Geraniums

Geraniums

I know this does seem to have a place in a herbal study/blog.... but I was searching online for hints on what to do with my two big geranium plants that I have outside this summer for the winter I thought - 'I think I will look in my Cummingham's book and see what magical properties they may have... And I was surprised to see that quite a bit was written about them by Scott.  So here is an entry on geraniums.

Geranium
(Pelargonium maculatum and P. odoratissimum )

Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Powers: Fertility, Health, Love, Protection
Magical Uses:  Geraniums of all types are protective when grown in the garden or brought into the home freshly cut and placed into water.

   The geranium protects against snakes, for:

"Snakes will not go

Where geraniums grow."

  A plot of red geraniums, planted near a Witch's cottage, told of coming vistors by their movements. The flowers were magickally charged to point to the direction of the approaching strangers and thus warn the Witch of their impending arrival.

   Banks or pots of red geraniums are quite protective, and strengthen health.

   Pink-flowered geraniums are used in love spells, while the white varieties increase fertility.

   Curanderos in contemporary Mexico cleanse and heal patients by brushing them with red geraniums, together with fresh rue and pepper tree branches.

   The rose geranium (Plargonium graveolens) with its highly scented leaves, is used in protection sachets, or the fresh leaves are rubbed onto doorknobs and windows to protect them.

    All of the scented geraniums have various magical properties, most of which can be deduced from the scent (nutmeg, lemon, peppermint, etc.).  Nutmeg-scented geraniums possess much the same power as nutmeg, and so on.

[From Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs]

Here are some links for growing and caring for geraniums:

http://www.bonsaigardener.org/bonsai_161.html

http://www.hobbsfarmgreenery.com/care.html

and here is the information I was looking for:

http://www.weekendgardener.net/perennial-flowers/overwintering-geranium-110811.htm

Rosemary

Rosemary

(Rosemarinus officinalis )
Folk Names: Compass Weed, Dew of the Sea, Elf Leaf, Guardrobe, Incensier, Libanotis (Greek), Polar PLant, Sea Dew, Mary's Mantle, Mi-tieh-hsiang, Old Man

Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Powers: Protection, Love, Lust, Mental Powers, Exorcism, Purification, Healing, Sleep, Youth

Magical Uses: Rosemary when burned, emits powerful cleansing and purifying vibrations, and so is smoldered to rid a place of negativity, especially prior to performing magick. It is one of the oldest incenses.
  When placed beneath the pillow rosemarn ensures a good sleep and drives away nightmares. Laid under the bed it protects the sleeper from all harm. Rosemary is also hung on the porch and doorposts to keep thieves from the house and is carried to remain healthy. Placed in the bath it purifies.
  A chaplet of rosemary, worn, aids the memory, while the wood, smelled often, preserves youthfulness. To ensure the latter add a rosemary infusion to the bath water.
   Rosemary has long been used in love and lust incenses and other mixtures, and healing poppets are stuffed with rosemary to take advantage of its curative vibrations. Rosemary infusion is used to wash the hands before healing work, and the leaves mixed with juniper berries are burned in a sickroom to promote healing.
   If you wish to receive knowledge or the answer to a question, burn rosemary on charcoalo and smell its smoke. Rosemary is also grown to attract elves, and the powdered leaves wrapped in linen cloth and bound to the right arm dispel depression and make the emotions light and merry.
   Rosemary is generally used as a substitute for frankincense.
[From "Cummingham's Encyclopedia Of Magical Herbs"]

This herb is an evergreen shrub, with lovely aromatic linear leaves. Colored a dark shade of green above and white below, the leaves of the rosemary give off a beautiful fragrance, and with its small pale blue flowers, the plant is cultivated extensively in many kitchen gardens across America and elsewhere.


