Black Hellebore

Hellebore, Black
(Helleborus niger) Poison

   This plant is also known as the Christmas Rose, snow rose, or winter rose. This is a traditional cottage garden plant that blooms from late autumn to early spring. This winter-blooming plant often blossoms in the snow. This baneful herb grows up to nfifteen inches tall and is part of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It has evergreen compound leaves of seven or more leaflets, and it bears white flowers that age to pink. There are large-flowered cultivars available, as are pink-flowered and double-flowered varieties. Hellebore has become a popular spring perennial these days.
   For practical magick use, Ellen Dugan grows this plant in her garden and enjoys the pretty flowers in late winter. Magickally, hellebore was thought to cure madness. Interestingly enough, in the language of flowers, it signifies a scandal.  It is a feminine plant, sacred to Hecate and ruled by the planet Saturn. Its elemental association is water.
Warning: This plant is an abortifacient; it is toxic and should not be ingested.

From Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs ---

Hellebore, Black
(Helleborus niger) Poison

Folk Names: Melampode, Christmas nRose, Winter Rose
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Saturn
Element: Water
Magical Uses: Scatter powdered hellebore before as you move and you shall be invisible. Hellebore was also used in exorcism rituals, and was at one time used in inducing astral projection. As with most poisonious herbs it is simply too dangerous to use.

Poisonous constituents

In the early days of medicine, two kinds of hellebore were recognized: black hellebore, which included various species of Helleborus, and white hellebore, now known as Veratrum album ("false hellebore"), which belongs to a different plant family, the Melanthiaceae . Although the former plant is highly toxic, containing veratrine and the teratogens cyclopamine and jervine, it is believed to be the "hellebore" used by Hippocrates as a purgative. California corn lily is similar in appearance to V. album and has sometimes been mistaken for it.

"Black hellebore" was used by the ancients in paralysis, gout and other diseases, more particularly in insanity. "Black hellebore" is also toxic, causing tinnitus, vertigo, stupor, thirst, a feeling of suffocation, swelling of the tongue and throat, emesis and catharsis, bradycardia (slowing of the pulse), and finally collapse and death from cardiac arrest. Although Helleborus niger (black hellebore or Christmas rose) contains protoanemonin, or ranunculin,  which has an acrid taste and can cause burning of the eyes, mouth and throat, oral ulceration, gastroenteritis and hematemesis, research in the 1970s showed that its roots do not contain the cardiotoxic compounds helleborin, hellebrin, and helleborein responsible for the lethal reputation of "black hellebore". It seems that earlier studies may have used a commercial preparation containing a mixture of material from other species such as H. viridis, green hellebore.

 Folklore and historical usage

Several legends surround the hellebore; in witchcraft it is believed to have ties to summoning demons. Helleborus niger is commonly called the Christmas rose, due to an old legend that it sprouted in the snow from the tears of a young girl who had no gift to give the Christ child in Bethlehem.

In Greek mythology, Melampus of Pylos used hellebore to save the daughters of the king of Argos from a madness, induced by Dionysus, that caused them to run naked through the city, crying, weeping, and screaming.

During the Siege of Kirrha in 585 BC, hellebore was reportedly used by the Greek besiegers to poison the city's water supply. The defenders were subsequently so weakened by diarrhea that they were unable to defend the city from assault.

Some historians believe that Alexander the Great died because of a hellebore overdose, when he took it as medication.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellebore

The Black Hellebore - once known as Melampode - is a perennial, low-growing plant, with dark, shining, smooth leaves and flower-stalks rising directly from the root, its pure white blossoms appearing in the depth of winter and thereby earning for it the favourite name of Christmas Rose.


The generic name of this plant is derived from the Greek elein (to injure) and bora (food), and indicates its poisonous nature. The specific name refers to the darkcoloured rootstock.



The Black Hellebore used by the Greeks has been identified by Dr. Sibthorp as Helleborus officinalis, a handsome plant, with a branching stem, bearing numerous serrated bracts, and three to five whitish flowers. It is a native of Greece, Asia Minor, etc.

The two species found wild in many parts of England, especially on a limestone soil, are H. Foetidus, the Bearsfoot, and H. Viridis, the Green Hellebore; the latter has injurious effects on cattle if eaten by them. And yet at http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/h/helbla14.html  this is written:

"Once, people blessed their cattle with this plant to keep them from evil spells, and for this purpose, it was dug up with certain mystic rites. In an old French romance, the sorcerer, to make himself invisible when passing through the enemy's camp, scatters powdered Hellebore in the air, as he goes.


The following is from Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy:

'Borage and hellebore fill two scenes,
Sovereign plants to purge the veins
Of melancholy, and cheer the heart
Of those black fumes which make it smart.' "
Both these British species possess powerful medicinal effects and are at times substituted for the true H. niger.

Cultivation---All kinds of Hellebore will thrive in ordinary garden soil, but for some kinds prepared soil is preferable, consisting of equal parts of good fibry loam and welldecomposed manure, half fibry peat and half coarse sand. Thorough drainage is necessary, as stagnant moisture is very injurious. It prefers a moist, sheltered situation, with partial shade, such as the margins of shrubberies. If the soil is well trenched and manured, Hellebore will not require replanting for at least seven years, if grown for flowering, but a top dressing of well-decayed manure and a little liquid manure might be given during the growing season, when plants are making their foliage. Propagation is by seeds, or division of roots. Seedlings should be pricked off thickly into a shady border, in a light, rich soil. The second year they should be transplanted to permanent quarters, and will bloom in the third year. For division of roots, the plant is strongest in July, and the clumps to be divided must be well established, with rootstocks large enough to cut. The plants will be good flowering plants in two years, but four years are required to bring them to perfection.


---Part Used---The rhizome, collected in autumn and dried.

The root has a slight odour, when cut or broken, somewhat resembling Senega root. The dry powder causes violent sneezing. It has a somewhat bitter-sweet and acrid taste.

---Constituents---Two crystalline glucosides, Helleborin and helleborcin, both powerful poisons. Helleborin has a burning, acrid taste and is narcotic, helleborcin has a sweetish taste and is a highly active cardiac poison, similar in its effects to digitalis and a drastic purgative. Other constituents are resin, fat and starch. No tannin is present.

---Medicinal Action and Uses---The drug possesses drastic purgative, emmenagogue and anthelmintic properties, but is violently narcotic. It was formerly much used in dropsy and amenorrhoea, and has proved of value in nervous disorders and hysteria. It is used in the form of a tincture, and must be administered with great care.

Applied locally, the fresh root is violently irritant.

Varities of Hellebore blossoms

Wildcrafting

What is Wildcrafting?:


In addition to growing your own magical herbs in your garden, in many areas you can harvest herbs from their natural environment -- in the wild. This is known as wildcrafting, and is becoming a popular pastime. If you’re one of the many Pagans or Wiccans who enjoys working with herbs, you may want to look into wildcrafting. However, much like any other natural resource, herbs must be harvested responsibly -- otherwise, a once-plentiful plant can quickly end up on the endangered list! An ethical wildcrafter should never cause damage, nor should they deplete a resource. Here's how to be an ethical wildcrafter.

Get Permission:

First, be sure you have permission to wildcraft in the area you're visiting. Some public lands require you to have a permit before you may harvest any plants. If you're on private property, get permission from the landowner. Also, be sure you check your local Department of Agriculture extension to see if there are plants that are on the endangered list in your area. That wild ginger may seem inviting, but if it's being depleted in your region, you need to pass on it.

Know What You're Seeing:

Have a guidebook handy, with color photos of local plants. What grows in Virginia is not the same as what grows in Wyoming, and a plant common in New Hampshire may be non-existent in Florida. Use a field guide to local plants to help you properly identify items you may wish to wildcraft.

Where to Pick:

When you're looking for herbs to harvest, don't collect from the first patch you see. Typically, that first patch is the same one that everyone else sees when they're walking down a trail or driving by. Instead, go further afield, moving off-trail if possible to look for another patch. This way, you can harvest from a location that won't be noticeably damaged the next time someone walks by. In some public parks, you may only harvest at a certain distance away from trails, so be sure you check with your local agency.

Stay Safe:

Pay attention to the environment around you. Many a beginning wildcrafter has gotten lost in the woods because they weren't paying attention to their surroundings. Likewise, watch for hazards like loose rocks, narrow trails along ridges, or low-hanging tree limbs. Remember that the further away from civilization you get, the further you are from help if you need it.

If possible, wildcraft with a friend, or at the very least, carry a cell phone and/or handheld GPS with you.

What to Gather:

Try to harvest plants that are not damaged easily before you go for the more fragile ones. Some plants, like dandelion, yarrow, and blackberry are just about impossible to kill simply by picking them -- they'll always grow back. Also, when you take a plant, take only what you can use in the foreseeable future. Many wildcrafters try to use a specific ratio of one in four or even one in five -- that means for every plant you harvest, you must leave four to five plants in the same patch.

