Chapter 11
The information provided in this chapter is intended to assist you in beginning your research into the folkloric and medicinal properties of the herbal allies associated with each of the Lunar Keys of the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing. In support of the intention to build discernment and foster trust in your inner wisdom, it is recommended that you engage in the intuitive exploration of these herbal energies—as outlined in chapter 4, and reflected in the Seeking Sovereignty Within: Journaling Prompts and Self-Reflective Questions sections that accompany each moon in part two of this book—before reading this chapter.
Herbal Allies of the
Time of Ceridwen
Moon 1
The Moon of Initiation
Herbal Ally: Mugwort
Botanical Name: Artemisia vulgaris
Welsh Name(s): Y Ganwraidd Lwydd, Canwraidd Iwyd, Llys Ibuan, Llwydlys, Llys Ifan, Beidiog Lwyd
Other Common Names: Cronewort, muggons, chrysanthemum weed, common mug, felon herb, old man’s plant, St. John’s plant, Old Uncle Henry, sailor’s tobacco, wild wormwood, herba matrum, mater herbarum, she-vervain
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is a powerful herbal ally for women, both as a regulator of the menstrual cycle and as a spiritual doorway into the Mysteries of the Divine Feminine. Its common name is thought to derive from its use in brewing as a beer flavoring, but its botanical name expresses mugwort’s association with energies of the moon and the goddess Artemis, who was particularly concerned with the protection of women, especially those in childbirth. Mugwort is a moon-loving plant that turns its leaves upside down at night, revealing their silvery-gray undersides that seem to drink in the shimmering moonlight.
A widely used and respected herb particularly for women’s issues, mugwort nevertheless found itself unrecorded in many of the herbariums and formal collections of herbal remedies in the British Isles and Europe, including the formulary of the Physicians of Myddfai. It has been postulated that this is either because mugwort was in such common usage that including it in these collections would have been redundant, or its abortifacent properties made midwives hesitant to mention its use (or if they did, the certainly male writers and compilers may have censored the herb for reasons of morality).
Medicinally, mugwort acts as a nervine to soothe anxiety, lessen PMS symptoms, and also bring on menstrual flow both as an emmenagogue and an abortifacient. Be careful not to use this herb while pregnant, as it was also used in traditional medicine to induce labor when a woman had reached full-term. It can aid in digestion, bring on detoxifying or fever-reducing sweating as a diaphoretic, and bring relief to those suffering with fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. It is an important herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where it is burned on or near acupuncture points in a process called moxibustion that helps facilitate healing.
A sacred herb in many cultures, mugwort was once known as Mater Herbarium, “Mother of Herbs”; its widespread usage as both a medicinal and magical herb certainly lend itself to the theory that it may be one of humanity’s oldest known herbal allies.50 Mugwort was believed to have protective powers and was thus worn by travelers and hung over the doorway of homes to protect against lightning and keep evil influences away. It was sacred to thunder gods throughout Europe and had a special correspondence with Summer Solstice. In Southern Britain, placing a sprig of mugwort in one’s shoes was believed to help the wearer run all day, and the herb was smoked as a remedy against tiredness and loss of appetite. Mugwort was the first of the nine herbs mentioned in the Nine Herbs charm, a famous poem of enchantment that was included in a tenth-century collection of Anglo-Saxon medical texts, prayers, and remedies:
Keep in mind, Mugwort, what you revealed,
What you established at Regenmelde
You were called Una, the oldest of herbs,
You have power against three and against thirty,
You have power against poison and against infection,
You have power against the loathsome one who roams through the land.51
The complete list of plants included in the Nine Herbs charm are: mugwort, plantain, lamb’s cress, fumitory, chamomile, nettle, crab apple, chervil, and fennel.52
On the Isle of Man, a British Crown Dependency in the Irish sea that boasts mugwort as its national flower, the herb was traditionally gathered on Midsummer’s Eve for protection against witchcraft and would be woven into crowns worn by animals and humans alike to ward off negative influences. Even to this day, people wear a sprig of mugwort (which they call bollan bane or “white herb”) on Tynwald Day, the national holiday of the Isle of Man. Tynwald Day is marked by many ceremonies and rituals, some of which are believed to have pre-Christian origins, including the open-air proclamation of new laws from the top of a human-made mound.53
Today, mugwort is burned, worn, smoked, and ingested as a weak tea in small quantities to bring on prophetic visions and lucid dreams. It is the primary ingredient in dream pillows and can be found bundled into smudge sticks that are burned to clear a space of negative energies and in preparation for divinatory workings.
Mugwort’s ability to protect the traveler from harm while also granting them the endurance required to continue on their journey makes it a powerful companion for shadow work. That it dispels evil influences while opening the inner eye is critical in allowing us to see the truth of our shadow with clarity, while also helping us to build inner discernment and trust in our intuitive selves. Mugwort opens the way to the Otherworld and is a powerful place to begin an immersion into experiencing the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing.