The evergreen shrub originated in the Mediterranean area, but it is today cultivated almost everywhere in the world, primarily for its aromatic leaves. The shrub has several ash colored branches, and the bark is rather scaly. The leaves, as described earlier, are opposite and leathery thick. They are lustrous and dark green above and downy white underneath, with a prominent vein in the middle and margins which are rolled down on the sides.

The tonic, astringent, and diaphoretic or the property of increasing perspiration effects of the rosemary are widely recognized and acknowledged across the world. The essence of rosemary can be taken in the form of an infusion, a wine, a tea or as a spirit, or in other words an alcoholic solution. The aromatic herb can also be used for a bath. However, one must remember that the rosemary is extremely stimulating, and a bath with the essence of rosemary late in the evening may well prevent one from sleeping in the night. The leaves of the rosemary contain stomachic (aids digestion) properties, and this property is often used by hair tonic makers, with the belief that its regular use would help prevent baldness when it is applied externally. Rosemary is often recommended especially for cases of low blood pressure. Both the volatile oil and the medication in the rosemary have been used as emmenagogues, which would be effective in stimulating menstrual flow and as abortifacients.

Almost all the physiological activity of the rosemary can be attributed to the volatile oil, which is present in the rosemary leaves in concentrations ranging from 1% - 2.5 %. Camphor, cineole, and borneol are all active compounds of the rosemary, and all these compounds possess an adequate amount of antibacterial properties. Furthermore, the rosemary has stimulating properties, and this becomes more evident when the oil is applied locally. In addition, the leaves of rosemary contain a number of flavonoid pigments of which diosmin, to quote one example, is reported to decrease capillary fragility and permeability. According to German health authorities, rosemary can prove to be effective for bringing in relief from indigestion. Rosemary can also be used as a supportive therapy for rheumatic disorders, and externally, rosemary is acknowledged for its efficacy and success in the treatment of circulatory problems. Though, the actual therapeutic effectiveness of rosemary is not yet known, and until today, no real systemic studies on the leaves of the aromatic herb have been conducted.

Rosemary is often used widely as a common household spice, and also as a fragrant aromatic flavoring agent in several commercially available products, such as vegetables, prepared meats, baked goods, etc. In fact, several people opine that rosemary can be far more useful as a flavoring agent than as a medicine, and this may be quite true because of the truth that rosemary is used in soaps, lotions, facial and body creams, toilet waters, and perfumes as the primary and most important fragrance component. Small amounts of the fragrance are added to the products such as frozen desserts, candy, alcoholic beverages, puddings and various other similar goods. Extracts containing labiatic and carnosic acids have antioxidant or food preservative properties similar to those of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), but it must always be remembered that large quantities of rosemary oil cannot be taken internally. The reason is that this may cause stomach irritation and disorders and can also irritate the kidneys and intestines.

One of the best known uses of rosemary oil is that it serves as an extremely effective mouthwash. It can get rid of halitosis almost immediately after it is taken. This is how the mouthwash is prepared: take about 1 pint of water. Heat it well. Remove it from the heat, then steep 3 tsp. of the dried flowering tops or leaves of rosemary for 30 minutes. Keep the solution properly covered. Strain and keep it in the fridge. Gargle and rinse the mouth every morning or several times daily.

It is believed that some aromatic spices like sage, peppermint, savory, rosemary, and thyme, hold incredible value in sterilizing water that has been contaminated with unfriendly bacteria.

http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_rosemary.htm
 
 
Culinary uses


Rosemary being a fragrant herb can efficiently enhance the flavor of any food, be it savory or sweet to which it is added. In general, rosemary can be used in a wide variety of culinary preparations, like for example, to season lamb, rabbit, veal, pork, sausages, as well as poultry, egg dishes, fish, pickles and shellfish, rosemary is also added to jellies, fruit jams, and cookies.

Salads and vegetable dishes that need asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplants, green beans and peas, zucchini and potatoes, can use rosemary for that extra special flavor. Herb breads and biscuits can derive the benefit of the flavor that rosemary will bring to the dish being prepared. However, one must remember that the flavor can be quite strong, and therefore, the herb must be used only sparingly. Always remember to soak dried rosemary in hot water before adding it to uncooked foods.