Giving Thanks:

In many Wiccan and Pagan traditions, it is customary to offer a blessing or a prayer of thanks when harvesting wild herbs. If this is something you'd like to do, you can say something simple, like:

I offer thanks to the god and goddess,
for allowing me this small gift.

You may also wish to leave an offering by scattering seeds, so that new plants will grow to replace the ones you have taken.

Again, be sure to check with all your state and local regulations before you go out wildcrafting, so that you can harvest herbs ethically and responsibly.

Link to an excellent article on Wildcrafting....
http://www.ryandrum.com/wildcrafting.htm
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58jPlH0bQR0&feature=related
Video on Wildcrafting in the Smokey mountains
 

Woad -

Woad
Isatis tinctoria

The woad plant has a fresh wildflower appearance that brightens any garden. It has become known as the origin of the blue dye used in ancient Celtic body art and coloring textiles. However, woad has a long complex history.

Botanical Information and Plant Properties

The plant is native to Europe and Asia. Its botanical name is Isatis tinctoria and belongs to a genus of close to 30 species. It is either biennial or perennial and grows in branches of small leaves and yellow flowers in the summertime with black seeds resembling pods.

Woad's medicinal uses have been known as far back as the late 1500s in traditional Chinese medicine. It is an astringent plant known for reducing fever and inflammation and is reported to have antiviral properties. The parts of the plant used in natural medicine are the leaves, roots, and pigment.

Woad Plant and Dye in History

Films such as Braveheart starring Mel Gibson popularized the concept of woad being used in Celtic body art. Julius Caesar, in the Conquest of Gaul, used the Latin word vitro in reference to the paint the Celts and Picts used which past scholars believed to mean woad. However, this translation is debated and possibly means a blue-colored glass. Other suggested origins of this blue color mentioned by Caesar for the body paint are iron and copper pigments, the latter however being very toxic.

Woad was long used as a dye plant for its blue color in textiles. It became a subject in the Indigo Wars when the plant indigo began to be imported from the tropics. Woad growers fought to retain their status as leaders of the production of blue dye pigment. Indigo won the war however replacing woad because the process of producing dye was less expensive from indigo than from woad.


Growing and Harvesting Woad


Woad grows best in zones 3 through 8. It's best not to grow it in the same ground for more than a couple of years. It thrives in well-drained soil and can be planted by seed in the spring or autumn.

Caution: Woad aggressively self-seeds and can become a pest problem.


Woad is very easy to grow in sunny or partly sunny locations. As a biennial it grows one year, flowers and produces seed the second year and dies.

All above ground parts of the plant will produce indigotin, but in fairly small concentrations so be willing to plant as much as you have room for. The dye can be processed any time with any amount of plant material, but being a biennial, flowers are only produced the second year, but in tremendous abundance. To prevent woad from becoming a serious weed problem cut back all but one or two flower stalks and the remaining flowers will provide all the seeds you need for the next season.


Home growers still use woad leaves to extract pigment for dying fabrics and for medicinal purposes. If planted in the spring, harvest the leaves between July and September. If planted in the autumn, harvest them between June and August.

Regardless of its history, woad is still being used for blue dye and to add a splash of yellow to a dull corner in the garden.

A bit of vocabulary first: "indigotin" is the blue dye, whether you get it from woad- Isatis tinctoria, true indigo- Indigofera tinctoria, or some other source. To process fresh woad into blue dye, you will need fresh woad plants, sparkling non-sudsy ammonia, an egg-beater, cooking whip, or electric mixer; some glass jars and a non-stick cooking pan. Be prepared for a small yield because woad contains only one tenth of the indigo that true indigo plants contain. I have had trouble growing indigo, but here in Michigan I can grow all the woad I want. Woad spreads so aggressively that some states have laws prohibiting it, check first.

Once you have grown woad and have leaves to harvest you can move onto the following process.

1. Cut woad plants, including leaves, stems and all above ground parts of the plants and chop into small parts. Do not finely shred or put the leaves through a food processor because it will be difficult to separate the vegetable matter from the dye later on.

2. Pack chopped leaves into a glass jar until full and carefully add boiling water to avoid breaking the jar. Put on lid, and let steep for 1 hour.

 3. After an hour the water will have turned a dark red-brown. Pour the woad tea out though a colander with a linen cloth. Be careful to strain all herb matter out now while the dye is dissolved and the liquid is easy to separate.

Next, first make the solution alkaline by adding ammonia and then the liquid must be oxidized by beating air into it. Be sure to use non-sudsy, sparkling ammonia, as the regular sudsy type will produce large amounts of unwanted foam when air is worked into it. An eggbeater can be employed effectively, but an electric mixer is my choice. Put the woad liquid into a mixing bowl and add enough ammonia to give a pH reading of 9 or more on litmus paper. Most litmus paper will not read as high as that, but adding extra ammonia will not hurt. Turn on mixer to "whip" or medium to high speeds, making sure that the beaters are not completely immersed in the liquid: the goal is not to mix the solution, but to get air and oxygen into it. Keep working the solution for 10-15 minutes and watch as it darkens and some blue particles begin to appear on the top.

The now oxidized liquid has indigo-blue in it ready to settle out and purify. Put the liquid into tall, narrow jars and watch the darker indigo settle out over an hour or more. When there is obvious sediment on the bottom, carefully pour off the clearer solution while keeping the dark sediment intact. Add water to the sediment and let the indigo settle out again. Repeat these steps until you have a clear liquid with blue sediment on the bottom. You now have fairly pure indigo and water and are ready to evaporate the water off and powder up the indigo for storage. Pour off the water and pour the remaining water and indigo into a Silverstone or Teflon pan and let the water evaporate. When I tried other surfaces to dry out the indigo, the indigo stuck to it and had to be chipped off so I turned to more high-tech non-stick surfaces with great success. Indigo dried on Silverstone tends to peel up from the pan and can be easily removed, powdered and stored in a jar for further use.


Note- From this point on the dye will be referred to as indigotin since woad and indigo produce the same chemical just in different amounts, and indigo-based indigotin is virtually indistinguishable from the woad-based product. -R. The blue dye chemical indigotin, from indigo or woad, is the only natural "vat" dye in widespread use and though it is complicated to dye with, indigotin yields long-lasting and beautiful colors. Vat dyeing involves changing the normal indigotin, or indigo blue, which is not water soluble and will not bond to fibers, into another form called indigo white which will easily dye about anything. The indigo white is then returned to its blue form, and the now blue dye is locked into the fiber and is resistant to being washed out, which makes it a very powerful and long-lasting dye.

In practice, the fibers are dipped into a specially prepared dyebath of indigo white and when removed from the bath the dye reacts with the oxygen in the air and rapidly becomes indigo blue. The more often the fibers are dipped the deeper the blue color. Thus, the only truly complicated part of the process is preparing the dyebath.

To prepare the dyebath a "reduction" reaction to remove oxygen from the solution is required along with a change in the pH required to dissolve the dye. The reduction reaction was historically done by bacterial action in a vat of indigotin, aged urine, wheat bran and other additives that was a long and very strong smelling process. This was the traditional indigo vat or blue-pot. The fermented urine produced ammonia that shifted the pH level of the vat into the alkaline levels required for the effective use of the dye. More modern techniques involve chemicals such as sodium hydrosulfite or commercial preparations like Rit brand Color Remover and ammonia or some other alkaline agent.

[From:  http://my.net-link.net/2E/EB/rowan/Woad%20Page/woadpage.html ]

Woad (Isatis tinctoria) is a native of the Mediterranean and belongs to the family Cruciferae (the brassicas), as do broccoli, cabbage and rape seed.




The neon yellow flowers, which appear in May, have a wonderful fragrance and attract plenty of bees.



The black seeds are winged, resembling small tongues, and can produce an olive dye.

Woad is a biennial plant. That is it grows for two years before dying down.

In the first year, it forms a low-growing cluster of leaves like spinach.

The leaves are harvested for dye production at this stage, and in the first year only, because they have little or no colour when they reach the second year.

In the second year, the plant produces tall stems up to five or six feet in height that are surmounted by sprays of small, neon yellow flowers.




The leaves become longer and thinner and the plant looks quite different.



After producing seeds, the plant dies down.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

When the harvest is finished, leave a couple of strong plants for seed production. It is best to dig up the other plants before they become too large and, therefore, difficult to dig up.




Collect all the seeds as soon as they are ripe. The seed stalks can also be used in flower arranging.



Be careful not to let woad self-seed, as it can be an invasive plant . It does not however spread vegetatively.
 