Moon 2
The Moon of Distillation
Herbal Ally: Yarrow
Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
Welsh Name (s): Milddail, Llysiau Gwaedlif, Llysiau’r Gwaenling, y Milddcil, y Wilffrai
Other Common Names: Milfoil, woundwort, carpenter’s weed, nosebleed, herba militaris, staunchweed, knights’ milfoil, sneezewort, soldier’s woundwort
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) was prized by many ancient cultures as a panacea or heal-all. It is best known for its ability to staunch bleeding and prevent wounds from becoming infected. The first part of its botanical name connects the herb with the Greek hero Achilles; a pupil of the wise centaur Chiron who was deeply knowledgeable of the healing arts, Achillies is said to have used yarrow to heal his warriors on the battlefield. The second part of yarrow’s name means “thousand leaves” and describes the many feathery segments that characterize the herb’s leaves. Yarrow was once called “nosebleed” because it was sometimes used to stop a nosebleed, while other times it was used to cause nosebleeds as a treatment for headaches; sticking yarrow leaves up the nose of a headache sufferer in order to cause bleeding was thought to relieve sinus pressure.
It is an excellent herbal diaphoretic that encourages therapeutic sweating to assist the body in eliminating toxins and reducing fevers. Yarrow is also a vasodilator that helps to lower blood pressure and has strong anti-bacterial and expectorant properties, making it a powerful ally for treating colds, flus, respiratory infections, as well as infections of the urinary tract. The herb has antispasmodic properties that help both to relive stomach cramps and stimulate digestion. Yarrow is also anti-inflammatory and is thus used in treating rheumatoid arthritis. It is an uplifting herb that can be used in remedies to fight depression. An emmenagogue, yarrow should not be taken internally during pregnancy as it can bring on uterine bleeding.
Folkloric uses of yarrow associate it with divination both in the East as well as the West. Traditionally, a bundle of sixty-four yarrow staves are cast to form the hexagrams used in the Chinese system of I Ching. In the British Isles and Ireland, the herb was widely used for love divination: when placed under the pillow, a woman would dream of her future husband; cutting green yarrow stalks could reveal the initials of a future lover; and casting some of the herb into the fire could provoke visions of one’s true love. These kinds of yarrow divination were especially potent if performed the night before Beltane or Calan Haf. Brides would carry yarrow in their bouquets as good luck charms, and eating yarrow at the wedding feast was believed to strengthen the bonds of love between the couple.
Famously, yarrow leaves were placed over the eyes to bring about the Sight and to see into the Otherworld. In his Irish Fairy and Folk Tales, W. B. Yeats records the use of the cappeen d’yarrag, a cap with a sprig of yarrow in it that permits the wearer to fly when the correct charm is uttered. Legend has it that druids used yarrow staves to predict the weather but the exact method is unknown. Yarrow was known to be a protective herb as well. Wearing yarrow flowers or attaching a bundle of the herb onto a baby’s crib would ward off any evil magic, and hanging a bunch of yarrow in the home on Midsummer’s Eve was believed to protect its residents from illness for an entire year
As an herb of healing and clear sight, yarrow is a powerful ally on our quest for wholeness and authenticity, as it helps us to separate that which is in support of our personal Sovereignty from the illusions of self that originate in the realm of the shadow. It assists in setting and keeping good personal boundaries, as well as shielding the self from external influences. This protective energy is critical as we learn to separate the truth of who we are from the compensatory behaviors we have adapted in response to people and situations in our lives that have caused us stress and trauma. Yarrow’s protective nature helps us to see with clarity as we strive to reclaim the truth of who we are from self-definitions that no longer serve us.
Moon 3
The Moon of Transformation
Herbal Ally: Wormwood
Botanical Name: Artemisia absinthium
Welsh Name (s): Wermwd Lwyd, Chwerwddail, Chwerwlys
Other Common Names: Green ginger, green fairy, old woman, blood of Hephaistos
A famously bitter herb like mugwort, wormwood is in the Artemisia family, named in honor of the Greek goddess of the moon. It too thins the border between the worlds, and has a reputation as a psychic stimulant when used magically as an incense or in herbal talismans. Its most well-known claim to fame is as an ingredient in the liquor absinthe, whose green fairy can stimulate poetry or madness, depending on the drinker’s state of mind. Wormwood’s narcotic actions make it an effective remedy for insomnia, although dosage needs to be precise as it can cause intestinal pain and vomiting if too much is taken at once.54
Used as a funerary herb, wormwood was placed in graves as well as burned in funeral pyres in Germanic tradition. It was considered a protective herb and was burned as incense to guard against both witchcraft and evil spirits. Sprigs of wormwood were lain with clothing to keep moths away, and an infusion of the herb was added to ink to keep mice from chewing manuscript pages. Wormwood is said to have aphrodisiac qualities as well; it was used as a component in love charms and spells to attract a mate, and dancers wore wormwood flowers as garlands during Germanic summer solstice fertility rites.
Medicinally, it is a nervous tonic and can be helpful in treatment of depression. It is an excellent digestive, appetite stimulant, and is a useful liver tonic. It is an especially popular remedy for issues of digestion and upset stomach in Wales and is perhaps the most widely-used herb in rural areas of Wales, country-wide.55 Wormwood is named for its ability to rid the system of parasites and worms. Its bitterness made wormwood an excellent brewing herb; it was used in beer making as an alternative to hops. As an oil, it is an excellent topical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and is an effective insect repellent; that said, wormwood oil should never be taken internally. This is an herb requiring a great deal of respect, as it can be poisonous in large doses; be sure you consult a qualified herbalist before taking this plant medicinally. It should never be taken internally while pregnant or breastfeeding as it is a powerful and potentially dangerous abortifacient.
