Magickal Uses: To attract the love of a man, wear in your bosom or put it in your pocket. Depending upon your success it will lose or retain its freshness.

Magickal Uses: Lemon balm is used in Arabian herbal magick to influence love. Soak it in wine several hours, strain and share with a friend. Carry the herb with you to find love. Use in healing incenses and sachets. Pliny claimed it powers so great, that when attached to a sword that had made a wound the blood would immediately be staunched. Used in spells to ensure success.

Magickal Uses: To mend a broken heart, or to attract a new love, carry the seeds. For a simple love drink steep them in red wine. Burn as a material basis for spirits and carry for protection and healing.

Ritual Uses: In Chinese temples, bamboo is used for divination. The priest throws bits of wood to the worshipper. Depending on how they fall determines whether the omen is good or bad.

Magickal Uses: For a wish to come true carve it on a piece of bamboo and bury it. Carve a symbol of protection, such as a pentagram, and plant it near your home. Growing near your home will also bring good fortune. Since its wood never changes color it is considered lucky so hang it over your door. To break hexes carry it in a sachet or grind the wood into a powder (bamba wood) and burn. The Chinese use the wood as a charm to ward off evil spirits or to call a spirit, carve the name and improvise a melody.

Ritual Uses: Banana stalks have been used as a substitute for humans in sacrifices to the Gods, in both Hawaii and Tahiti. Until 1819 when the kapu (code of laws), certain kinds of bananas were forbidden to women punishable by death. Since the flowers are hermaphroditic, they are used in voodoo rites to represent the gods.

Magickal Uses: Use bananas to cure impotency and increase fertility. It is said that if a bride is married under a banana tree she will be lucky. Due to the tree’s fruitfulness, the leaves, fruits and flowers are used in prosperity spells. Old belief is that a banana should never be cut, only broken.

Ritual Uses: Revered by the Hindus the tree is planted around their temples. Also connected with the worship of Maui and Hawaiian and Polynesian religions.

Magickal Uses: Simply sitting beneath or just looking at a banyan tree brings good luck. To be married under one promises happiness.

Magickal Uses: For love spells use the grain or barley water. A toothache can be cured with barley. To free yourself from pain, wrap a straw of barley around a stone while visualizing the pain into the stone. Next throw the stone into a river (or any running water) and see your pain ‘being washed away’. Scatter on the ground to keep evil and negativity away.

Cinnamon - (O. basilicum) From Mexico with a cinnamon sent and taste. Green leaves with purple veins.

Genovese Sweet – (O. basilicum ‘Genovese’)From Genoa, Italy with a spicy flavor. Slow to go to seed with a longer season of foliage (large, dark green leaves).

Large Leaf Sweet –– (O. basilicum) The flavor is similar to Genovese but sweeter and with less clove and spice.

Lemon, ‘Mrs. Burn’s – – (O. basilicum ‘Mrs. Burns’) Beautiful, large leaves with an intense lemon flavor.

Lemon, ‘Sweet Dani’ – – (O. basilicum ‘Sweet Dani’) Grows taller and has large leaves than regular lemon basil. With a higher citric content, it has a stronger flavor.

Mammoth Sweet – – (O. basilicum ) Huge dark-green leaves.

Purple Ruffles – – (O. basilicum ‘Purple Ruffles’) A dark purple ruffled leaf.

Red Rubin – – (O. basilicum ) Largest leaf of the purple basils, medium in color with a very sweet taste.

Thai – – (O. basilicum ) The ‘Horapha’ from Thailand with a strong, spicy anise-clove scent but much less licorice flavor. Small green leaves and purple veins, stems and flowers.

Thai ‘Siam Queen’ – – (O. basilicum ‘Siam Queen’) Larger leaves than the Thai.

African Blue – (Ocimum kilmandscharicum x Ocimum basilicum ‘Dark Opal’) Perennial. Hybrid of camphor basil (O. kilimandscharicum) with purple basil (O. purpurescens).

East Indian/ Clove Basil/ Tree Basil - (Ocimum gratissimum) A spicy clove scent and flavor. Very large with fuzzy, light-green leaves.