 
Woad as an anti-cancer agent


It is not only a blue dye that can be extracted from woad; the woad plant has also become a weapon in the fight against breast cancer. Recent research has found that this plant has 20 times more of the anti-cancer chemical glucobrassicin than broccoli. It is difficult to extract the chemical from broccoli, so woad provides an effective alternative. Woad can produce even more of this chemical if the young leaves are damaged. Do not try to eat woad though as this plant is not edible.

Thistles

Thistles

I am using the plural here because there are many different types of thistles but I will be covering only a few here....   Today is Tiu's Day
or Tuesday and this is one plants that corresponds to energies of today.
For instance the bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a wildflower that has the elemental association of Fire. 

According to herbal folklore, when thistles are allowed to grow in the garden, it is thought to protect the home from burglary. Thistles grown in containers by the front or back door are supposed to have the power to ward off evil and negativity. If you feel the need to break up any negativity energy or manipulative intentions that you believe may have been sent your way, then thistle is the plant to work with. Thistle is a wildflower and often volunteers in the garden. If you have a sunny spot well out of the way of young children, who need to watch out for the thorny leaves and prickly stems, consider letting it grow wild. In the language of flowers, thistle symbolizes independence and austerity.

From "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs":

Folk Names: Lady's Thistle, Thrissles
Gender: Masculine - meaning outward energy
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Deities: Thor, Minerva
Powers: Strength, Protection, Healing, Exorcism, Hex-Breaking

Magickal Uses:  A bowl of thistles placed in a room strengthens the spirits and renews the vitality of all within it. Carry a thistle (or part of a thistle) for energy and strength.
  Grown in the garden, thistles ward off thieves; grown in a pot and on the doorstep they protect against evil. A thistle blossom carried in the pocket guards its bearer. Thrown onto a fire, thistles deflect lightning away from the house.
  If you have had a spell cast against you, wear a shirt made of fibers spun and woven from the thistle to break it and any other spells. Stuff hex-breaking poppets with thistles. Thistles are strewn in homes and other buildings to exorcise evil.
  Thistles are also used in healing spells, and when men carry it they become better lovers. Thistles also drive out melancholy when worn or carried.
  Wizards in England used to select the tallest thistle in the patch to use as a magickal wand or walking stick. To call spirits, place some thistle in boiling water. Remove from heat and lie or sit beside it. As the steam rises call the spirits and listen carefully; they may answer your questions.

  The thistle is part of the daisy family.  Thistle may grow up to seven feet in height. The upper stems and branches are covered in thorns and prickles. The flower heads are pale lavendar to a rose color. Bloom time is from June through September. There are many varieties of thistles, and they are easy to spot, as the spines grow right up the flower-heads. The leaves are deeply lobed, silvery green, and hairy and spiny as well. You can find these plants in fields, waste places, and roadsides.

    The thistle is a common wildflower throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Another thistle variety, Onopordum acanthium, commonly called the Scotcvh thistle, is the national flower of Scotland.

Sotch Thistle

In the laguage of flowers, the thistle symbolizes simplicity and independence. If you grow thistles in the garden, you will encourage protection, strength, and healing.   It would be a good idea to let one or two

grow wild in an out-of-the-way plae and enjoy the protective qualities of this herbal wildflower. These wildflowers also attract goldfinches and butterflies.

Breaking Hexes with Thristle

By the protective magick of thorns and prickles,

I break all hexes with the help of the thistle.

By fire's bright power all evil must flee,

And as I do will it, then so must it be! 

close the spell with these lines:

This protective wildflower spell is spun from the heart,

Worked for the good of all with a Green Witch's art.

[From: Ellen Dugan's "Garden Witch's Herbal"]

Milk Thistle:

SCIENTIFIC NAME(S): Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.

COMMON NAME(S): Holy thistle,lady's thistle, marian thistle, Mary thistle, Milk thistle, St. Mary thistle, silybum.

Milk thistle ( Silybum marianum ) has been used since Greco-Roman times as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments, particularly liver problems.

Milk thistles active property silymarin, is being studied for it's ability of "liver cells to regenerate through a vital bodily process known as protein synthesis." Silymarin also "counteracts the effects of deadly poisons, even that from the deathcap mushroom (amanita phalloides), the most virulent liver toxin known".

History:

Milk thistle was once grown in Europe as a vegetable. The despined leaves were used in salads; the stalks and root parts were also consumed, even the flower portion was eaten "artichoke-style." The roasted seeds were used as a coffee substitute. Various preparations of milk thistle have been used medicinally for more than 2000 years. Its use as a liver protectant can be traced back to Greek references. Pliny the Elder, a first century Roman writer, (A.D. 23 to 79) noted that the plant's juice was excellent for "carrying off bile". Culpeper (England's premier herbalist) noted milk thistle to be of use in removing obstructions of liver and spleen, and to be good against jaundice. The Eclectics (19th to 20th century) used milk thistle for varicose veins, menstrual difficulty, and congestion in liver, spleen, and kidneys.

In homeopathy, a tincture of the seeds has been used to treat liver disorders, jaundice, gall stones, peritonitis, hemorrhage, bronchitis, and varicose veins.

Botany :- This plant is indigenous to Kashmir, but is found in North America from Canada to Mexico. Milk thistle grows from approximately 1.5 to 3 m and has large prickly leaves. When broken, the leaves and stems exude a milky sap. The reddish purple flowers are ridged with sharp spines. The drug consists of the shiny mottled black or grey-toned seeds (fruit). These make up the "thistle" portion, along with its silvery pappus, which readily falls off.

Uses of Milk Thistle:

Treatment or protection against liver damage, as in cirrhosis, Amanita mushroom poisoning, and hepatitis.

Side Effects of Milk Thistle:

Few adverse effects have been seen other than brief gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances and mild allergic reactions; possible urticaria in one patient.

Dosage:

The suggested dose of milk thistle is generally 12 to 15 grams of dried herb (200 to 400 mg silymarin) per day or silymarin-phosphatidylcholine complex 100 to 200 mg two times per day. For liver protection, 120 mg silymarin (about 2 capsules) two times per day. For liver damage from alcohol, drugs, or chemicals, the recommended dosage of silymarin-phosphatidylcholine should be increased from two times per day to three times per day.

Adjust the recommended adult dose to account for the child's weight. Most herbal dosages for adults are calculated on the basis of a 150 lb (70 kg) adult. Therefore, if the child weighs 50 lb (20 to 25 kg), the appropriate dose of milk thistle for this child would be 1/3 of the adult dosage.

Toxicology:

Human studies of silymarin have shown few adverse effects. Tolerability of silymarin is good; only brief disturbances of GI function and mild allergic reactions have been observed, but rarely enough to discontinue treatment.Mild laxative effects in isolated cases have been reported.A case of urticaria with a foreign commercial milk thistle preparation has been noted.

From:  http://www.natural-medicinal-herbs.com/herbs/milk-thistle.htm
 
The fruit of the Carduus marianus contains an oily bitter seed: the tender leaves in spring may be eaten as a salad; and the young peeled stalks, after being soaked, are excellent boiled, or baked in pies. The heads of this Thistle before the flowers open may be cooked like artichokes. The seeds were formerly thought to cure hydrophobia. They act as a demulcent in catarrh and pleurisy, being also a favorite food of Goldfinches. A decoction of the seeds when applied externally is said to have proved beneficial in cases of cancer.


Thistle down was at one time gathered by poor persons and sold for stuffing pillows. It is very prolific in germination, and an old saying runs on this score:

"Cut your Thistles before St. John,
Or you'll have two instead of one."

This Milk Thistle (Carduus marianus) is said to be the empirical nostrum, anti-glaireux, of Count Mattaei.

"Disarmed of its prickles," writes John Evelyn, "and boiled, it is worth esteem, and thought to be a great breeder of milk, and proper diet for women who are nurses."

In Germany it is very popular for curing jaundice and kindred biliary derangements. When taken by healthy provers in varying quantities to test its toxic effects the plant has caused distension of the whole abdomen, especially on the right side, with tenderness on pressure over the liver, and with a deficiency of bile in hard knotty stools, the coloring matter of the faeces being found by chemical tests present in the urine: so that a preparation of this Thistle modified in strength, and considerably diluted in its doses proves truly homoeopathic to simple obstructive jaundice through inaction of the liver, and readily cures the disorder. A tincture is prepared (H.) for medicinal use from equal parts of the root, and the seeds (with the hull on) together with spirit of wine.

The Carduus benedictus (Blessed Thistle) was first cultivated by Gerard in 1597, and has since become a common medicinal Simple. It was at one time considered to be almost a panacea, and capable of curing even the plague by its antiseptic virtues.