With the flowers of rosemary, the uses can be different. Since these have a milder flavor, they can be candied, preserved, or added to jellies, honey, wine or vinegar. Even olive oil can be flavored by adding a few sprigs of rosemary.



Craft uses

Fragrant rosemary can be included in potpourris or scented sachets. Rosemary plants can often be used in topiary, the venerable craft in which shrubs are trained into ornamental forms.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION

Rosemary grows freely in much of southern Europe and is cultivated throughout the world, although the shrub is native to the Mediterranean regions. This perennial plant needs full sun, and a sandy, well-limed soil, but it can also be wintered indoors. Rosemary generally grows best in light, well-drained, rather dry soil, with its recommended pH range about 6.0 to 7.5. If the soil's pH is below 6.0, one can safely add lime or ground-up eggshells to the soil. After the plant has flowered, it is a good idea to cut it back, so that it does not become too leggy. Propagation can be carried out by using layering and cuttings. One must remember that one must never over water the soil, because of the simple fact that over wet soil will inhibit the growth of the herb to a large extent. The shrub thrives in full sunlight, but it will also grow well in semi-shade.



The seeds of the rosemary are very slow to germinate and thereafter, it is for this reason that experts recommend buying the plant. However, if one has the rosemary plant already, then stem cuttings of the original plant can be used for the purposes of propagation. This is the method to be used: first, cut a sprig of new growth, about 15 cm or 6 inches long, from the top of the herb. Then, strip the leaves from bottom 4 cm that is about 1 1/2 inches, and then put the bottom of the twig in wet sand to root. This process will usually take about six weeks. Adding a rooting hormone is a good idea, because this will help to speed up root development.



Layering is a good technique to be used when one has a rosemary plant already. Stem cuttings can be used for this purpose. One can simply pin down the lower rambling branches of an existing herb to the soil until they root, and this will ultimately form a new plant.

One must take care to space garden plants 0.3 to 0.6 m (1 to 2 feet) apart. The rosemary is extremely susceptible to infestations of scale, mealy bugs and spider mites, and to root rot in wet soil, and these are the conditions one must be constantly aware of when one is cultivating the shrub. The leaves must be misted every alternate week. Apply a balanced fertilizer, such as 20-20-20, but be wary of over fertilizing as this reduces flowering, flavor, and fragrance.

Growing in containers

When one is trying to grow rosemary in a container, one must make sure that the plant is slightly pot bound. This means that the container that one must use to grow the plant in must be just big enough for the roots to be housed properly. The pot itself must be kept in a bright and sunny place, because this plant thrives best in open and bright sunshine. It would be a good idea to use a standard soil-based potting mix or an amended soil less mix, and to add coarse sand whenever necessary in order to increase essential drainage. One must also be careful that one waters just about enough, so that the soil is moistened, and at the same time, to make sure that one never over waters. The soil must never dry out completely. An established rosemary plant can be kept for three to four years in a container, before it may need to be replaced. The shrub must be trimmed before the onset of spring. This means that long and straggly branches of the plant must be shortened and trimmed adequately, as this would stimulate new and robust growth of the plant. Furthermore, if a favorite plant finally needs to be replaced, then cuttings from the top branches can be taken so that they can be rooted. This would ensure the correct duplication of the cultivar.

Good choices for Rosemary Grown in Pots


•'Blue Boy' is a small bush rosemary with proportionally small leaves that grow in clusters.

•'Golden Rain' stays compact and small. Its new foliage has a weeping habit and light yellow markings that darken to green.

