Magickal Uses: Wear or carry near the heart for love and good luck. Place on the altar during love spells. Place the fresh flowers in the bedroom to increase fertility.
Daisy – (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum—American Daisy; Bellis perenis—European Daisy) Folk Names: Bairnwort, Bruisewort, Eyes, Field Daisy, Llygady Dydd (Welsh: Eye of the Day), Maudlinwort, Moon Daisy
An Old Wife’s Tale is that whoever picks the first daisy of the season, will be possessed of ‘a spirit of coquetry’ beyond any control.
Herbal Uses: This is not to be confused with the common American oxeye daisy, Chrysanthemum leucanthermum. Use the variety Bellis perenis for herbal uses. The English daisy as an herb is a gentle laxative. To make a tea, steep one teaspoon of the herb per cup of water for twenty minutes. Take up to one cup a day in one-fourth cup doses. The fresh flowers are used in poultices for burns, injuries, and inflammations. Lung conditions, colds, sluggish digestion, gas, colic, and liver, kidney, and bladder problems benefit from it. The wild English daisy can be used internally and externally at the same time for maximum relief.
Homeopathic Uses: Homeopaths use Bellis perenis after surgery and for muscular soreness, lameness, mechanical injuries, sprains and bruises, trauma to the pelvic region, inability to walk during pregnancy, and boils.
Magickal Uses: Known as “bairnwort” in Scotland because children use it to make daisy chains; daisy is an appropriate herb to decorate the cradle and the altar. The daisy brings love when worn. Sleeping with the root beneath your pillow may cause an absent love to return.
Damiana – (Turnera diffusa or T. aphrodisiaca or T. ulmifolia) Folk Names: Mexican Damiana
T. ulmifolia is a very rare plant. It has light green, toothed leaves, and big bright yellow hibiscus-like flowers. Said to be an aphrodisiac. Used internally for anxiety, depression, impotence, premature ejaculation, urinary infections, frigidity, and poor appetite…among other things. Much easier to grow than, but not as potent as, small leaf Damiana (diffusa).
Herbal Uses: A classic aphrodisiac, it works by sending blood to the genital area, which the user interprets as being “turned on.” It must be used consistently for several weeks before an effect is noticed. The leaf is infused to treat sexual trauma, frigidity, and impotence. It also clears the kidneys, helps the digestion, relieves constipation, and benefits lung problems and coughs. Steep two teaspoons of leaf per cup of water for twenty minutes. Take one-fourth cup four times a day.
Homeopathic Uses: Turnera Is used for impotency, nervous prostration that leads to sexual debility, incontinence in the aged, prostatic discharge, and menstrual irregularity in the young.
Magickal Uses: Use in lust infusions and spells. It is especially potent when carried in something red. It may also be burned to produce visions.
Dandelion – (Taraxacum officinale) Folk Names: Blowball, Cankerwort, Lion’s Tooth, Piss-a-Bed, Priest’s Crown, Puffball, Swine Snout, White Endive, Wild Endive
To know how many years you will live, blow the seeds off the head of a dandelion. As many seeds as are left will be the number of years. To tell the time, blow at the seed head three times. The number of seeds left is the hour. Dandelion belongs to the Belenountion: Herbs associated with the Celtic Diety Belenos. These are yellow plants that are ritually gathered at midsummer in Brittany. They are said to form the body of the God.
Herbal Uses: Dandelions love people and will follow us almost into the house if we let them. The leaves are edible in early spring when they are rich in vitamins and iron. Simmer two teaspoons per cup of water for twenty minutes; take three tablespoons six times a day. The root is gathered in fall to make a liver-cleansing tea. The flowers are made into wine. The fresh juice is the most beneficial part of the plant; one teaspoon three times a day in milk is recommended for constipation, bad digestion, fevers, insomnia, rheumatic conditions, and gout. A dandelion fast in spring will improve everyone’s health. Eat a fresh dandelion leaf salad with olive oil and lemon juice, drink a tea of the chopped root and leaf twice a day, and take several glasses of water with three tablespoons of the juice each day.