Moon 4
The Moon of Germination
Herbal Ally: Vervain
Botanical Name: Verbena officinalis
Welsh Name (s): Cas Gangythraul, Llysiau’r Hudol, Y Dderwen Fendigaid, Briw’r March
Other Common Names: Herb of grace, herba sacra, holy wort, druid’s weed, enchanter’s plant, van van, ferfaen, verbein, verbena, verbinaca, dragon’s claw, tears of Isis, Juno’s tears, herba veneris, persephonion, demetria, Mercury’s moist blood, mosquito plant, peristerium, sagmina, pigeon grass, pigeonwood, frog-foot, simpler’s joy, altar plant, wild hyssop
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is one of the most sacred Druidic herbs and is believed to have been used in their rites of prophecy and divination. They would gather the plant during the dark of the moon, leaving an offering of honey in the earth to replace what they had taken. Sprinkling an infusion of vervain around the sacred grove before offering sacrifices to the Gods both purified the space and protected it from evil spirits and negative magic. In the fourteenth-century Welsh poem “Cadeir Taliesin” (“The Chair of Taliesin”) which some scholars have interpreted as representing a bardic initiation rite, vervain is mentioned as one of the herbs brewed in the Cauldron of Inspiration.
In his Natural History, the Roman historian Pliny writes of the Celtic uses of vervain:
The people in the Gallic provinces make use of [vervain] for soothsaying purposes, and for the prediction of future events; but it is the magicians [Druids] more particularly that give utterance to such ridiculous follies in reference to this plant. Persons, they tell us, if they rub themselves with it will be sure to gain the object of their desires; and they assure us that it keeps away fevers, conciliates friendship, and is a cure for every possible disease; they say, too, that it must be gathered about the rising of the dogstar—but so as not to be shone upon by sun or moon—and that honey-combs and honey must be first presented to the earth by way of expiation. They tell us also that a circle must first be traced around it with iron; after which it must be taken up with the left hand, and raised aloft, care being taken to dry the leaves, stem, and root, separately in the shade. To these statements they add, that if the banqueting couch is sprinkled with water in which it has been steeped, merriment and hilarity will be greatly promoted thereby. As a remedy for the stings of serpents, this plant is bruised in wine.56
The Romans also used vervain ceremonially to cleanse their ritual spaces, and called it herba sacra, the holy herb; in fact, all of their altar herbs came to be called verbena. They even held an annual festival called the Verbenalia to celebrate the plant and its connection to Venus, the goddess of love. It was woven into bridal wreaths in order to sanctify marriages and was used as a powerful aphrodisiac. Vervain was added to the water blacksmiths used to temper their metals, believing it would endow weapons with increased strength and hardness. Similarly, it was believed to rekindle the dying embers of a love that was burning out, fortifying the bonds of love as well as the strength of arousal shared between lovers.
Vervain was also a potent herb of protection. The Physicians of Myddfai recommended that warriors wear sprigs of the plant into battle in order to evade their enemies. Roman messengers wore crowns of vervain on their heads during times of war; this was considered a sign of truce which permitted these messengers, called verbanarii, “one who bears sacred boughs,” to cross into enemy lines unhurt. The plant is considered sacred to the goddess Isis and is said to have sprung up each time one of her tears touched the earth as she gathered the dismembered remains of her husband, Osiris. Christian legend places vervain on Mount Cavalry during the crucifixion of Jesus, and attributes the holiness of the plant to it having been used to staunch the bleeding of Christ’s wounds.57
A powerful magical herb, it is used to open doorways of the Sight and is a herb of increased creativity, protection, and purification. When vervain leaves were rubbed on a person, it was said to grant any wish and impart good luck. Children who wore vervain were said to be good-natured, well-behaved, and excellent students with a great love of learning.
Vervain has a great many medicinal properties and is considered a cure-all. The herb is thought to have gotten its name from the Celtic ferfain, meaning “to cast away stones,” a reflection of its use to tonify the bladder and help remove calculi or stones. Vervain reduces fever, brings on detoxifying sweating, tonifies the nervous system, and reduces mental stress and depression. It clarifies the skin, is a useful diuretic, treats gout, assists in respiratory complaints, improves digestion, and is cleansing for the liver. It is an excellent women’s herb, as it is a good galactagogue for nursing mothers and a helpful uterine tonic that aids in bringing on menstruation and facilitating contractions during labor; it is not recommended to take vervain during pregnancy because of these actions.