Here is a great site for growing rosemary - indoors and/or outdoors:
http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/a/Rosemary.htm



COLLECTION AND HARVESTING


Leaves and stems and flowers of rosemary can be picked whenever needed, for fresh use at any time. The leaves and stems can be harvested for drying just before the plant blooms, because of the fact that the flavor is at its peak at this time. The leaves and the stem must be placed in a dark and well ventilated place, on a screen, and allowed to dry gradually. After they have dried, the leaves and stem can be placed in an airtight container for storage. On the other hand, sprigs of rosemary leaves can be placed and frozen on a cookie sheet, and then stored in freezer bags for future use.

MOTH REPELLENT WITH ROSEMARY

2 cups dried lavender

2 cups dried rosemary

1 Tbs. crushed cloves

Dried peel of a lemon

Bruise all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and divide among muslin bags. Tie, and set among the woolens.



RUBBING LOTION WITH ROSEMARY

1 cup of rosemary leaves

1 quart rubbing alcohol

Crush the leaves in the bottom of a 1-quart glass jar, and pour the alcohol over the leaves. Cap tightly, and let stand 2 weeks. Strain through cheesecloth, rebottle, cap tightly. Use after the bath.



HERB PILLOW WITH ROSEMARY

4 cups dried rosemary

4 cups dried lemon verbena

8 cups dry pine needles

Crush the ingredients together, and fill a small bag to place under the pillow, or in the drawer with nightclothes.

Ginseng, American

Ginseng, American
(Panax quinquefolius) G

Folk Names: Wonder of the World Root
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Powers: Love, Wishes, Healing, Beauty, Protection, Lust
Magical Uses: The root is carried to attract love, as well as to guard one's health, to draw money, and to ensure beauty to all who carry it.
  Burn ginseng to ward off evil spirits and to break hexes and curses. A tea of ginseng is used as a powerful lust-inducing drink, wheter alone or mixed with other like herbs.
   Hold a ginseng root in your hands, visualize your wish into the root, and throw it into running water. Or, carve your wish onto a root and toss into the water.
   Ginseng can be a substitute for the mandrake.
[From: "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs"]


Here is a good website for "Ginseng Wisdom"  http://www1.american.edu/TED/ginseng.htm

A good website about the growing of Ginseng - http://www.mdc.mo.gov/nathis/plantpage/flora/ginseng/

Wildcrafting and American Ginseng - http://www.altnature.com/gallery/ginseng.htm

and also this link:  http://www.ncgoldenseal.com/media/sustainable.html

The Ginseng Page


How to grow, harvest, and sell your ginseng; wild ginseng laws, conservation and ethical ginseng suppliers.     http://alternative-herbal-medicine.net/Ginseng/ginseng.htm
 
And here are some You Tube videoes on Ginseng....
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r66oz9al66Y&feature=fvw
Tree & Plant Care : How to Grow Ginseng at Home
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sc4mWfmyxU&feature=related
Wild Ginseng Educational Video
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-B5uU2ugmQ&feature=related
Wild Ginseng
 
 
 
 
From the book "Blackberry Cove Herbal: Healing with Common Herbs" by S\Linda Ours Rago here are some excerpts of her work with Ginseng:
 
"One clear morning just before the Summer Soltics, I drive up to the cabin to look for ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) in the deep gap...  The ginseng root isn't dug in June but it is easier for me to locate now when it sends up its delicate white blossoms.

My climb down into the gap is successful. I will remember the cool bank where it thrives and then come back in the fall when the roots are bursting with energy.

Deep in the coolest of coves in June our native 'sang' lifts its small foamy umbel of white with filaments like untwisted silk. It is the Panx quinquefolius so highly prized in Chinese medicine  and becoming so rare in our mountain woodlands.

  The spot where I find and gather ginseng has a distinctive fragrance of rich leaf mold rarely warmed by direct sunlight. It is so steep I slide most of the way down and then climb slowly back up again. I identify a particular ginseng plant in June, mark it with a stake, and then dig up the tuber in late October. Some years I find only a single plant or two, so I just enjoy the beauty and leave them alone. This year I found a little grove of young ginseng plants and one that had matured enought over several years to send up three leaf stems.