Holy/ Sacred/ Tulsi – (Ocimum tennuifloum) Planted around the temples in India and revered by Hindus. Used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat low libido and negativity. Slightly clove scented.

Lime – (Ocimum americanum) Similar to lemon basil but with darker leaves.

Herbal Uses: To relive gas and stomach pains make an infusion. It helps expel the placenta. Use for colds, flu, constipation, vomiting, headaches, and menstrual cramps. Steep two teaspoons in a cup of water for twenty minutes; take up to one and a half cups daily.

Magickal Uses: In Eastern Europe it was believed that a man would fall in love with a woman that he accepted a sprig of basil from. For this reason it is used to mend lover’s quarrel and in love spells. Add to incense and sachets or rub the fresh leaves against your skin as a natural love perfume. To divine the future of your romantic relationship, place two fresh leaves on a live coal. If they remain where you put them and turn to ash quickly, the marriage (or relationship) will be harmonious. If there is crackling, there will be quarrels. If the leaves fly apart and fierce crackling, then it is most undesirable relationship. To know if your mate is faithful place a sprig on their hand. If it immediately withers there is infidelity. To attract money carry it in your pocket or place in you cash register drawer to bring customers. Where basil is, evil is not. Use in exorcism incenses and in purification baths. Give as a gift to bring luck to the new home.

Ritual Uses: The priestesses of Apollo chew the leaves and inhale their fumes to induce prophetic states. Use bay leaves for decorations at Yule.

Magickal Uses: Use in clairvoyance and wisdom teas. Place beneath the pillow for prophetic dreams and inhale for visions. Wear as an amulet to ward off evil and negativity, burn or scatter in exorcism rituals, and place in the windows to guard against lightning. Hang to prevent poltergeists from mischievous workings. Bay leaves mixed with sandalwood is burned to remove curses and evil spells. To ensure lasting love, a couple should break a twig off the tree, then break the twig in two and each keep a half. If worn during competition, it gives strength to those in wrestling and athletic sport. Write a wish on a leaf and then burn it for it to come true.

Bean – (Phaseolus spp.) Folk Names: Poor Man’s Meat.
The bean grown erect to a height of 1m. The white blossoms turn to pods with 3 to 6 seeds. A small bean, V. faba equina Persian (horse bean) has been found in Iraq (c. 2300BC), and in Jericho (c. 6000BC). Arab saying, “Beans have satisfied even pharaohs.” In ancient Rome, beans were distributed and eaten at funerals, and are still given to the poor on the anniversary of a death. They are associated with the underworld.

Ritual Uses: The bean’s white flower is sacred to the Goddesses of old Europe. Only the highest-ranking priestess in Scotland could plant or eat the bean. In Rome, on June 1st, beans along with pork were offered to Cardea.

Magickal Uses: They are used as a charm against sorcerers. They are used in rattles to ‘scare’ away spirits. To end quarreling, a woman should carry three lima beans strung on a silk thread for two days. Beans cure impotency if carried or eaten.

Bedstraw, Fragrant – (Galium triflorum) Folk Names: Cleavers, Madder’s Cousin.

Magickal Uses: Wear or carry to attract love.

Beech – (Fagus sylvatica) Folk Names: Bok, Boke, Buche, Buk, Buke, Faggio, Fagos, Faya, Haya, Hetre.

Magickal Uses: Carry the leaves to increase your creative powers. Scratch or carve your wish on a stick and bury it.

Beet – (Beta vulgaris)

Magickal Uses: To fall in love, both should eat of the same beet. Use beet juice as the ink in love magick and as a substitute for blood.