Blessed Thistle

This Thistle was a herb of Mars, and, as Gerard says: "It helpeth giddiness of the head: also it is an excellent remedy against the yellow jaundice. It strengthens the memory, cures deafness, and helps the bitings of mad dogs and venomous beasts." It contains a bitter principle "cnicin," resembling the similar tonic constituent of the Dandelion, this being likewise useful for stimulating a sluggish liver to more healthy action.

The infusion should be made with cold water: when kept it forms a salt on its surface like nitre. The herb does not yield its virtues to spirit of wine as a tincture. Its taste is intensely bitter.

The Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris) was formerly used in magical incantations. It possesses medicinal qualities very like those of Elecampane, being diaphoretic, and in larger doses purgative. The herb contains some resin, and a volatile essential oil of a camphoraceous nature, like that of Elecampane, and useful for similar purposes, as cordial and antiseptic. This Thistle grows on dry heaths especially near the sea, and is easily distinguished from other Thistles by the straw-colored glossy radiate long inner scales of its outer floral cup. They rise up over the florets in wet weather. The whole plant is very durable, like that of the "everlasting flowers:" Cudweed (Antennaria).

Carline Thistle

The name Carlina was given because the Thistle was used by Charles the Great as a remedy against the plague. It was revealed to him when praying for some means to stay this pestilence which was destroying his army. In his sleep there appeared to him an angel who shot an arrow from a cross bow, telling him to mark the plant upon which it fell: for that with such plant he might cure his soldiers of the dire epidemic: which event really happened, the herb thus indicated being the said thistle. In Anglo-Saxon it was the ever-throat, or boar-throat.

On the Continent a large white blossom of this species is nailed upon cottage doors by way of a barometer to indicate the weather if remaining open or closing.

http://www.gardenherbs.org/simples/thistles.htm

Heather

Heather

Heather describes a family of plants, Ericae, which bring strength and tenacity.

The scent of fresh Heather is said to be beneficial for headaches, heart complaints and nervous disorders. Honey made from the pollen helps menstrual problems. Many ancient peoples used to make Heather ale and it was also added to mead. It was, and in some places still is, also used to make thatch, ropes and brooms. It has even been polished and made into jewellery.

  To the Celts Heather was associated with the passage through death into a new life, or destruction which brings something new. They also linked it to the otherworld. In Gaelic the word for Heather is fraoch, which means fierce and war-like. In Irish legend Fraoch was the sone of the great warrior Cuchulain, born of Aoife the Warrior Queen. The tale goes on to say that Fraoch's gessa was never to tell his name, and he was killed when he challenged his father to battle.

  White Heather has long been considered lucky, a tradition which some use to their advantage by gathering and selling it. It was also attributed with preventing a drunkard from drinking, and with protected against rape and other crimes of violence.

  Heather is burnt on its own to conjure spirits and with ferns to bring rain. Lying on a bed of Heather is said to induce psychic powers and otherworld experiences. Burn Heather after cleansing to prepare the way for the new to begin; this especially useful when moving into a new ho9me, or starting a major undertaking.

Winter Heather

in a pot...... 

Heather

(Calluna spp; Erica spp; vulgaris)

Folk Names: Common Heather, Heath, Ling,
Scottish Heather

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Deity: Isis

Powers: Protection, Rain-making, Luck

Magickal Uses:  Heather is carried as a guard against rape

and other violent crimes, or just to bring good luck. White

Heather is the best for this purpose.

   Heather when burn with fern outside attracts rain. Heather

has also long been used to conjure ghosts.

[From: "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs"]

Heather is also important in shapeshifting, being both protective against shifters and helpful to the witch taking on other forms. In the Ogham alphabet, heather is U, Ura, and represents midsummer.

In Scotland before Midsummer, farmers would carry a torch made from this plant clockwise around their fields to ensure a good crop and around their cows to make sure they would be fertile. In Wales, heather was considered a very lucky plant to have in the bridal bouquet. It makes a great besom for ritual, and because it is Mercury, it goes with all sorts of purposes and correspondences. Its sign is Gemini. Top

Brewing. Picts brewed heather ale in Scotland as long ago as 325 BC, but fermented drinks have been made with this herb for almost 4000 years. It is possible to use dried heather in brewing, but traditionally, the fresh plant was preferred. It is told that whiskey was discovered by a clan boiling heather ale in a stone-roofed cottage; the steam condensed on the stones and dripped into a cup. After Scotland was forcibly incorporated into the UK in the early 1700s, the making of ale with anything other than hops was outlawed, so the art of brewing heather ale was lost among all but homebrewers. It has since been revived.

Herbology. A tea is made from the flowering stems that is good for bladder infections. The herb is often made into into a liniment for rheumatism and arthritis. In the Bach flower remedies, heather is for self-centeredness and self-concern (how to make a flower essence). This plant has many other uses as well: its branches have been used as thatch, for bedding, basketry, and making ropes; roots have been made into musical instruments, it provides a dye (bark has tannin), and it has been made a special broom used in whiskey brewing for skimming off foam during the fermentation of ale. Heather is called "calluna" (to cleanse) because it was used for making besoms. It is also named brecina, funda, ling, struikhei, and fraoch. Top

Culture. This plant has become naturalized in North American from plants brought by colonists in the northeast and parts of the upper midwest. It likes poor soil and full sun in grasslands, dry fields, clearings in pine forests and in oak woods (light semi-shade). It is also good for above the treeline for those of you high in mountains. It is nice for edging paths, in rock gardens, around the foundations of a house, and as a groundcover, but keep in mind that heather sends out a chemical to keep other plants from growing near it, so give it its own space. High fertility is not good for this plant--do not add fertilizer or compost to the soil it grows in. Too much water is also detrimental, so don't plant it in a wet spot. This herb needs an acidic soil (soil pH below 6.5), so instead of fertilizer, mix peat into the soil and use a pine needle mulch. Its flowers, which appear from July to November, are enjoyed by bees, butterflies, and moths. It is the preferred year-round food for grouse; however, hares and deer also like to snack on heather (especially heathers growing in shade, which taste better to them). The flowering stems can be harvested in autumn and dried. Prune after flowering in the fall or in early spring in cold areas. It is good to -30 F (zone 4), although it can grow farther north if it gets plenty of snowcover. It can also grow in the south. This perennial plant gets 18 in/.5 m tall. Top

How to grow heather: The best way to handle tiny seed like this is to make sure your hands are dry and take a pinch of the seed between your fingertips; gently rub your fingertips together over the planting surface to disperse the seed. Sprinkle onto wet planting surface and very gently press in. The tiny seed needs light to germinate and can't be waterlogged. Germination increases when seeds are heat-treated at temperatures of 104-176F (40-80C) for 1 minute. Cold stratification (sow and put pellets in fridge or mix seed with a tiny amount of damp sand, put in plastic bag and put in fridge) for 4-20 weeks also aids germination. The seed then usually germinates in 1-2 months at room temperature (68F/20C). Or sow on Winter Solstice (see special directions on the Solstice Sowing page). Transplant to full sun and poor soil into which peat has been worked. Mulch with pine needles--this plant needs acidic soil to live.

This plant is said to open portals between this and the fairy world, and the Fae of this flower are especially attracted to shy people. In Scotland, heather is said to be stained with the blood of clan wars.
In Wales, heather was considered a very lucky plant to have in the bridal bouquet. It makes a great besom for ritual, and because it is Mercury, it goes with all sorts of purposes and correspondences. Its sign is Gemini.

In the Celtic Ogham alphabet, the letter U (ura) is associated with heather.

 

High John the Conqueror - prepare for some Voodoo

High John The Conqueror
(Ipomoea Purga or I. jalapa)

John the Conqueror, also known as High John the Conqueror, John de Conquer, and many other folk variants, is a folk hero from African-American folklore. He is associated with a certain root, the John the Conquer root, or John the Conqueroo, to which magical powers are ascribed in American folklore, especially among the hoodoo tradition of folk magic.


The root and its magical uses are mentioned in a number of blues lyrics. Regardless of which name is used, in these contexts "conqueror" is pronounced "conker" or sometimes "conqueroo".

Folk hero -


John the Conqueror was an African prince who was sold as a slave in the Americas. Despite his enslavement, his spirit was never broken and he survived in folklore as a sort of a trickster figure, because of the tricks he played to evade his masters. Joel Chandler Harris's 'Br'er Rabbit' of the Uncle Remus stories is said to be patterned after High John the Conqueror. Zora Neale Hurston wrote of his adventures ("High John de Conquer") in her collection of folklore, The Sanctified Church. She also makes reference to the root in her famous book, "Their Eyes Were Watching God."

In one traditional John the Conqueror story told by Virginia Hamilton, and probably based on "Jean, the Soldier, and Eulalie, the Devil's Daughter", John falls in love with the Devil's daughter. The Devil sets John a number of impossible tasks: he must clear sixty acres (25 ha) of land in half a day, and then sow and reap the 60 acres (240,000 m2) with corn in the other half a day. The Devil's daughter furnishes John with a magical axe and plow that get these impossible tasks done, but warns John that her father the Devil means to kill him even if he performs them. John and the Devil's daughter steal the Devil's own horses; the Devil pursues them, but they escape his clutches by shape-shifting.