Herbal Allies for the
Time of Blodeuwedd
Moon 5
The Moon of Evocation
Herbal Ally: Broom
Botanical Name: Cytisus scoparius
Welsh Name(s): Banhadlen; Banadle (N. Wales); Banadlen (S. Wales); Banad, Banal, Ysgub Fanadl, Aurfanadl, Melynog-y-waun, Helynog-y-waun
Other Common Names: Scotch broom, common broom, broom tops, Irish tops, banal, besom, basam, bisom, bizzom, browme, brum, breeam, green broom, genista, link, ginster, hagweed
Broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a powerful cleansing herb both energetically and physically. It is traditionally used in the making of besoms, as its name suggests. This common plant has roots that anchor soil thereby preventing erosion (especially on the coastline), and branches that shelter wildlife. It is a protective herb and can be burned to dispel negative influences. Broom was famously used in Brittany as a heraldic device, and the English royal house of Plantagenet took the plant’s medieval name, planta genista, as their own.58
In Wales, broom is considered a magical plant where it is not only used to affect healing and attract love, but also by witches … and against witches with evil intent.59 Indeed, broom itself seems to have both a light and a dark side. Sometimes the plant is considered unlucky; broom growing on your property was a sign of misfortune unless there were many flowers upon it, in which case it became sign of fertility and abundance.60 Sweeping one’s home with a besom of broom that still has flowers on it was said to bring grave misfortune into the house; however, hanging broom in the house was a protective act to keep evil away. Despite its dualistic nature, it was generally still considered a flower of good fortune and was used to decorate wedding feasts as symbols of abundance.61 Burning broom flowers as incense affects a cleansing of the space and increases psychic awareness.62
Along with blossoms of oak and meadowsweet, broom was one of the three flowers Gwydion and Math used to create Blodeuwedd as a bride for Lleu. Both Welsh literary tradition and present-day vernacular use the flowers of broom as a descriptor for the color yellow, especially when referring to the color of a woman’s hair. In parts of Scotland, the peeled white branch of the broom was used as a wand for the corn-sheaf Bride doll made on Imbolc. Broom’s narcotic properties were well-known and are immortalized in the ballad “The Broomfield Hill,” where the heroine is advised to keep her knight asleep by using broom as a strewing herb.63 Sheep enjoy eating the pods of the broom plant which causes them to become intoxicated; the effect is short-lived and does not seem to be harmful to the sheep.
Medicinally, broom has been used traditionally to treat complaints of the cardiovascular system and the renal tract, to induce labor, and as an abortifacient; however, caution should be practiced when taking this herb internally and it should only be used under professional supervision—there is a danger of poisoning. It is a powerful diuretic whose green tops contain the chemical constituent sparteine, which is known to increase urinary output.64 Broom has anti-hemmoragic properties, and it was traditionally used to treat cases of excessive menstruation.
An overall useful plant, broom buds were pickled and eaten like capers, and its seeds were prepared as a coffee substitute. Its twigs were gathered and woven together to create baskets. Broom bark was high in tannin and was used to tan leather, while the fiber of its bark could be spun into cloth and was also used to make paper. The plant’s leaves also yield a beautiful green dye.65
Moon 6
The Moon of Activation
Herbal Ally: Meadowsweet
Botanical Name: Filpendula ulmaria
Welsh Name(s): Erwain, Brenhines y Weirglodd, Blodau’r Mel, Llysiau’r Forwyn, Chwys Arthur
Other Common Names: Bridewort, queen of the meadow, gravel root, goat’s beard, old man’s pepper, courtship-and-matrimony, bittersweet, dropwort, my lady’s belt, sweet hay, lus chuchulainn, little queen, trumpet weed, steeplebush, meadsweet, mead wort, pride of the meadow, meadow maid, honeysweet, dollor, bridgewort, dollof, lace-makers-herb
Also called bridewort, the sweet smelling flowers of the meadowsweet (Filpendula ulmaria) are a traditional addition to the bridal bouquet. It was also a common funerary herb, potentially because the sweetness covered up any odors that might be present, or perhaps instead the flowers represented the transition from one life phase to the next. In 2006, archaeologists excavated a Bronze Age round cairn on the crest of Fan Foel, one of the mountain peaks above Llyn y Fan Fach, home of the Lady of the Lake who was the ancestress of the Physicians of Myddfai (See Chapter 10 for more information). In it, they found the cremated remains of a child, believed to be under the age of twelve. Pollen samples taken from the site show that bunches of meadowsweet were included in the burial, echoing a pattern exhibited in Bronze Age burials throughout Wales and Scotland.
According to Grieve, Druids held meadowsweet in high regard and counted it as one of their three most sacred herbs along with vervain and water mint. In the Fourth Branch of Y Mabinogi, meadowsweet is one of the three flowers used by the magicians Math and Gwydion to create Blodeuwedd to be Lleu’s bride. The Irish name for the herb, Lus Cuchulainn, means “Belt of Cuchulainn” and refers to the meadowsweet baths used to cure the fevers and soothe the rages of the legendary warrior. In Irish tradition, the flowers are sacred to Áine, Sovereignty goddess of Munster, and it is said that she gave the flower its sweet scent. She was also revered as a fairy queen, which may have some connection to a folk tradition from County Galway: if someone was wasting away as a result of having contact with fairy folk, it was believed that placing meadowsweet flowers under their bed would restore them to health by the next morning. However, this was a dangerous remedy as the flowers put the ill person at risk of falling into a deep sleep from which they would never wake.66
Meadowsweet can be used for a type of divination that can help catch a thief: gather some flowers on Midsummer’s Eve and place the flowers on some water. If the flowers float on the water, it was a woman who robbed you; if the flowers sink, the thief was a man.
The sweet-smelling plant was a popular herb to strew on the floor of halls and bedrooms, and it was said to instill a sense of gladness and peace. Meadowsweet flowers were a popular ingredient in the making of mead and ale, and it is possible that its name comes from the Anglo-Saxon words mede (“mead”) or medo-wort (“honey herb”); indeed, the flowers are so sweet that it was added to food and drinks as a sweetener.67 In Yorkshire, the herb was called “courtship and matrimony,” believed to be a reflection of the two different scents of the meadowsweet plant: the sweetness of the flower stands in contrast to the bitter almond-like scent of the leaves, just as a courtship is blissful while a marriage can be bitter.68
Medicinally, meadowsweet contains salicylates, the primary component of aspirin, and so has traditional usage for pain relief and the reduction of fevers, but since it contains mucilages, it does so without irritating the stomach like aspirin. It acts as an excellent tonic for the digestive tract, and soothes heartburn, diarrhea, peptic ulcers, and nausea. Meadowsweet is useful for colds and respiratory infections, and it also reduces the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. It is a useful diuretic that helps remove toxins from the body, such as in the case of gout, and it is an overall aid to the kidney and bladder, especially when calculi are present. It is an excellent anti-spasmotic and assists with menstrual cramps. It has long been used medicinally in Wales as it grows there in great abundance.