Belladonna – (Atropa belladonna) Poison Folk Names: Banewort, Black Cherry, Deadly Nightshade, Death’s Herb, Devil’s Cherries, Divale, Dwale, Dwaleberry, Fair Lady, Great Morel, Naughty Man’s Cherries, Sorcerer’s Berry, Witch’s Berry.
A pretty plant with purple flowers that become purple-black berries. It is the source of atropine, used to dilate the eye, clear the nasal passages, treat asthma, and use by the U.S. Army as a poison gas antidote. Has been traditionally used by poisoners including the Borgia family. In the early days of medicine, doctors would test for poisoning by putting a drop of the patients urine in a cats eye. If it dilated they knew there was poisoning. The common name Belladonna is Italian meaning “beautiful lady”. Italian ladies use to make their pupils dilate with belladonna to make themselves more beautiful.

Herbal Uses: Caution – this herb is poisonous. Narcotic! Use this plant for high fevers with inflammation, pain, dilated pupils and reddened face. One to three drops of leaf tincture or one-drop root tincture is the dose. Apply externally as a poultice for cancer. Caution: Do not use without medical supervision! An overdose can cause paralysis of the central nervous system!

Homeopathic Uses: A remedy for fevers and ear infections when characteristic symptoms are present. They are hot, red skin, flushed face, glaring eyes, throbbing parotid glands, delirium and mental excitement, restless sleep, convulsion and dryness of mouth and throat with aversion to water (thirstlessness). Suddenness of onset and violence of attack are key indicators.

Magickal Uses: “Today Belladonna is little-used in herb magic due to its high toxicity – all parts of the plant are extremely poisonous and there are still reports of death resulting from accidental ingestion of nightshade. In the past it was used to encourage astral projection and to produce visions, but safer alternatives are available today and belladonna is best avoided.” It was traditionally used on Walpurgisnacht (May Eve), the traditional celebration of Germanic witches known as Hexen, as an ingredient of “flying ointments”. These ointments are preparations of poisonous and psychedelic herbs prepared as a salve. They often included soot to enable the witch to see how much she had put on.

Benzoin – (Styrax benzoin) Folk Names: Ben, Benjamen, Gum Benzoin, Siam Benzoin, Siamese Benzoin.

Herbal Uses: For an antiseptic skin wash, combine the resin with water. Internally it relieves intestinal gas and is antiseptic to the urinary tract. Ten to twenty drops per day in water or tea. Use it in vaporizers for bronchitis and laryngitis. Inhale the steam of Benzoin with the oils of peppermint and eucalyptus, from a bowl of boiling water. Use the tincture as a preservative in salves (one once of Benzoin to one and a half quarts of salve).

Homeopathic Uses: Use Benzoicum acidum (benzoic acid) for kidney problems with offensive urine, offensive loose stool, and pain in the Achilles tendon.

Magickal Uses: Benzoin can be substituted for storax. Use as a “cleaning” herb. Mix with basil, peony, or cinnamon to make an incense to attract customers.

Bergamot, Orange – (Mentha citrata) Folk Names: Bergamot, Orange Mint.

Magickal Uses: Slip a leaf into your purse or wallet to attract money and rub fresh leaves on your money to ensure its return to you. Use in success spells and rituals.

Be-still – (Thevetia nereifolia) Folk Names: Trumpet Flower, Yellow Oleander.

Magickal Uses: The traditions of Sri Lanka have you wear the seeds as talismans to attract luck. They are known as “lucky beans”.

Betony, Wood – (Betonica officinalis) Folk Names: Bishopwort, Lousewort, Purple Betony.

Magickal Uses: An herb of protection and purification. The pseudo-Apuleius stated that the plant protected the wearer’s soul as well as the body, and when placed under a pillow it shielded the sleeper from dreams and visions. It is traditionally burned in a bonfire on Midsummer. You then jump through the smoke to purify the body of ills and evil. It is said to reunite couples if added to food and good to carry when looking for love. Prevents intoxication if carried, strengthens the body when worn and is a cure for ‘elf-sickness’.

Birch – (Betula alba) Folk Names: Beithe, Bereza, Berke, Beth, Bouleau, Lady of the Woods.