 
I will harvest the fat yellow tuber just before winter when all of the plant energies are down in the root. It will be a good tonic for my family this year.
    The fresh roo is pleasantly sweet to the tongue with a bite of characteristic bitterness. A mountain tradition is never to touch the ginseng root with anything made of iron.
    The Chinese prescribe it chewed or infused in wine or water for chronic stomach or lung problems and for all ailments associated with old age. It is said to be a sedative to 'animal spirits' as well as an aphrodisiac. Folk wisdom says ginseng is wasted on the young. Save it until you are old.
    Our Western scientists have discovered that ginseng is rich in vitamin D. It will raise low blood pressure and seems effective in lifting depression. The most common use is to treat weakness or exhaustion by increasing vitality.
    Here is the traditional method to use ginseng. Put a teaspoon of grated fresh root or 1/2 teaspoon of dried root in a cup of water and simmer gently for ten minutes. This should be taken once a day as a tonic or three times a day for a specific condition.
 

Korean Song in Praise of Ginseng

 

The branches that grow from my stalk are

three in number, and the leaves are five by five,

the back part of the leaves is turned to

the sky, the upper side downward.

Whoever would find me must look for a

great tree.

 

 

 
 
 
 
American ginseng  - Health Pros and Cons


Both American and Asian ginsengs belong to the species Panax and are similar in their chemical composition. Siberian ginseng or Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus ), although part of the same plant family called Araliaceae, is an entirely different plant and does not contain ginsenosides, the active ingredients found in both Asian (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius ).

There are similarities among American, Asian, and Siberian ginsengs. Each of these three herbs is considered an adaptogen, a substance that strengthens the body, helping it return to normal when it has been subjected to prolonged stress. Therefore, they are considered to be valuable supports for those recovering from illness or surgery, especially the elderly.

The root of American ginseng is light tan and gnarled, sometimes resembles the human body. Panax means all illness, and ginseng has been used across the ages in many different cultures as a "cure-all."

Many studies on ginseng have been performed using Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng). There have been positive reports of using Asian ginseng to treat cancer, heart disease, respiratory problems, fatigue, as well as to boost energy and mental performance and to improve quality of life. However, both American and Asian ginsengs contain ginsenosides, and research does exist on this component. Laboratory studies in animals have reported that American ginseng was effective in boosting the immune system, as an antioxidant, protection against heart attacks and protection against kidney damage caused by methamphetamine use. Research on American ginseng has focused on a number of conditions, some of which are described below.

Attention defecit hyperactivity disorder

An early study suggests that American ginseng, in combination with ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), may prove to be of value in helping to treat ADHD. More research in this area is needed.

Alzheimer's disease

Individual reports and animal studies indicate that a component of American ginseng and Asian ginseng, the ginsenosides, may slow the progression of Alzheimer's and improve memory and behavior. Studies of large groups of people are needed to best understand this possible use of American ginseng for slowing Alzheimer's or senility.

Cancer

Studies suggests that regular intake of ginseng may reduce one's chances of getting various types of cancer, especially lung, liver, stomach, pancreatic and ovarian. A laboratory study found that American ginseng may also enhance the effects of medications used to treat breast cancer, potentially allowing the doctor to use less chemotherapy.

Diabetes

While both Asian and American ginsengs appear to lower blood sugar (glucose) levels, American ginseng has been the more studied in scientific trials. Several human studies report a blood sugar lowering effect using American ginseng in patients with type 2 diabetes, both on fasting blood sugar and on postprandial (after eating) glucose levels. One study found that people with type 2 diabetes who took American ginseng before or together with a high sugar load experienced less of an increase in blood glucose levels.

Several studies using laboratory animals report positive effects of using American ginseng and ginsenosides for high blood sugar levels. One recent study using mice found that the American ginseng berry was more effective at lowering blood sugar levels than the root.

More research is needed.