Moon 7
The Moon of Revelation
Herbal Ally: Nettle
Botanical Name: Urtica dioica
Welsh Name(s): Ddynhaden, Danadl Poethion
Other Common Names: Stinging nettle, hoary nettle, tall nettle, slender nettle, heg-begs
Nettle (Urtica dioica) is famous for its sting and is one of the most commonly used herbs in folk medicine. “Three nettles in May keeps all diseases away” is an old English saying, reflecting the plant’s medicinal worth. It is a powerful antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory herb, especially as concerns the respiratory system; it is used to treat hay fever, sinusitis, and asthma. Nettles are one of the most nutritious plants known to us: they provide a range of necessary vitamins, minerals, and protein, all in a very bio-available form. Its high iron content assists in the treatment of anemia, and it also has strong anti-hemorrhaging or hemostatic properties. It is said that putting a nettle leaf on the tongue and pressing it to the roof of the mouth will stop a nose bleed.69
Considered a powerful cleanser of the blood, nettle tea was taken to clear the skin and tonify the circulatory system. Externally, it was used as a hair wash to stimulate growth and clear up dandruff; this is in alignment with the Doctrine of Signatures, as the nettle plant is covered in fine hairs. Nettle is tonic for the urinary system, acting both as a powerful diuretic and to inhibit nighttime urinary urgency. It removes excess uric acid, thereby relieving gout. It treats fibromyalgia as well as the pain and inflammation of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Grieve mentions that the process of urtication, which is the act of flogging parts of the body with nettle stalks, was an old way to treat chronic rheumatism and muscular weakness; the same process was also applied to the genital area of men to address impotency. In France, young men were encouraged to roll around in nettle patches before going courting, as a way to stir up their “natural heat” as Galen put it.70
Another excellent ally for women’s health, nettles is an overall women’s reproductive tonic, with the arial portions of the plant a specific for the female system. It is an aid in pregnancy and prevents hemorrhage in childbirth, regulates the menstrual cycle, and treats the symptoms of PMS. The roots of nettle are a specific for prostate issues in men, and it is a sexual tonic for both genders; a popular folk practice was to place nettle leaves in a man’s shoes as a form of contraception. It was believed that fevers could be cured by picking nettle by its roots and speaking the name of the ill person and their family. Nettle was counted among the nine sacred herbs in Anglo-Saxon folklore along with plantain, chamomile, mugwort, watercress, chervil, fennel, and crab apple.
The word “nettle” is believed to have come from the Anglo-Saxon word noedl, which means “needle.” This etymology could reflect the plant’s traditional use as a very sturdy textile fiber that was spun and woven into linen. It may also refer to the nettle’s stinging properties, which is also alluded to in its botanical name urtica, which means “burning.” Indeed, the nettle plant is equipped with thousands of stinging hairs that cover the stalk and leaves. Each of these hairs is a hollow spine with a sac-like structure at its base; this sac is filled with a liquid substance comprised of histamines, serotonin, acetylcholine, and formic acid—the latter being the venom fire ants produce when biting in self-defense. When a person or animal brushes up against the stinging nettle, the fragile tips of the hairy shafts break off, which then cause them to act like hypodermic needles that inject the liquid irritant into the skin of the offender. This defense mechanism is intended to act as a deterrent to plant eating animals (and likely generations of herbalists and wise women who have gathered the plant for its medicinal qualities).
While the sting of the nettle is very unpleasant, it typically only lasts for about a day unless the affected person has an allergy to the plant; if this is the case, it is crucial to seek medical attention right away as the reactions can be potentially life threatening, especially when respiration becomes affected. However, as a reflection perhaps of the innate intelligence of nature which seeks to maintain balance in its system, where stinging nettles grow, the remedy for its burning almost always grows nearby—the juice of yellow dock (Rumex crispus) or another member of the dock family (Rumex spp.). Grieve records a charm to that is to be recited slowly as the liquid from the bruised dock leaf is applied to the affected area:
“Nettle in, dock out.
Dock rub nettle out!”
Charm aside, it is good practice to try not not touch the area of a nettle sting for at least ten minutes to allow the irritant chemicals to dry and make the hairs easier to remove without affecting other parts of the skin. Leaving the affected site alone also prevents driving the spiny hairs deeper into the skin; these can be removed later using tape to lift the spines out. Fortunately, when nettles are boiled to be eaten, the heat deactivates its venom so the nutritious plant can be safely enjoyed.
According to folklore, apple trees that have nettle plants growing beneath them produce very large apples that ripen more quickly than other apples. There is something to this belief, as nettles thrive in soil rich in nitrogen. The presence of nettle anywhere is a good indicator of quality soil. In fact, it is nettle’s high nitrogen content that makes it an excellent activator of compost.71
Nettle was hung around the house or burned in bonfires to protect the household and crops from lightning.72 Nettle that was picked on the Summer Solstice was believed to undo a spell reducing milk production when taken from property of the witch who cast the spell and placed under the milking pails of the affected cattle. In Scotland, it was believed that nettles harvested on Halloween night and placed in the bedding of someone you fancied would make them fall in love with you. The positive effect of nettle on both the women’s reproductive system and men’s virility made it a natural aphrodisiac and a common component in love spells.