Homeopathic Uses: Homeopaths use low doses of Taraxacum for liver-centered headaches, jaundice, cancer of the bladder, gas, night sweats, and neuralgia of the knee. There is a peculiar concomitant which is a “mapped tongue”—covered with white film and sores, and peeling to leave red irritated spots. All symptoms become worse when the person is resting, lying down, and sitting.
Magickal Uses: To promote psychic powers make a tea of the root by drying, roasting and grind (like coffee). The tea, when steaming and placed beside the bed, will call spirits. Blow the seeds off the head in the direction of your loved one, while concentrating on a message. Buried Dandelion in the northwest corner of the house will bring favorable winds. Simple garden magic: pick a “puff ball’ on the night of a full moon, call in the sacred directions, and blow your wish to the winds.
Datura – (Datura spp.) Poison Folk Names: Devil’s Apple, Ghost Flower, Jimsomweed, Love-Will, Mad Apple, Madherb, Manicon, Stinkweed, Sorcerer’s Herb, Thornapple, Toloache, Witches’ Thimble, Yerba del Diablo (Spanish: Herb of the Devil)
Datura has been used in Shamanism and religious rites for many centuries. The Aztecs considered the plant sacred.
Magickal Uses: Sprinkle Datura around the home to break spells and to protect against evil spirits. To treat insomnia place some Datura leaves into each shoe, then place them under the bed with toes pointing toward the nearest wall. A few leaves placed in the crown of a hat protects the wearer from apoplexy and sunstroke.
Deerstongue – (Frasera speciosa; Liatris odoratissima) Folk Names: Vanilla Leaf, Wild Vanilla
Magickal Uses: Worn, carried or sprinkled on the bed, it attracts men. When worn it also promotes psychic powers.
Delphinium – (Delphinium spp.)
Folk Names: Larkspur
Herbal Uses: The fresh juice of the leaf (consolida) is applied as a poultice for bleeding hemorrhoids. The infusion of the whole plant is used in colic: gather the flowering herb before seed formation. Steep one teaspoon of the dried herb in one cup of water for five minutes. Take one cup a day. Used the herb dried, and steep for five minutes only. Do not exceed one cup per day. A tincture of staphysagria (stavesacre) seed is used to destroy head lice. Add a few drops to shampoo. This herb is perhaps too powerful for internal use.
Homeopathic Uses: Stavesacre is used for illnesses brought on by indignation. It is classic for bladder infections, prostatic problems, and pain following abdominal surgery. All symptoms are worsened by anger, mortification, and grief.
Magickal Uses: Gaze at the Midsummer fires through a bunch of larkspur to strengthen the eyes. Delphinium provides generous, altruistic leadership.
Devil’s Bit – (Scabiosa succisa)
Magickal Uses: Worn around the neck it drives away evil spirits and protects the wearer. Use it also to attract women and to bring luck.
Devil’s Shoestring – (Viburmum alnifolium)
This herb wards off evil when worn as a necklace, and protects against accidental poisoning. Gamblers carry it as a good luck charm.
Magickal Uses: Cut the root into small pieces and place in a jar of whiskey and spirits of camphor. When any type of power is needed, remove a piece and rub your hands with it. Then place the piece in the appropriate method, such as in the wallet or near money to attract money. A piece carried in the pocket when looking for a job (or if having difficulty at work) will help you get hired or smooth the situation. Also carry when requesting a pay raise.
Dill – (Anethum graveolens) Folk Names: Aneton, Dill Weed, Dilly, Garden Dill
Dill is an umbelliferous annual with feathery aromatic leaves and umbels with yellow flowers. Dill leaves and seeds are widely used in cooking, particularly in Scandinavian countries, where it accompanies shellfish, and the unripe flower head is an important flavoring agent in pickled gherkins. In herbal medicine dill seeds are considered sedative, soothing and digesting, relieving flatulence, colicky pains in babies and even hiccoughs.