Immune system enhancement

American ginseng is believed to enhance the immune system, which could, in theory, help the body fight off infection and disease. In several clinical studies, American ginseng improved the function of cells playing a role in immunity.



Plant Description:

The American ginseng plant has leaves that grow in a circle around a straight stem. Yellowish-green umbrella-shaped flowers grow in the center and produce red berries. Wrinkles around the neck of the root tell how old the plant is. This is important because American ginseng is not ready for use until it has grown for four to six years. American ginseng is very expensive and is now being grown on farms in order to protect the wild American ginseng from over-harvesting.



What's It Made Of?:

American ginseng products are made from ginseng root and the long, thin offshoots called root hairs. The main chemical ingredients of American ginseng are ginsenosides and polysaccharide glycans (quinquefolans A, B, and C). American ginseng seems to be more relaxing than Asian ginseng, which may have stimulating effects.

Available Forms:

American ginseng (dried) is available in water, water-and-alcohol, or alcohol liquid extracts, and in powders, capsules, and tablets. American ginseng is available with other herbs in several combination formulas.

It is important when buying ginseng to read the label carefully and make sure that you are purchasing the type of ginseng that you want. If you are looking for Asian ginseng, make sure you buy Korean, red, or Panax ginseng. If you are looking for American ginseng, buy a Panax quinquifolium. Siberian ginseng or Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) and Panax notoginseng may also be found in health food stores or pharmacies.


How to Take It:

Pediatric

This herb is not recommended for use in children unless under the supervision of a qualified health care provider.

Adult

•Fresh root: 1 - 2 g, once daily for up to 3 months

•Dried root: 1/2 - 2 g, chew and swallow once daily

•Tincture (1:5): 1 - 2 teaspoonfuls, 1 - 3 times daily

•Fluid extract (1:1): 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoonfuls, 1 - 3 times daily

•Standardized extract: 100 - 200 mg, 1 - 3 times daily, standardized to contain 4 - 5% ginsenosides

Precautions:

The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, contain components that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a health care provider qualified in the field of botanical medicine.



Reported side effects of taking ginseng include:

•High blood pressure

•Insomnia

•Restlessness

•Anxiety

•Euphoria

•Diarrhea

•Vomiting

•Headache

•Nosebleed

•Breast pain

•Vaginal bleeding

To avoid low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), even in people who do not have diabetes, you should take American ginseng with food.

People with hypertension should not take American ginseng products without specific guidance and instruction from a qualified health care provider. At the same time, people with low blood pressure as well as those with an acute illness or diabetes (because of the risk of a sudden drop in blood sugar), should use caution when taking ginseng.

The safety of taking American ginseng during pregnancy is unknown. Therefore, it is not recommended when pregnant or breastfeeding.

American ginseng should be discontinued at least 7 days prior to surgery. American ginseng can lower blood glucose levels and, therefore, create problems for patients fasting prior to surgery. In addition, American ginseng may act as a blood thinner, thereby increasing the risk of bleeding during or after the procedure.

Possible Interactions:

If you are being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use ginseng without first talking to your health care provider:

Anti-Diabetic medications -- American ginseng may lower blood sugar levels. Therefore, this herb may interfere with the effectiveness of blood sugar lowering prescription medications. Talk with your health care provider before using American ginseng if you are taking medicines for diabetes, including insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents.

Blood thinning medications -- Some reports have indicated that ginsenosides may possibly decrease the effectiveness of warfarin, a blood-thinning medication. In addition, ginsenosides may inhibit platelet activity and, therefore, should probably not be used with aspirin either.