Moon 8
The Moon of Liberation
Herbal Ally: Red Clover
Botanical Name: Trifolium pratense
Welsh Name(s): Meillion Coch
Other Common Names: Trefoil, wild clover, shamrock, broad-leaved clover, cowgrass, honeysuckle clover, cleaver grass, cow clover, marl grass, meadow clover, meadow honeysuckle, meadow trefoil, peavine clover, sweet clover, honeystalk
In folklore, red clover (Trifolium pratense) is said to ward off evil influences and serve as a powerful psychic protector. Its botanical name, trifolium, means “three leaved,” and indeed it has ancient associations with the Celtic love of triplicities, extending into the Christian period where it represented the Holy Trinity. Its common form as a triple-leaved plant underscores the rarity of finding a four-leaf clover, that very famously potent lucky charm. Traditionally, red clover was considered an herb for healing and blessing animals; placing a four-leaf clover in the barn where cows live was said to ward against evil spells and ensure an abundant flow of quality milk.73
Pollinated almost exclusively by bumblebees, clover is used to attract wealth and abundance, and is believed to increase fertility. These beliefs are likely related to the plant’s medicinal property to regulate the reproductive cycle of women, as well as its ability to enrich the soil where it grows by providing it with nitrogen which in turn creates greater crop yield in the future. Dreaming of clover is said to be an omen of great prosperity, and the old English maxim “to live in clover” refers to someone who enjoys a life of luxury.
Red clover is said to bestow fairy sight on those who hold it in their hand, permitting one to see between the worlds and gaze upon the spirits and entities which dwell there. It can be used for divinatory purposes as well; a maiden who finds a four-leaf clover and places it in her shoe will marry the first man she sees or someone with the same name.74 Similarly, if she were to place a four-leaf clover over her door, the first person to pass under it would be the one she marries. If the maiden swallowed the four-leaf clover, she would be fated to marry the first man whose hand she shook.75 Finally, placing a four-leaf clover under one’s pillow is said to induce dreams of one’s true love, even if you’ve not yet met.76
In the Welsh tale Culhwch ac Olwen, four white clovers were said to spring up from the feet of the maiden Olwen everywhere she walked; indeed her name means “White Track.” White clover (Trifolium repens) is one of several plants identified as a shamrock in Ireland and has some similar medicinal qualities as red clover, but the red species has stronger medicinal constituents by far. White clover is primarily cultivated today as a grazing plant or ground cover (repens means “creeping”), and it also supports honeybees. That clover comes in both red and white varieties is significant from a magical standpoint, as red and white together are the colors associated with the Otherworld. This magical correspondence may be a contributing factor to the herb’s association with fairy sight; another could be its traditional medicinal usage as a remedy for ailments of the eyes.
Red clover is a powerful ally for women’s health, as it contains phytoestrogens that assist in regulating the reproductive cycle, help relieve issues with menstruation and menopause, and play a role in protecting against breast cancer and osteoporosis. A strong infusion of red clover can be used as a douche to fight vaginal infections and as a wash to soothe the sore nipples of nursing mothers.77 Pregnant and nursing women should not take red clover, and those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer should discuss use of this herb with their health care practitioner.
It is a lymph and blood cleanser which helps clear the skin, and its antispasmodic properties are useful as a cough remedy. Red clover flowers help to cleanse the system by stimulating the liver and gallbladder, acting as a diuretic and mild laxative, and it has a traditional usage as a blood thinner. It can reduce atherosclerois because it contains beta-sitosterol, which acts to block the absorption of cholesterol, and also has a role in tumor reduction.78 Red clover has anti-viral and anti-fungal qualities, and an infusion of the flowers was used topically to treat snake bites and was placed in the eyes both to address the formation of cataracts as well as to soothe dry, irritated eyes.79 It is a nervine and has sedative qualities, so its use helps reduce nervous tension, treat insomnia caused by over-thinking, and ease symptoms of stress such as tension headaches.
Red clover is an herb of cleansing on multiple levels; the flower essence is said to help clear any negativity picked up from others and is especially effective during times of personal or community crisis. It helps us bring our energies to a place of balance and is particularly useful in assisting us in maintaining a solid center of calmness and clarity, regardless of what may be going on around us.80 An herb of the Sight, red clover acts to increase our self-awareness—an important foundation for undertaking shadow work.
Herbal Allies for the
Time of Rhiannon
Moon 9
The Moon of Dedication
Herbal Ally: Burdock
Botanical Name: Arctium lappa
Welsh Name(s): Y Cyngaw, Cyngaf Mawr, Ciawg.