Herbal Uses: To dissolve kidney stones make a tea of white birch leaves. This must be taken over a long time. Steep two teaspoons per cup of water for twenty minutes. Take one to one and a half cups daily. For itchy skin and falling hair use simmered leaves and twigs and add to water. The tea is also a sedative. Use the young shoots and leaves to make a tonic laxative. Use the inner bark for fevers. Simmer using two teaspoons per cup of water for twenty minutes. Take one-fourth cup four times daily. Gather twigs of B. lutea (yellow birch) and B. lenta (black birch) in the spring. Must not be after Midsummer, as the leaves will then contain natural insecticides. Simmer gently twenty minutes; this will make a delicious tea. White birch has no flavor and will not make a good beverage.

Magickal Uses: Birch is the embodiment of the Great Mother so cradles are often made of this wood for protection for the child. Russians tie a red ribbon around the stem of a birch to rid themselves of the evil eye. Traditionally, a witches’ broom is made of birch twigs. Use in exorcisms by gently striking the possessed with a birch twig.

Birdlime - See Mistletoe

Birthwort – (Aristolochia clematitis) A perennial with an erect or slightly twining stem growing up to 50cm. Birthwort has heart shaped dark green leaves with long petioles and yellowish-green flowers. It grows wild in Europe, North America and Japan.

Herbal Uses: The root is used dried. The rest of the fresh plant is a diaphoretic, emmenagogue and stimulant. Either steep in water and then used as a plaster or taken shredded in honey and oil. To induce sleep, use the dried part (powdered) and mix in red wine. To treat prolepsis uteri make into a lotion with water and apply as a peccary.

Bistort – (Polygonum bistorta) Folk Names: Dragonwort, Easter Giant, English Serpentary, Osterick, Passions, Patience Dock, Red Legs, Snakeweed, Sweet Dock.

Magickal Uses: If you wish to conceive carry with you. To improve psychic powers or for divination burn with frankincense. Sprinkle an infusion to drive away poltergeists. Add to wealth and money incenses and carry in money sachets.

Bittersweet – (Celastrus scandens) Poison (Solanum dulcamara)

Magickal Uses: To help forget a past love, place under your pillow. Use it to remove evil from both humans and animals, by tying a small piece of the herb somewhere on the body. Tied to the neck, it cures vertigo, according to Culpeper.

Blackberry – (Rubus villosus) Folk Names: Bly, Bramble, Bramble-Kite, Bumble-Kite, Cloudberry, Dewberry, Goutberry, High Blackberry, Thimbleberry.

Herbal Uses: Classic remedy for diarrhea and cleans the kidneys and urinary tract of stones and gravel. Simmer two teaspoons of root in a cup of water fro twenty minutes. Take a fourth cup four times a day. Use the leaves and buds in poultices for wounds, burns, mouth sores, and sore throats. Or just chew the leaves.

Ritual Uses: Some of the old Pagan deities considered blackberry to be sacred and so was used in worship to them. Blackberry pies are baked on Lughnasadh in commemoration of the harvest, poetically viewed as the death of the God.

Magickal Uses: This is sacred to Brighid, the Celtic Goddess of poetry, healing and smithcraft. Find a bramble bush that forms a natural arch to aid magical healing. To cure boils, rheumatism, and whooping cough and even get rid of blackheads, on a sunny day crawl through the arch backward and then forward three times, going from east to west.

Bladderwrack – (Fucus visiculosus) Folk Names: Bladder Fucus, Cutweed, Kelp, Sea Spirit, Seawrack, Seetang.

Magickal Uses: Seaweeds are protectorates of those at sea. Used also in spells to summon the spirits of the sea, by throwing it into the waves and calling their names. They will add power to your magick. To summon the winds, stand on the shore and hold a strand of fresh seaweed in your hand, whipping it around in the air above you in a clockwise direction and whistle. This will bring the winds. Scrub the floors and doors of a place of business, with an infusion, to attract customers. Fill a jar with whiskey and place some kelp in it, cap tightly and place in the kitchen window to ensure a steady flow of money into the household. Carry it in a sachet to increase psychic powers and prevent derangement.

Bleeding Heart – (Dicentra spectabilis)

Magickal Uses: This plant brings love. Crush a flower and see what color the juices are: Red, your love has a heart full of love for you. White, they don’t love you. If you have a plant growing indoors bury a coin in the soil to prevent the negative vibrations this plant brings indoors.