In "High John De Conquer", Zora Neale Hurston reports that:
like King Arthur of England, he has served his people. And, like King Arthur, he is not dead. He waits to return when his people shall call him again. . . High John de Conquer went back to Africa, but he left his power here, and placed his American dwelling in the root of a certain plant. Only possess that root, and he can be summoned at any time.

 John the Conqueror root -

The root known as High John the Conqueror or John the Conqueror root is said to be the root of Ipomoea jalapa, also known as Ipomoea purga, an Ipomoea species related to the morning glory and the sweet potato. The plant is known in some areas as bindweed or jalap root. It has a pleasant, earthy odour, but it is a strong laxative if taken internally. It is not used for this purpose in folk magic; it is instead used as one of the parts of a mojo bag. It is typically used in sexual spells of various sorts and it is also considered lucky for gambling. It is likely that the root acquired its sexual magical reputation because, when dried, it resembles the testicles of a dark-skinned man. Because of this, when it is employed as an amulet, it is important that the root used be whole and unblemished. Dried pieces and chips of the root are used in formulating oils and washes that are used in other sorts of spells.

Cecil Adams has claimed that John the Conquer root is the root of St. John's wort; however, according to Cat Yronwode, Cecil Adams is mistaken. St. John's wort root is thin and thread-like root, while John the Conquer root is a tuber. As the blues lyrics below make clear, John the Conquer root is carried by the user, and the spell is cast by rubbing the root, which could not be done with a filamentous root.

John the Conqueror Root

High John the Conqueror root is one of the staples of African-American folk magic. Its use in mojo hands is as ubiquitous as its qualities are varied, and its very name signifies power and prosperity to many.

There are three roots named for John the Conqueror. Each is in a separate botanical family and has a different method of use.

HIGH JOHN THE CONQUEROR

High John the Conqueror is the most prized of the three John roots. When Willie Dixon sings in "Hootchie Cootchie Man" that he has "a John the Conqueroo," he means a John the Conqueror root -- the hard, woody tuber of Ipomoea jalapa, a member of the morning glory family, and a relative of the common sweet potato.

Fresh John the Conqueror root has a unique, spicy fragrance, reminiscent of a combination of cherry-scented pipe tobacco, vetivert, cedarwood, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and mace. Like many other ipomoeas, some of which are psychedelic, it is rich in alkaloids, but in magical practice, the root is not ingested, probably because it is an extremely powerful laxative. Instead it is used whole -- carried on the person as a pocket piece or as an ingredient in a mojo bag, especially one designed to draw money, bring luck at games of chance, or enhance personal sexual power.


John the Conqueror roots are primarily "male" roots because they resemble the testicles of brown-skinned men. When carried as a lucky amulet, a man's root is always whole. No African American man i know with a family background in hoodoo practice would walk into my shop and buy a broken High John root, even if it was as big as a baby's head and cost two dollars!

The whole roots that we carry at our Lucky Mojo occult shop are available for examination by walk-in customers so that they may select the one that "speaks" to them. I had a man in here once who drove about an hour and a half to see us, just to select the right root for his mojo bag. He spent almost fifteen minutes going through the hundreds of roots we had, and in my opinion, he picked out the absolutely most perfect root in the shop, without a doubt. It was so good that if i had seen it first, i'd probably have kept it for display. He got a bargain at $5.00 -- for that was a really good root.

John the Conqueror chips and pieces are only used in making spiritual supplies. That's why you may get more weight in a bag of chips -- even as much as ten times the weight of a small, symmetrical whole root.

To obtain the maximum results from a whole John the Conqueror root, it is customary to "fix" it, either as a pocket piece or in a mojo. Here are a few of the many ways a John the Conqueror can be fixed:

To draw money to you:  Wrap your folding bills around the root and keep it as a pocket piece. (Some people use a buckeye nut or nutmeg in the same manner.) Anoint the root regularly with John the Conqueror Oil, rubbing it in as you do so.

Another way to draw money :  Wrap a John the Conqueror root, nine small pieces of Devil's Shoestring root and a silver "Mercury" dime in a $2.00 bill, folding the bill toward you, not away from you. If the dime and the bill bear leap-year dates, so much the better. Fix in a red (some say green) flannel mojo bag and anoint with Van Van Oil, John the Conqueror Oil, Hoyt's Cologne, or Money Drawing Oil. Wear it when playing the lottery or betting on horses, or place it near the door of your place of business to draw money to you through personal power.

For luck in games of chance where deft finger-work is required:    Combine a John the Conqueror root and a silver "Mercury" dime with a Lucky Hand root and wrap them as above in a $2.00 bill. Dress the mojo with Lucky Hand Oil or red Fast Luck Oil or with the urine of your lover, and wear concealed on your person while at the card table.

For luck in gambling:  Fix a mojo bag (either red flannel for success or green flannel for money) with a Lucky Hand root , a pinch of five-finger grass, a miniature pair of dice, and a John the Conqueror root. Add a dried bat heart or an alligator tooth or badger tooth or an alligator foot or rabbit foot. Anoint with red Fast Luck Oil, John the Conqueror Oil, or with the urine of your lover.

To exercise sexual attraction over women:  Fix a John the Conqueror root in a red flannel mojo bag with a lodestone that has been dressed with magnetic sand. Anoint with Lodestone Oil, Kiss Me Now! Oil, Come to Me Oil, Love Me Oil, or other love-drawing oil and wear the mojo concealed below your waist. (A woman wishing to make a similar charm to attract men might add a Queen Elizabeth root to the John the Conqueror root and anoint the mojo with Follow Me Boy Oil.)

To win the love of a specific woman:  Wrap a John the Conqueror root in a piece of parchment paper on which you have written her name nine times in Dragon's Blood ink and -- if possible -- include with it a lock of her hair or an article of some kind that has touched her person. Anoint with Come to Me Oil, Love Me Oil or Stay With Me Oil and wear in a red flannel mojo bag concealed below your waist. (A woman wishing to make a similar love spell to attract and hold a specific man might add a Queen Elizabeth root to the John the Conqueror root and anoint the mojo with a mixture of Follow Me Boy Oil and Stay With Me Oil.)

To Change a Friend into a Lover:   place a John the Conqueror root, a small piece of Lodestone, and a few hairs or a snippet of clothing from the one you want in a red flannel bag. Dress the contents with Magnetic Sand and anoint the bag with Attraction Oil once a day. Carry this love charm on you while awake and keep it beneath your pillow while asleep.

High John the Conqueror is also prepared in the form of anointing oil, spiritual incense, scented sachet powders, and ritual bathing and cleaning supplies. Each bottle or packet of these spiritual supplies should contain broken pieces of the root, plus other essential herb extracts. (Beware of modern so-called "Hi-Conquering" or "Hi-John" products that are made up of nothing more than synthetic oils, dyes, and fragrances; real High John the Conqueror spiritual supplies MUST contain pieces of the root.)

High John the Conqueror Oil is used to "feed" John the Conqueror roots and to dress mojo bags, and offertory candles that are used in spells of commanding, personal mastery, and courage. It can also be worn by a man on his body, to strengthen his nature or help him when he is gambling. Along with Lodestone Oil, Van Van Oil, and Fast Luck Oil, High John the Conqueror Oil is probably the most traditional of all hoodoo formulas, and it is still among the most popular.
From:  http://www.luckymojo.com/johntheconqueror.html 

From "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs" -

He cautions that High John the Conqueror is poison. 

It's element is Fire and it's planet is Mars.  It has powers regarding Money, Love, Success, Happiness.

  Magickal uses:  Anoint one of the roots with mint oil and tie up in a green sachet. Carry to attract money. 
   John the Conqueror is also carried to stop depression, bring love and success, protect from all hexes and curses, and to break and destroy spells and hexes.
   To make a simple anointing oil suitable for all purposes, take three High John the Conqueror roots, make small cuts into them with a sharp knife, and place these in a bottle of vegetable, oilive or mineral oil. Let thge roots in the oil for several weeks. Leave the roots in oil and use as desired: to anoint candles, sachets and so on.

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal
(Mentha pulegium) P: the oil is poisonous

Folk Names: European Pennyroyal, Lurk-In-The-Ditch, Mosquito Plant, Organ Broth, Organs, Organ Tea, Piliolerian Pudding Grass, Run-by-The-Ground, Squaw Mint, Tickweed.

Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars
Deity: Demeter
Powers: Strength, Protection, Peace

Magickal Uses: Pennyroyal placed in the shoe prevents weariness during travel and strengthens the body in general.  Stomach problems can be alleviated by stuffing a green poppet with mint and annointing it with healing oils.  When worn it acts against the evil eye and aids in making business deals.  To rid a place of evil, sprinkle salt water with a sprinkler made of fresh sprigs of mint, marjoram, and rosemary.
  When given to quarreling couples it will cause them to cease their fighting, and so pennyroyal is a herb of peace. Pennyroyal is kept in the home (away from pets and children) for protection. It is also carried on board ships to prevent seasickness.
[From "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs"]

Introduction

Pennyroyal is the smallest of the mint family, and has some very distinctive properties. The taste and odor of pennyroyal is stronger and far more pungent than other mints, which makes it disagreeable to many people. It's also disagreeable to insects, and pennyroyal has been used as a natural insect repellant for centuries. Pennyroyal tea is often used to treat digestive complaints, but its most well-known folk medicine use is as an abortifacient.

Pennyroyal is widely used in both Europe and North America, where Native Americans used it as a ïhousehold remedy' for digestion, colds, fever, painful menstruation and childbirth. Recently, the use of pennyroyal oil in products has become controversial when products using the oil were implicated in the deaths of two women. The herb is known to be toxic when taken in large doses, and skin contact with the pure oil can cause dermatitis.

Constituents:  pulegone,isopulegone, menthol, isomenthone, limonene, piperitone, neomenthol, bitters and tannins.

Parts Used : Aerial parts, especially young leaves and flowers

Preparations: Typically used as a tea infusion, and seldom found in extract and capsule form. The oil be used in cosmetics and for topical application.

Summary:

Pennyroyal has been used for centuries in teas and infusions to help treat digestive disorders and relieve flatulence. It is still often used in salads and as a flavoring herb, though less often than other mint herbs. Like many herbs, it should be used with caution by pregnant women, and in recommended doses. The volatile oils can be toxic, and large doses of pennyroyal should be avoided.

Percautions:

Since it induces contractions, pennyroyal should not be used by pregnant women. In addition, pennyroyal products have been implicated in at least two deaths due to liver malfunctions, which leads some authorities to strongly suggest that pennyroyal oil should not ever be taken internally.

For educational purposes only.  This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

From: http://www.botanical.com/products/learn/p/pennyroyal_herb.html

PENNYROYAL IN HISTORY


Pennyroyal was indeed a Royal Herb, or at least a favorite of the early English royal families. We know that it was accredited with medicinal properties as early as Pliny, who also remarked on it's effectiveness against fleas. In fact, its Latin name of Pulegium is derived from pulex mean "flea". Native American Indians were well aware of its benefits, and taught the settlers to rub the leaves over the skin to repel insects. In fact, tribal uses were many...the Chickasaw would soak the entire plant in water and place it on the forehead to relieve headache and watery eyes. Other tribes used it for stomach aid, still others to relieve cold and flu. This appears to contradict records indicating that Pennyroyal was one of the plants introduced by the Pilgrim settlers.

MEDICINAL USES

CAUTIONS: While it can be effective in small amounts, it is no longer recommended that anyone take Pennyroyal internally. Pennyroyal can have a toxic effect on the liver, and overdose can cause vomiting, high blood pressure, paralysis, respiratory failure, acute poisoning or even death. The primary use of Pennyroyal today is in oil form and only for external use.

Pennyroyal should not be used long term under any conditions. It is abortive and should not be used in any form if pregnancy is apparent or suspected. Do not use in any form while breastfeeding. Use medicinally only under the supervision of your doctor or homeopathic professional.

The New Age Herbalist echoes my sentiments when they say "The plant world offers a perfectly effective range of natural insect repellents and yet the chemical companies continue to produce products whose effects on animal and bird life are lethal and on human health uncalculated." I couldn't agree more, especially when Nature offers us such an effective alternative to chemicals and sprays.

While Pennyroyal has a rich history of medicinal uses, we now know the cautions of using it internally. Today, the best use of Pennyroyal is externally, as a natural insect repellant. Simply grab a handful of the fresh herb, and rub it on the skin to repel flies, mosquitos, gnats, ticks, chiggers, and fleas. The slightly rosey-minty smell is much more pleasant than smelling like a chemical insecticide.

You can hang dried bunches to repel flies, gnats or other winged creatures in the house. Put it in vases around the home to repel pestiferous pests. Be sure to keep them in places where children and pets won't be tempted to nibble!! Wear a dab of infusion or oil to keep fleas and mosquitoes at bay, and dab some on your pet's collar to do the same. Scatter some leaves among (preferably under) your pet's bedding to combat fleas.

Pennyroyal's past value as a medicinal herb, however, can best be inferred from the sheer quantity which M. Grieve, in A Modern Herbal refers to growing, considering it a "crop" plant rather than just a few in the garden. She relates to us that "Pennyroyal grows abundantly, but being required by the hundredweight it has been cultivated...on account of the difficulty of obtaining sufficient quantities..."

Pennyroyal Tea was once used as a remedy for everything from headaches to colds to menstrual problems. Grieve tells us that "Pliny gives a long list of disorders for which Pennyroyal was a supposed remedy..." A distilled mixture of Pennyroyal and water was reputed to act as a blood purifier, aid respiration, dizziness, act as an anti-spasmodic, and to right arthritis and joint pain.

Some homeopaths still use the Oil for treatment of severe cramps. See above precautions.

GARDENING

Pennyroyal's same insect repelling properties work well in the garden. Some references say Pennyroyal has a light scent slightly reminiscent of roses, although I don't notice it in mine. Interestingly, it is a wonderful companion plant for them, though. Pennyroyal doesn't spread as wildly as others in the mint family, but it is weedy enough to make a good insect-repelling border plant for a vegetable garden. It takes average, dry soil and full sun. European varieties can take part shade, but prefer a richer soil. Look for the variety erecta which is more leggy and can be bundled most easily for harvest.

Harvesting: The best time to gather Pennyroyal is when the plants are in full bloom, usually in early to mid summer. Cut the stems several inches from the base, and hang in bunches to dry. Rub the leaves off when dry and store them in dark, airtight containers.

Like most mints, pinch off the top shoots for bushiness and increased growth.

MAGICAL USES

As an 'Herb of Peace', Pennyroyal aids in all types of tense situations, from business to personal negotiations. Pennyroyal kept in a bowl can bring peace to the household, or cease fighting between couples.

Folklore tells tales of seamen scattering Pennyroyal on rough seas to calm them. You can carry Pennyroyal on board ships to prevent seasickness.

Pennyroyal offers protection when worn or carried.

Pennyroyal was used to bathe the body of dead to ensure peaceful transition to the next journey.

Beyerl says in a compendium of Herbal Magick that "Pennyroyal is most useful in penetrating the mysteries of death and rebirth." For students seeking greater awareness of the Wheel or work with reincarnation or rebirthing, Pennyroyal can be a great asset. It has a history of association with Initiations, and understanding of the Mysteries.

So go ahead, pinch those Pennyroyals and enjoy a pest-free environment, naturally!
[From: http://www.gardenguides.com/480-pinching-pennys-pennyroyals.html ]


And from Alchemy Works - a favorite herb site for me - http://www.alchemy-works.com/herb_pennyroyal.html

Pennyroyal  -  Mentha pulegium



The Greeks incorporated pennyroyal into secret rituals of initiation. Amongst Celts, it is associated with the Great Mother, and it is usually considered a Venus herb. It does contain the planetary metal for Mars (iron) and has some Mars qualities, though, such as causing sweating (heating) that has been used to chase away a cold. It is also associated with the Moon because of its ability to sedate and calm. The Old English name for pennyroyal is dweorge dwosle. The first part of the name is from the word for dwarf, dweorgh, meaning not a small person but a metaphysical being who lived the earth and was associated with mining and smithing. The derivation of the second part of pennyroyal's Old English name is unknown, although it is possibly derived from the word for destroy, dwascan, in which case the name for pennyroyal would mean "dwarf destroyer." Was pennyroyal used in charms against dwarves? We don't know - nor do we know why people would feel the need for such charms. Perhaps to protect their own dwarfish pursuits - mining and blacksmithing? Still, this gives us a new perspective on pennyroyal with possible anti-Earth Elemental uses. This would coincide with its Airiness as a member of the mint family and a minty aromatic. Something to consider in your work with this herb.

Non-Magickal Uses:

The Romans used the leaves as an insect repellent, and during the Middle Ages, it was a strewing herb (it smells really good) and used to get rid of bugs. Renaissance sailors purified their drinking water with it, and its scent mixed with wormwood was a remedy for seasickness. Many recommend stuffing pennyroyal into a cloth collar to help companion animals fend off fleas. I have tried this with my cats to no avail. The best non-toxic method I have found to deal with fleas is daily vacuuming of the house. Pennyroyal tea has long been popular for warding off colds, because it causes sweating.