Other Common Names: Lappa major, great burdock, beggar’s buttons, beggar’s lice, love leaves, hurt butt, hurr-burr, burr seeds, happy major, cocklebur, bardana, burdocken, flapper-bags, lappa, gypsy’s rhubarb, pig’s rhubarb, snake’s rhubarb, lappa, fox’s clote, thorny burr, cockle buttons, philanthropium, personata, happy major, clot-bur
Burdock (Arctium lappa) was renowned in folk belief as a powerful charm against evil and misfortune, especially when gathered at Midsummer; its association with Thor for Germanic peoples caused it to be hung in households to protect against lightning strikes. Hanging burdock in the house guarded it against negative influences, and wearing the dried roots was considered to be a charm of protection.81 Eating raw burdock stems was believed to increase lustfulness, and one of the plant’s common names was “love leaves,” a fact reflected in its use in love potions.82
In Scotland, an area of Edinburgh called South Queensferry celebrates Burry Man’s Day on the second Friday in August. This folk practice of unknown antiquity consists of a man chosen from the community who would take on the role of the Burry Man, spending the day walking around the town in a heavy costume comprised of patches made from burdock burrs that had been harvested and dried the week before. Additionally, burrs were placed in sensitive areas of the Burry Man’s crotch and underarms, further complicating his walk. Wearing a face mask and holding two flower-bedecked poles to support his arms, he would shuffle around the town for nine hours beginning at 9 a.m., and would be given whiskey to drink through a straw as he walked the seven miles through town.
Although this practice is only attested to have existed from the early nineteenth century onwards, locals believe this tradition is much older, dating back to Pagan times, even though they are unsure of its ultimate purpose. Some believe the Burry Man’s walk was intended to confer blessings of abundance on the fishermen and the coming harvest, while others theorize the practice to be the remnants of a scapegoating ritual. In the latter case, the burrs of the costume worn by the suffering man were thought to pick up negative energies as he walked through the town; and when he was clear and away, his costume was burned and all of the negative influences it had attracted were burned with it.83
Medicinally, burdock is an excellent liver cleanser and tonifier; as such, it works to bring the endocrine system back into balance and is very helpful in treating skin disorders such as acne, psoriasis, boils, and eczema. Burdock’s ability to stimulate the gall bladder, liver, thyroid, and the adrenal cortex permits the body to metabolize fats and proteins more effectively.84 It is tonic to the kidneys and a good diuretic. Burdock has been used for treating diabetes and hypoglycemia, and it has both anti-fungal and antibiotic qualities. It is a bitter herb, which helps to stimulate digestion. Burdock helps reduce the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis and can be used to treat symptoms of gout when applied externally. The plant appears to have some anticancer properties, and its leaves have been used externally to reduce tumors. Burdock is an excellent stimulator of the lymphatic system, so its activating energy is contraindicated during pregnancy as it might stimulate the uterus.85
About burdock, the seventeenth-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper wrote:
“Venus challengeth this herb for her own; and by its seed or leaf, you may draw the womb which way you please, either upward by applying it to the crown of the head, in case it falls out, or downward in fits of the mother, by applying it to the soles of the feet; or, if you would stay it in its place, apply it to the navel, and that is likewise a good way to stay the child in it …” 86
The plant boasts burrs that attach to clothing and the fur of animals, helping to scatter its seeds over wide areas of land. In accordance with the Doctrine of Signatures, the burdock pods were eaten to help improve memory, as it was believed they could help things stick in your brain.87
Moon 10
The Moon of Consummation
Herbal Ally: Dandelion
Botanical Name: Taraxacum officinalis
Welsh Name(s): Dant y Llew, Clais, Dail Clais
Other Common Names: Lion’s tooth, blowball, cankerwort, piss-a-bed, priest’s crown, swine snout, wild endive
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a cheery yellow flower associated with the life-giving energies of the sun. Its name comes from the French “tooth of the lion,” an animal with strong solar associations. Traditionally, it was woven in the bridal bouquet to grant luck to the new couple. In the Victorian language of flowers, dandelion represents love and flirtation but also faithfulness to one’s mate; the latter characteristic is related to how tenaciously enduring this ubiquitous “weed”—in truth, a highly nutritious and helpful medicinal plant—really is. Dandelions scatter many seeds and propagate new plants abundantly and quickly, and their roots run very deep, a protective measure that gives them some drought resistance and keeps them safe from animals, brush fires … and lawnmowers.88
Called a rustic oracle, dandelion is prized as a divinatory tool; blowing upon the fluffy seed head could determine if your lover was thinking about you or how many children you would have. Blowing on the seeds is also a powerful way to send one’s wishes out into the Universe, and it was believed that you could send a message to your beloved by whispering it to the puffball of the seed heads before sending them on their way with your breath. A dandelion gone to seed is an effective barometer for weather, as it closes its head when rain is imminent; it has also gained renown as a sort of country clock, believed to open up its head at 5:00 a.m. and close it again at 8:00 p.m.
Rubbing dandelion all over one’s body was believed to be a magical charm that would see you welcomed everywhere you went and would also make all of your wishes come true.89 The flower is said to bring good luck, and it can assist in bringing positive and psychic dreams. In Wales, it is believed that dandelions gathered on Midsummer’s Eve and placed over the windows and doors of the house will protect against the magic of dark witches, perhaps because the flowers are thought to hold the light and blessings of the sun.90
One of the Gaelic names for the plant is an bearnan Brighde (“the notched plant of Bridget”), and perhaps its association with the goddess/saint of fire and healing is a reflection of dandelion’s reputation as a helpful medicine and association with the sun.91 An excellent liver and blood cleanser, dandelion is bursting with vitamins and minerals, and is prized around the world for its medicinal and nutritional value. It tonifies the organs of the digestive and urinary systems, stimulates the flow of bile and the production of red blood cells, and assists in correcting issues arising from the build up of toxins in the blood, especially those which cause inflammation such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and jaundice. It assists in the control of cholesterol, helps normalize blood sugar issues, and is effective in removing gallstones and reducing the inflammation of the gallbladder.92
Culpeper writes of dandelion:
“It is under the dominion of Jupiter. It is of an opening and cleansing quality, and therefore very effectual for the obstructions of the liver, gall and spleen, and the diseases that arise from them, as the jaundice, and hypochondriac; it openeth the passages of the urine both in young and old; powerfully cleanseth imposthumes and inward ulcers in the urinary passages, and by its drying and temperate quality doth afterwards heal them …” 93
Dandelion is an especially potent ally for women’s health: it helps tonify the entire reproductive system, reduces PMS symptoms, supports pregnancy, and promotes the production of milk. Scientific research has praised dandelion for its antioxidant properties and its potential value in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. In addition to its medicinal uses, dandelion greens are eaten in salads and soups, its roots are roasted and brewed into a coffee-like drink, and its flowers make a beautiful summer wine.