Blessed Thistle – (Carduus benedictus = Cnicus benedictus = Carbenia benedicta)

Magickal Uses: This herb breaks hexes. Protects wearer from all harm – good to add to the chalice or ritual bath.

Bloodroot – (Sanguinaria Canadensis) Poison Folk Names: King Root, Red Root.

Magickal Uses: The root is carried or worn to draw love and avert evil spells. Place near doors and windows to protect the home. The darkest red roots are considered the best and the ones known as ‘King root’ or ‘He root’.

Bloodwort – (Rumex sanguineus) A relative of sorrel. Less acidic than sorrel, with deep green leaves with blood red veins and stems.

Bluebell – (Campanula rotundifolia) Folk Names: Harebell. A wild perennial bulb, bluebell must be dried before use.

Herbal Uses: Dried and powdered, a dose of three grains (195 milligrams) is given for leucorrhoea. It is also diuretic and styptic.
Caution: An overdose will cause poisoning, as will the use of the fresh bulb. This herb is not recommended for domestic use.

Magickal Uses: This flower is known as th “hyacinth of the ancients,” a flower associated with mourning and grief. Apollo and Zephyr both loved the youth Hyacinth; but Hyacinth preferred Apollo. Seeking revenge, Zephyr broke up a game of quoits that Hyacinth was playing by blowing a quoit at Hyacinth, who was killed by it. In his grief, Apollo created the hyacinth flower out of the youth’s blood. This herb is planted on graves as a token of grief and used to decorate the altar.

Blueberry – (Vaccinum frondosum) Folk Names: Bilberry.

Magickal Uses: To keep undesirables way and from entering your home, place some berries underneath the doormat. Protects against evil, too. When under psychic attack, to get protective power and to increase the effect, eat blueberry pies or tarts.

Blue Flag – (Iris versicolor) Poison Folk names: Flag Lilly, Fleur-de-Lys, Iris, Liver Lily, Poison Lily, Snake Lily, Water Flag, Water Iris.

Magickal Uses: The root is carried and placed in cash registers for prosperity.

Bodhi – (Ficus religiosa) Folk Names: Bo Tree, Peepul Tree, Pipul, Sacred Tree.

Ritual Uses: Sacred to Vishnu, who like Buddha, was born under it. In the East the wood is used for sacred fires. This is the tree that Buddha sat beneath in meditation for six years. It is said that the heart-shaped leaves tremble remembering the divine vibrations from Buddha.

Magickal Uses: Circle this tree several times to scare evil away from you. Barren women walk naked beneath this tree to become fertile. To gain divine wisdom use the leaves in meditation incenses.

Boneset – (Eupatorium perfoliatum) Folk Names: Agueweed, Crosswort, Feverwort, Indian Sage, Sweating Plant, Teasel, Thoroughwort, Wood Boneset.

Magickal Uses: Make an infusion and sprinkle around the house to ward off evil.

Borage – (Borage officinalis) Folk Names: Bugloss, Burrage, Herb of Gladness.

Magickal Uses: For protection and to strengthen your courage when outdoors, carry the fresh blossoms. To induce psychic powers drink a tea of borage.

Bracken – (Pteridium aquilinum)

Magickal Uses: To bring rain, burn bracken outside. To gain solutions to problems through dreams place some underneath your pillow. This herb is used for healing, fertility and protection.

Brazil Nut – (Bertholletia excellsa)

Magickal Uses: Carry as a talisman for luck in love affairs.

Briony – (Bryony spp.) Folk Names: Gout Root, Ladies’ Seal, Mad Root, Snake Grape, Tamus, Tetterberry, Wild Hops, Wild Vine, Wood Vine.

Magickal Uses: In image magick this root can be used as a substitute for the mandrake root. Money left near this root, for as long as it is left there, will increase. Hand in your house and garden to guard against bad weather.