Toxicity and abortions:

This Venus-ruled herb has also been made into a tea and drunk to start menstruation, and it has a reputation for causing abortions. But does it really do that? Here is an article about pennyroyal toxicity by a registered herbalist in the UK. Besides comparing pennyroyal toxicity to that of the OTC-painkiller acetaminophen (called paracetamol in England), he makes the point that pennyroyal does not cause abortions. The American College of Clinical Pharmacy agrees, asserting that no documented case of pennyroyal causing an abortion exists. The idea of using pennyroyal as an abortifacient appears to be a misreading of Culpeper, who said it was sometimes used to expel a DEAD fetus that was stuck inside the mother. This misinformation has just been repeated and repeated, with no one even checking Culpeper. If you need an abortion, contact Planned Parenthood for help finding one. You can enter your zip in the box on that site to find a center near you, or you can email them or call them. Pennyroyal has many uses for magickal ritual, including as a help for exploring the border between life and death. Use pennyroyal to explore that borderland magickally, not physically. This herb is also known as pulegium, run-by-the-ground, lurk-in-the-ditch, pudding grass, and pilioleria.



So as you can see just from this little bit of information I've posted here that there can contradictions on the safety of ingesting this herb, the the oil is the most dangeorus.  I suggest if you want to use it for internal usage, that you check and double check on the safety guidelines before doing so.

S.

Yarrow

YARROW
(Achillea millefoliium)

Yarrow is a highly proflice plant, considered a weed by most gardners...  However, if you have the space it is worth cultivating a small patch. You can prevent it from taking over by removing the flowers before they seed, although you will have to be diligent!  Some of its folks names give an idea of how highly it used to prized: Solider's Woundwort, Knight's Milfoil, Herbe Militaris, Bloodwort, Stanchweed, Sanguinary. Other names give an indication of its association with the Craft: Devil's Nettle, Devil's Plaything. 

   Yarrow was used to stop bleeding and to dress wounds to speed healing; the leaves were rolled up and inserted to stop nose bleeds. Conversely, it was made into a poultice and placed over the nose and sinuses to induce a nosebleed to relieve severe headaches. Such poultices can also be used to ease bleeding piles.
    Yarrow tea is excellent for heavy colds and cleanses the urinary system. Yarrow was used to make beer which was thought to be intoxicating than that made from hops.

  Magically Yarrow is associated with Venus and is used in workings for love, courage, and protection, and to develop psychic powers. Carry Yarrow for protection and to attract friendship and love, and to regain contact with lost relatives. Place it under an external doormat to deter unwanted callers. A tea made from Yarrow flowers is said to improve psychic powers. Burn dried Yarrow leaves to cleanse the house or make the stems into a smudge stick to exorcize negativity from a person. If a couple eat Yarrow at their wedding it is said to ensure 7 years of happiness.
[From: Kate West's "The Real Witches' Year"]

   In Cunningham's Encuclopedia of Magickal Herbs there is listed quite a few more folk names - AchiUea, Arrowroot (although yarrow is not what is commonly refered to as arrowroot), Bad Man's Plaything (Hmm, does Bad Man refer to the Devil? as it is listed above as the Devil's Plaything?), Carpenter's Weed, Death Flower Eerie, Field Hops, Gearwe, Hundred Leaved Grass, Knyghten, Lady's Mantle, Militaris, Military Herb, Millefolium, Noble Yarrow, Old Man's Mustard, Old Man's Pepper, Seven Year's Love, Snake's Grass, Stanch Weed, Tansy, Thousand Seal, Yerw, and Yarroway....

It's Gender is Feminine - and Planet is Venus and it's Element is Water... Powers are Courage, Love, Psychic Powers and Exorism... 

Magickal Uses - When worn, yarrow protects the wearer, and when held in the hand, it stops all fear and grants courage. A bunch of dried yarrow hung over the bed or yarrow used in wedding decorations ensures a love lasting at least seven years. Yarrow is also used in love spells.

  Carrying yarrow not only brings love but it also attracts friends and distant relations you wish to contact. It draws the attention of those you most want to see.

The flowers are made into an infusion and resulting tea is drunk to improve psychic powers. Washing the head with a yarrow infusion will prevent baldness but won't cure it if it has already begun

Yarrow is also used to exorcise evil and negativity from a person, place or thing.

Western Yarrow.

Introduction:  From http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/yarrow.php  

Yarrow is a long-stemmed member of the sunflower family found in the wild throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It can be recognized by its highly segmented leaves (millefolium literally means "thousand leaves"), and the clusters of daisy-like white or lavender flowers at the top of the stalk. Greek myth had it that Achilles painted himself with a tincture of yarrow to make himself invulnerable to arrows, everywhere on his body except his heel. Native American herbal medicine makes extensive use of yarrow. Among the Micmac people of Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, the stalk was chewed or stewed to induce sweating to "break" fevers and colds. They also pounded the stalks into a pulp to be applied to bruises, sprains, and swelling. The Cherokee, Gosiute, Iroquois, and Mohegan peoples used yarrow as a digestive aid. Other herbal healing traditions use yarrow to treat a variety of conditions characterized by swelling, often combined with echinacea, elder flower, ginger, and peppermint.

Constituents
Bitters, chamazulene, proazulene, saponins, tannins, fatty acids.

Parts Used
Dried stems, leaves, and flowers.

Typical Preparations
Tea infusions, juice (from the fresh herb), tinctures, as a compress, and in baths.

Summary

The British Herbal Compendium notes that preparations of yarrow lower fevers, induce sweating, stop cramps, encourage menstruation, relieve inflammation, and stimulate the release of stomach acid to digest proteins and fats. The herb is taken internally to treat colds, fevers, and indigestion, and used in skin treatments of slow-healing wounds. The Complete German Commission E Monographs recommends sitz baths with yarrow added to the bath water to relieve pelvic cramps in women.

Precautions
Use with caution if you are allergic to ragweed. Its use is not recommended while pregnant.

For educational purposes only This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease

Here are some Excerps from - A City Herbal by Maida Silverman, pages 162-168...

Locations of where to find Yarrow growing in urban areas:

Roadsides, grassy strips, waste places, vacant lots.

Botanical Description: Yarrow is a plant whose habits are rather variable. One or several stiff stems may grow from the root. They are usually between one and two feet tall but are occasionally shorter, and may be smooth-or rough-textured. The leaves are larger at the base and progressively smaller toward the top of the stalks and are arranged alternately. They clasp the stems at their bases and are delicate and finely divided, resembling feathers more than leaves


Yarrow blooms from June to September in the eastern part of the United States. Flowers are in flat-topped clusters at the ends of the stems. The individual "flowers" are very small, with fine white "petals" and a yellowish center. This "flower" is actually two separate, distinct male and female flowers. The female flowers are in the yellow center surrounded by five white "petals," each one of which is a male flower.

The entire plant has a strong, pungent odor and a bitter taste. If Yarrow is eaten by cows (as occasionally happens) it gives a very unpleasant taste to milk products and makes them inedible.

Yarrow is a perennial, reproducing by seeds and from underground runners. It is native and widespread in the United States and grows throughout Europe and Asia as well.

There is a variety of Yarrow that has beautiful purple flowers. It is grown in gardens and is called Ornamental Yarrow. This color is sometimes (but rarely) found in wild plants as well.

I see in this picture that apparently butterflies like

this plant and this would another good reason

to cultivate it.

Historical Lore, Legends, and Uses:

 Legend has it that Achilles was taught the medicinal virtues of Yarrow by the centaur Charon, who was skilled in herb lore. Achilles used the herb to heal his solders' bleeding wounds, and the herb was named in his honor, though some might feel it should have been named after Charon. In any event, Yarrow has an ancient and honorable reputation as a wound herb, particularly efficacious for stopping the flow of blood. This belief was alluded to in the folknames, most of which refer to this property. The specific name, millefolium, refers to the minutely divided leaves and is reflected in names such as Milfoil and Thousandleaf, a literal translation of the Latin world millefolium.



Yarrow was said to be "excellent to stop inward bleeding." Yarrow was dried, powdered, and mixed with Plantain or comfrey water (both were famous wound herbs) or used by itself fresh, as a poultice for wounds that would not stop bleeding. These preparations were said to immediately stop the flow of blood. Dried and powdered Yarrow leaves, if dropped into the nostrils, stopped nosebleed. A decoction of Yarrow in white wine was drunk as a remedy for too copious menstruation. For the same purpose, large amounts of the fresh plants were boiled in water, and the patient sat over the beneficial steam to absorb it.

Yarrow was a favorite wound herb of the Anglo-Saxons. They also employed it to heal burns and the bites of poisonous snakes and insects. The fresh leaves were chewed to relieve toothache.