Psychiatric medications -- American ginseng may exaggerate the effects of medications used in various psychiatric disorders, so they should not be taken together. There have been reports of a possible interaction between Asian ginseng and the antidepressant medication, phenelzine (which belongs to a class known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, resulting in symptoms ranging from manic-like episodes to headache and tremulousness

Morphine -- Asian ginseng may block the painkilling effects of morphine.
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/american-ginseng-000248.htm

Cinquefoil

Cinquefoil
(Potentilla canadensis, P. erecta [G]
or P. reptans)

Folk Names: Crampweed, Five Finger Blossom, Five Finger Grass, Five Fingers, Goosegrass, Goose Tansy, Moor Grass, Pentaphyllon, Silver Cinquefoil, Silverweed, Sunkfield, Synkefoyle

Gender: Masculine
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Fire
Powers: Money, Protection, Prophetic Dreams, Sleep

Magical Uses: The five points of the leaves represent love, money, health, power and wisdom, and so if carried cinquefoil grants these.  It is also hung up0 at the door, or placed on the bed, for protection. An infusion of the leaves is used to bathe the forehead and hands, nine times, to wash away hexes and curses.
    If you find a cinquefoil spring with seven leaflets, place it under your pillow. You will dream of your future lover or mate. If a bag of cinquefoil is suspended from the bed you will have restful sleep all night. 
   Carried cinquefoil gives eloquence when asking for favors of officials, and usually ensures that the favor is granted. It is thus used in court cases.
   Cinquefoil is also added to purificatory bath sachets.

Cinquefoil, Rough (Potentilla simplex)

Name: In 1753 Linneaus named the genus Potentilla in his Species Plantarum.

Common Names: Norway cinquefoil, strawberry-weed, upright cinquefoil, yellow cinquefoil, Common cinquefoil, Oldfield cinquefoil.

Parts Used: Most cinquefoils are used interchangeably for astringent properties.

Description: Introduced from Europe, but is also native to Americas; annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial. The flower is yellow; 5 petals; as clusters at the ends of branches; blossoms June - October. Upright, hairy, branched stem; stems become woody and change from green to dull purplish-red as the plant ages. Leaves have 3 leaflets, toothed; stem leaves are alternate; lower leaves attach to stems by way of long stalks; leaves along the upper part of the stem have very short stalks. A pair of leaf-like appendages is located at the base of each short stalk where it attaches to the stem. Height: 20 - 75 cm. The rough cinquefoil has 3 leaflets, not the 5 typical of other cinquefoil.

Habitat: Open sites with dry soil, roadsides, fields, old homesteads, and wastelands. Cinquefoil plants are drought tolerant and few animals eat them. Likes sun to partial shade.

Constituents: Tannins.

Uses: American Indians used tea of pounded roots to treat diarrhea, as an astringent. Tea is used for the same purpose, and also gargled for sore throat. Matthew Wood cites Cinquefoil as a beneficial medicinal herb, but he is referring to Five-Finger Cinquefoil.

Miscellaneous: During the Middle Ages, cinquefoil was commonly included in love potions. Cinquefoil, which means five leaves, is an old herb, full of mystery and magic, which matches the charm of its name. The plant protects its fragile blooms in bad weather by contracting the leaves so that they curve over and shelter the flower. Cinquefoil was credited with supernatural powers, and was an essential ingredient in love divination. An herb of Jupiter.

Flower Essence: For those who feel afflicted when it comes to relationships, love, and the natural flow of support. A first step to letting love into your life. Bright and sunny and helps those who work with her ”lighten up.” Lends security and protection by bringing into focus intuitive knowing.


From: http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/f/fivele20.html


Synonyms---Cinquefoil. Five Fingers. Five-Finger Blossom. Sunkfield. Synkefoyle.


---Parts Used---Herb, root.

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

Five-leaf Grass is a creeping plant with large yellow flowers like the Silverweed, each one growing on its own long stalk, which springs from the point at which the leaf joins the stem.

---Description---The rootstock branches at the top from several crowns, from which arise the long-stalked root-leaves and thread-like, creeping stems, which bear stalked leaves and solitary flowers. These stem-runners root at intervals and as they often attain a length of 5 feet, the plant is rapidly propagated, spreading over a wide area. It grows freely in meadows, pastures and by the wayside.