Magickal Uses: When carried in sachets or hung by the door it brings protection. Placed over the door, no one with malicious or envious intent toward you can enter. Place in the baby’s cradle for protection. Use in money spells. Add to the bath make become irresistible. When eaten or smelled it stimulates lust.
Dittany of Crete – (Dictamus origanoides)
Herbal Uses: Dittany leaf is simmered in ale or wine with vervain, hyssop, and pennyroyal to ease the pain of childbirth. Mix the herbs and simmer two teaspoons of the herbs per cup of liquid for twenty minutes; take up to two cups per day in half-cup doses. Simmer the herb or roots, using two tablespoons per cup, for twenty minutes. This can be applied to sprains, bruises, and rheumatism by means of a cloth fomentation.
Magickal Uses: This herb is excellent for manifestations of spirits when burned as an incense. The manifestations will appear in the smoke rising from the censer. Mixed with equal parts of vanilla, benzoin and sandalwood it aides in astral projection as incense. The juice from it is said to drive away venomous “beasts”.
Dock – (Rumex spp.) Folk Names: Yellow Dock
Magickal Uses: The seeds are used in money spells and incenses. An infusion may be sprinkled to draw customers to a business. When the seeds are tied to the left arm of a female it may help her to conceive.
Dodder – (Cuscuta glomurata or C. europaea) Folk Names: Beggarweed, Devil’s Guts, Fireweed, Hellweed, Lady’s Laces, Love Vine, Scaldweed, Strangel Tare, Witches Hair
Magickal Uses: To find out if your love truly loves you pluck some dodder (from the host plant)and throw it over the shoulder, back onto the host plant. Return the next day and check the dodder. If it has re-attached itself then the love is true. The ‘laces’ may be used in knot magic.
Dogbane – (Apocynum androsaemifolium)
Magickal Uses: Use the flowers in love incense and potions.
Dogwood – (Cornus florida) Folk Names: Boxwood, Budwood, Dogtree, Florida Dogwood, Flowering Cornel, Flowering Dogwood, Green Osier, Virginia Dogwood
Among some native American tribes, the flowering of the dogwood signaled the time for corn planting.
Herbal Uses: The dried bark is taken in tincture (20 drops) or tea. Simmer one teaspoon per cup for twenty minutes; the dose is a half-cup every two or three hours to relieve fevers. It has been used as a substitute for quinine. A tincture of the berries heals a stomach damaged by alchoholism. The dose is twenty drops four times a day.
Magickal Uses: The leaves and wood are placed in amulets for protection. On Midsummer’s Eve, place the sap of the dogwood on a handkerchief. This will grant your wishes when carried. The four petals symbolize the sacred four directions and the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
Dragon’s Blood – (Daemonorops draco; Dracaena spp.) Folk Names: Blood, Blume, Calamus Draco, Draconis Resina, Sanguis Draconis, Dragon’s Blood Palm
Magickal Uses: When a woman is sitting near an open window at night and burns the resin as an incense it persuades an errant lovers return. The resin is also a powerful protectant when carried, sprinkled in the home or used as incense. It drives negativity and evil away. Add it to other incenses to increase their potency. To cure impotency, place a stick under the pillow or mattress. Mix powdered dragon’s blood, sugar and salt, and then place in a bottle. Cover tightly and hide it in your home where it won’t be discovered. This will bring peace and quite to your home.
Dulse – (Rhodymenia palmate)
This herb is used in sea rituals, thrown onto the waves, to calm the spirits of the sea. It may also be tossed from high places as a contact to the wind spirits.
Magickal Uses: When added to beverages it causes lust. Sprinkled around the home it brings harmony.
Duir – See Oak
Dutchman’s Breeches – (Dicentra cucullaria)
Magickal Uses: Wear the root to attract love.
Dyer’s Weed – See Madder