Dr. William Coles, a seventeenth-century physician, prescribed the flowers and juice of the plant taken in goat's milk or the distilled water of the whole plant as being "good for loose bowels, even more so if a little powdered coral, amber or ivory is added." (This last recommendation was medically worthless but highly popular in Cole's time, particularly among the rich-the only ones who could afford it. Everyone else had to be content with the unadorned herbs. Actually, they were probably better off. Powdered gems certainly did no good, and in some instances may have done some harm.)

Coles mentions that ointments containing Yarrow were used to heal ulcers, wounds, and running sores "by signature-the many incisions upon the leaves resembling those wounds, or if your fancy will have it, more like unto hair: it stops the shedding if the head is bathed with a decoction thereof." He describes another more unusual use for Yarrow: the juice was injected by syringe to cure a distressing ailment known as the "the excoriation of the yard {penis} caused by pollution or extreme flowing of seed, and any inflammation or swelling caused thereby, as has been proved by some single or unmarried persons, who have been very much oppressed on this account."

In nineteenth-century Britain, one physician observed that Yarrow "though generally neglected" was a fine medicine for excessive menstrual bleeding, bloody fluxes generally, and bleeding piles. It was an excellent diuretic and healed ulcers of the kidneys and urethra. The best part was the young shoots. The doctor remarked that foreign physicians still esteemed Yarrow for treating hemorrhage.

In America, Yarrow was well known as a medicinal plant to native American peoples. The Delaware and related Algonquin tribes prepared a tea from Yarrow which they used fore treating liver and kidney disorders. The Lenape pounded Yarrow roots with a stone and boiled them with water to make a remedy for excessive menstrual flow. Yarrow was extensively employed by a number of other tribes. The Ute name for it meant "wound medicine," and it was used by them as such, and the Piute drank Yarrow tea to cure a variety of stomach disorders.

The Pennsylvania Dutch knew Yarrow as Schoof Ribba. They prepared a "sweating tonic" from the whole plant to reduce fever, and a tea made with the leaves was supposed to have a beneficial effect on the liver and gall bladder. Horses were fed Yarrow to cure them of intestinal worms.

The nineteenth-century physician-botanist Dr. C. S. Rafinewque recommended an infusion or extract of the whole herb for menstrual problems and dysentery. Rafinesque believed that American Yarrow was stronger in its action than the European variety, and he mentioned that the American plants were exported for medicinal use abroad.

Yarrow tea was a popular remedy for influenza. It was thought to induce copious sweating, thus reducing the dangerously high fever of this disease. Yarrow tea was considered a good general remedy for severe chest colds as well. The dose was one ounce of the dried herb to one pint of boiling water. It was strained and drunk warm and sweetened with honey or sugar. Sometimes a dash of cayenne pepper was added.

Yarrow is still official in Central Europe as a tonic and stimulant.

The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia (1971 edition) lists Yarrow as an "antipyretic, diaphoretic…astringent and diuretic." Modern herbal doctors employ it to treat fevers, amenorrhea, and diarrhea.

Perhaps because of its pungent (and to many unpleasant) odor, Yarrow was said to be one of the devil's herbs and was probably called Devil's Plaything and Devil's Nettle for this reason. In any event, it has been long associated with magic and witchcraft. As is so often the case, however, the plant could actually be employed to give protection against the very same spells that it was an ingredient of.

Yarrow was strewn across the threshold of a house to keep out evil influences and was worn to guard against evil spells. Country people tied sprigs of it to a baby's cradle to protect the infant from witches who might try to steal away its soul, which they believed to be a real possibility in cases where there had been a delay in baptizing the infant.

To ease childbirth, Yarrow that had been gathered on St. John's or Midsummer Eve (June 21, the summer solstice, a day of great and powerful magical significance since very ancient antiquity) was given to a woman in labor. She held it pressed to her right side, but it had to be taken away as soon as the child was born.

A strange Anglo-Saxon charm "for a fiend-sick man or demonic, when a devil possesses the man or controls him from within with disease" is recorded in one of the tenth-century leechbooks. The charm proceeds to describe the thirteen herbs needed, one of which was Yarrow, to be made into a "spew drink" (to cause vomiting-that is, the "vomiting out" of the evil) to be drunk from a church bell. Seven Masses were then sung over it, and garlic (an ancient protector against evil spirits) and holy water were added.

Not only was this mixture to be drunk from a church bell-and one wonders exactly how this was accomplished-but the brew was to be added to everything the sick man ate or drank. Psalms 119, 67, and 69 were sung over it, it was drunk out the church bell, and the Mass priest afterward said a benediction over the sick man. This was a complicated ritual, and from it one may infer that demonic possession was believed a reality and received serious attention. One wonders how frequently this procedure, with its peculiar combination of pagan and Christian elements, was resorted to.

Yarrow was a plant of Venus (this was odd, because most devil's herbs were plants of Saturn) and, as such, was frequently consulted where love matters were concerned. One famous love charm required that a handful of Yarrow be sewn into a flannel square and put under the pillow, and the following rhyme said aloud:

Thou pretty herb of Venus' tree,

Thy true name is Yarrow.

Now who my bosom fried must be,

Pray tell though me tomorrow.

One's future husband or wife would appear that night in a dream.

Another love divination was based on Yarrow's well-known ability to cause nosebleed. A Yarrow leaf was inserted in the nostril and gently rotated while the following was recited.

Yarroway, Yarroway, bear a white blow [flower].

If my love loves me, my nose will bleed now.

If my love do not love me, it won't bleed a drop,

If my love loves me, 'twill bleed every drop.

Another charm recited to ensure the appearance of a future husband or lover in a dream was common in the south of England. A girl picked a sprig of Yarrow from the grave of a man who had died young, reciting:

Yarrow, sweet Yarrow, the first I have found,

In the name of Jesus Christ, I pluck it from the ground.

As Jesus loved sweet Mary and took her for his dear,

So in a dream this night,

I hope my true love will appear.

She then took the plant home and put it under her pillow. This charm is an odd one, to say the least. It might even be considered blasphemous. After all, Jesus did not take anyone "for his dear," much less someone named "sweet Mary"!  [Ah, but what about Mary Magdalene]  The Virgin and numerous saints were frequently begged to intercede for or otherwise come to the aid of lovers, but as far as I know, few love charms invoke the name of Jesus. I do not know the history of this particular invocation, or how ancient it is, but a possible explanation is that the charm is indeed a very old one, and the names of Jesus and Mary were substituted (as was the case with many other charms) at a later date, to replace the names of pagan gods and goddesses.

Yarrow was frequently included in wedding bouquets and garlands, where its presence was said to guarantee true love between the married pair for seven years!

There were other beliefs associated with Yarrow. The juice, if rubbed into the hair, made it curly. To dream of it after gathering the plant for medicine meant the dreamer would hear good news. In the Orkney Islands of Scotland, Yarrow tea was a cure for melancholy, while in the Hebrides, a leaf of Yarrow held against the eyes gave "second sight."

Yarrow was considered a beneficial medicinal herb among the Chinese. It was said to be useful in improving respiration, skin, and muscle tone and if taken for a long while was believed to increase intelligence. It is called shih in Chinese and is said to grow in exceptionally plentiful amounts at the grave of Confucius. According to a Chinese legend, one hundred Yarrow stalks grew from a single root. When the plant was a thousand years old, three hundred stalks would grow from the root. Such was the power of this plant that wolves, tigers, and poisonous plants would never be found near it.

Yarrow has special significance to the consulters of the I Ching. Stalks from a closely related species (Achillea sibirica) are the source of the famous "stalks of divination" to be used in consulting this oracle. These stalks were sold in parcels of sixty-four, and their length was very important. For the Son of Heaven (the emperor) the stalk were nine feet long; for feudal princes, seven feet; for high dignitaries and government officials, five feet long; and for graduates (probably of the mandarinate), three feet.

Suggested Uses: Modern herbal doctors employ preparations of Yarrow to treat pneumonia, nephritis, and Bright's disease.

Yarrow is a good companion plant in the vegetable garden. Its root secretions are said to be strengthening to other plants and actually make them more disease resistant. Yarrow is also said to keep ants and harmful insects away.

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YARROW SKIN WASH

Yarrow makes an excellent skin wash, its astringency making it particularly beneficial to oily complexions. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over about 1 cup of crumbled dried flowering Yarrow tops, cool, and strain. Pat on the skin. This wash soothes chapping and minor irritations as well.

To dry Yarrow flowers: Gather freshly opened flowering stalks, breaking them off at the base. Tie in bunches of three or four and hang upside down to dry, in an airy place, away from direct sunlight. When they are thoroughly dry, remove the flower clusters carefully and discard the rest of the plant. Store the flower clusters in jars with tight-fitting tops, away from the sun.