The name Five-leaved or Five Fingers refers to the leaves being divided into five leaflets. Each of these is about 1 1/2 inch long, with scattered hairs on the veins and margin, the veins being prominent below. The margins of the leaflets are much serrated. In rich soils the leaflets are often six or seven. Out of a hundred blossoms once picked as a test, eighty had the parts of the corolla, calyx and epicalyx in fives, and the remaining twenty were in sixes.

Although the flowers much resemble those of the Silverweed, the two plants can readily be distinguished by the difference in their leaves. The flowers secrete honey on a ringlike ridge surrounding the base of the stamens. Insects alighting on the petals dust themselves with the pollen, but do not touch the stigmas, as the honey ring extends beyond. If they alight in the middle of the next flower, they dust the pollen against the stigma and cross-pollinate it. But the flower is often self-pollinated. The flowers close up in part in dull weather and completely at night, and it is then that the anthers touch the stigmas.

Bacon says that frogs have a predilection for sitting on this herb: 'The toad will be much under Sage, frogs will be in Cinquefoil.'

It was an ingredient in many spells in the Middle Ages, and was particularly used as a magic herb in love divinations. It was one of the ingredients of a special bait for fishing nets, which was held to ensure a heavy catch. This concoction consisted of corn boiled in thyme and marjoram water, mixed with nettles, cinquefoil and the juice of houseleek.




---Medicinal Action and Uses---stringent, febrifuge. The roots have a bitterish, styptic, slightly sweetish taste and have been employed medicinally since the time of Hippocrates and Dioscorides.

They were used to cure the intermittent fevers which prevailed in marshy, ill-drained lands, and especially ague.

Dioscorides stated that one leaf cured a quotidian, three a tertian, and four a quarten ague.

Culpepper says:

'It is an especial herb used in all inflammations and fevers, whether infectious or pestilential or, among other herbs, to cool and temper the blood and humours in the body; as also for all lotions, gargles and infections; for sore mouths, ulcers, cancers, fistulas and other foul or running sores.

'The juice drank, about four ounces at a time, for certain days together, cureth the quinsey and yellow jaundice, and taken for 30 days cureth the falling sickness. The roots boiled in vinegar and the decoction held in the mouth easeth toothache.

'The juice or decoction taken with a little honey removes hoarseness and is very good for coughs.

'The root boiled in vinegar, being applied, heals inflammations, painful sores and the shingles. The same also, boiled in wine, and applied to any joint full of pain, ache or the gout in the hands, or feet or the hip-joint, called the sciatica, and the decoction thereof drank the while, doth cure them and easeth much pain in the bowels.

'The roots are also effectual to reduce ruptures, being used with other things available to that purpose, taken either inwardly or outwardly, or both; as also bruises or hurts by blows, falls or the like, and to stay the bleeding of wounds in any part, inward or outward.'

Robinson's Herbal directs that the roots are to be dug up in April and the outer bark taken off and dried, the rest not being used.

To make the decoction, it is directed that 1 1/2 OZ. of the root be boiled in a quart of water down to a pint. This decoction is recommended not only as a remedy for diarrhoea, and of avail to stop bleeding of the lungs or bronchial tubes and bleeding at the nose, but as a good eyewash, as well as a gargle in relaxed sore throat.

The juice of the root, mixed with wheat bread, boiled first, is recommended as a good styptic.

A scruple of the powder in wine is the dose prescribed to cure the ague.

In modern Herbal Medicine, the dried herb is more generally now employed, for its astringent and febrifuge properties.

An infusion of 1 OZ. of the herb to a pint of boiling water is used in wineglassful doses for diarrhoea and looseness of the bowels, and for other complaints for which astringents are usually prescribed, and it is employed externally as an astringent lotion and as a gargle for sore throat.

---Preparation and Dosage---Fluid extract, 1/2 to 2 drachms.

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.