Brooklime – (Veronica beccabunga) Folk Names: Water Pimpernel.
An herb common in Great Britain, the Highlands, the Shetlands, Ireland, and the Channel Islands. It is found in streambeds and wet areas, along with watercress and water mint. Brooklime has a hollow tender stem that creeps along the ground, rooting every so often.

Herbal Uses: Caution: Pregnant women should avoid this plant. It is known to begin menstruation and abort fetus. This plant will prevent scurvy. Mash to leaves to make a poultice for burns, itching, and other sort of wounds. Because it is high in vitamin C, use in tonics. Use as a diuretic taking one to three tablespoon three times a day in an infusion of two teaspoons per cup. If you have a sensitive stomach take with milk. Use to cleanse the blood, kidney stones and treat anemia and fevers. When heated with oil and vinegar, it is used to treat tumors and swellings.

Magickal Uses: Even though this herb has a hot biting nature, eat it at dawn to improve and strengthen the visionary power of your third eye. Mix with watercress for water safety.

Bromeliad – (Crypanthus spp.) Folk Names: Chameleon Star, Earth Star.

Magickal Uses: This is an excellent houseplant for it brings to the home money, luxuries and protection.

Broom – (Cytisus scoparius) Poison Folk Names: Banal, Basam, Besom, Bisom, Bizzon, Breeam, Broom Tops, Brum, Genista Green Broom, Irish Broom, Irish Tops, Link, Scotch Broom.

Herbal Uses: Caution: Acute Kidney problems contraindicate this herb. Gather the flowering tips before Midsummer and use either dried or fresh. The seeds are just as useful and both are soluble in water and alcohol. Use this infusion to treat cardiac edema. One teaspoon of seeds or herb simmered twenty minutes in one-cup water for twenty minutes. Take one-half cup in one-fourth cup doses daily. For a treatment for bladder and kidney problems, mix one part broom with a half part dandelion root, half part uva ursi, and juniper berries added later. Simmer until reduced to half and add half part juniper berries and cool. Use one teaspoon per cup of water as a heart tonic. Caution: Do Not take more than a half a cup per day. Overdose can severely weaken the heart and even result in death.

Homeopathic Uses: Uses of Cystisus scoparis (Spartium scoparium) includes reducing blood pressure for edema and kidney infections as well as helping the heart after morphine withdrawal and angina pectoris.

Magickal Uses: Bind broom flowers with colorful ribbons to carry at your wedding. If a couple chooses to “jump the broom” this is the broom used, it will make the transition into their new life easier. Use for purification of magickal working area by sweeping the floor or ground with it. Use in purification spells and hang in home to keep evil out and exorcise poltergeists. Throw into the air and invoke the spirits of Air to raise the wind, or burn and bury the ashes to calm the wind.

Buchu – (Agathosma betulina; Barosma betulina) Folk Names: Bookoo, Bucoo, Buku, Oval Buchu, Short Buchu.

Magickal Uses: To induce the power of prophecy, drink an infusion made of Buchu, or for prophetic dreams, in your bedroom, burn a mixture of Buchu and frankincense. Burn only a small amount.

Buckthorn – (Rhamnus spp.)

Magickal Uses: According to Dioscorides branches placed near doors and windows drive away all enchantments and sorceries. Legend has that if you sprinkle buckthorn in a circle and then dance within it under a full Moon, an elf will appear. When you notice the elf you must say. “Halt and grant thy boon!” before the elf flees. The elf must then grant one wish. Carry or wear when involved in legal matters for general good luck.

Buckwheat – (Fagoprum spp.) Folk Names: Beechwheat, Brank, French Wheat, Saracean Corn.

Magickal Uses: Make flour by grinding the seed to use to make the circle around you while performing magick or around your home for protection. To guard against poverty keep some in the kitchen or use in money incenses.

Burdock – (Arctium lappa) Folk Names: Bardana, Beggar’s Buttons, Clotbur, Cockleburr, Great Burdock, Happy Major, Hardock, Hurrburr, Personata.

Magickal Uses: During the waning Moon, gather roots, dry and cut into small pieces then thread on a red thread to wear as a necklace. This is for protection. As a cure for gout, place the leaves on the soles of the feet.