is a good
place to begin.


All mints are edible that look like a mint and smell like a mint.
All garlics are edible that look like a garlic and smell like a garlic.
All onions are edible that look like an onion and smell like an onion.
All opuntia are edible when removed of spines and glochids, not all are palatable (cactus with pads)
All nopaleas are edible when removed of spines and glochids, may not be palatable (cactus with pads)
All stachys are edible in some way though that way may very species to species, roots, tops, et. cetera.
All berries with a crown are edible (like a blueberry, huckleberries) but not all are palatable
All plantagos are edible (the weed not the banana)
All rosehips are edible.
All true pines are edible (and the Australian pine, which is not a pine, has edible leaf tips and sap)
All maple sap is edible
All birch sap is edible.
All basswoods are edible.
All true apples are edible, though wild ones may need to be leached or cooked.
All lichen but two are edible after leaching. Those two are Sunshine Power Lichen and Wolf lichen ). To be safe avoid any lichen that has yellow parts or is fire engine green.
All Mallows are edible in some way though that way may vary species to species (or for a smaller class) all hibiscus are edible.
All grass seed in North American are edible, beware of ergot which is usually a purple dusting and or purple rooster spike.
All grass in North America is edible except green sorghum blades
All true thistles are edible though not all palatable (Cirsium and Carduus)
All chickweed is edible (stellaria)
All lotus are edible.
All mustards are edible, tops and roots.
All radishes are edible, tops and roots.
All violets are edible, leaves and flowers. The root is NOT edible
99% of all aggregate berries are edible, like blackberry, logan, berry, raspberry, usually without cooking.

Almost all, 99% of white berries are toxic. I think there are only two rare ones in the world that are edible. Almost all white sap plants are toxic: Exceptions: Ripe figs, ripes natal plums, wild lettuce (Should cook), and apios americana (hopniss, must cook).
From Mesolithic Man

So this can leave us with a quite a bit to work with.