Moon 11
The Moon of Purification
Herbal Ally: Wild thyme
Botanical Name: Thymus serpyllum
Welsh Name(s): Gryw, Grywlys, Gruwlys Gwyllt Mwyaf, Teim
Other Common Names: Mother of thyme, lus an righ (“the king’s plant”)
Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) has been used in ancient times as a cleansing herb and was burned to clear spaces and purify the altars of the Greeks and Romans. It also had funerary uses—the plant was placed in coffins and used as incense to help the departed make their way into the Otherworld. Wild thyme’s aromatic properties are thought to lift depression and to bring courage; medieval warriors would carry the herb sewn into tokens they would carry with them into battle. Indeed, the Greek word thumus means “strength,” although an alternative etymology for the plant’s botanical name sees thymus as deriving from thumos, from the Greek word meaning “smoke” or “fumigant.” This latter etymology may refer to thyme’s ancient use as an incense of purification.94 Certainly it is this cleansing and clearing attribute which is related to the belief that thyme could to prevent nightmares, and that hanging it in the home repels evil influences and brings good luck.
Sometimes called “Mother of Thyme,” this herb has a special affinity for the uterus, having both a strengthening and energizing effect. In the middle ages, it was used to treat infections of the female reproductive system and was considered a menstrual regulator. Thyme can be a useful emmenagogue and as such should not be used during pregnancy. Its energizing properties helped build thyme’s reputation as an aphrodisiac as well.
Medicinally, wild thyme is especially useful in addressing issues of the respiratory system; it fights both bacterial and viral infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia, and it is particularly useful for treating whooping cough and sore throat. It has a powerful calming effect on the nervous system, reducing anxiety, releasing nervous exhaustion, and alleviating disturbed sleep. In Scotland, sprigs of thyme were put under pillows, or an infusion of the herb was taken before bed in order to prevent nightmares.95 Of it, Culpeper wrote:
“Mother of Thyme is under Venus. It is excellent in nervous disorders. A strong infusion of it, drank in the manner of tea, is pleasant, and a very effectual remedy for headaches, giddiness, and other disorders of that kind; and it is a certain remedy for that troublesome complaint, the night-mare.” 96
Wild thyme is an excellent topical antiseptic, although care must be taken as the oil can burn the skin when used full strength. As a tincture or infusion, thyme can be used internally to rid the system of parasites. It stimulates digestion, and helps to alleviate flatulence, cramps, and heartburn. Thyme takes action on the correspondingly named thymus gland; it stimulates immunity, and tonifies the adrenal cortex.97
As a flower essence, wild thyme can help ease stress and relieve insomnia, helping the heart and mind to heal from trauma and shadow issues that arise from deep in the unconscious. It increases energy, stamina, and concentration, and is especially helpful in helping with seasonal transitions and processing the passage of time.98
Moon 12
The Moon of Reconciliation
Herbal Ally: Motherwort
Botanical Name: Leonurus cardiaca
Welsh Name(s): Llysiau’r Fam, Mamoglys, Mamlys
Other Common Names: Lion tail, of the heart, cowthwort, lion’s ear, throw-wort, heartwort
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) was known as “she-vervain” on the Isle of Man, where it was venerated as a “gender twin” to the sacred herb vervain; as such, it was associated with the sacred feminine and was revered as an herb of inner wisdom and healing. It is a protective herb, especially for mothers and children, and has traditionally been used in fertility charms. Burning motherwort is said to gladden the heart, and hanging it around the home will keep evil influences away. It is an herb that can impart a sense of purpose where there has been none, and generally fosters a sense of self-trust and optimism, even in the face of hard work and challenges to come.99
As suggested by its name, motherwort is an herbal ally for women’s health. It is generally tonifying for the reproductive system, stimulates menstruation especially when it is delayed due to anxiety, assists with the symptoms of PMS, and is useful in childbirth in that it stimulates uterine contractions and helps to expel the placenta. It also works to relieve hot flashes and heart palpitations associated with menopause. Motherwort addresses anxiety, especially when caused by hormonal fluctuation, and is a wonderful remedy to help relieve nervous tension, over-emotionality, and excessive churning of the mind.
The herbalist Culpeper thought highly of motherwort, saying:
“Venus owns the herb, and it is under Leo. There is no better herb to take melancholy vapours from the heart, to strengthen it, and make a merry, cheerful, blithe soul than this herb … Besides, it makes women joyful mothers of children, and settles their wombs as they should be, therefore we call it Motherwort. It is held to be of much use for the trembling of the heart, and faintings and swoonings; from whence it took the name Cardiaca.” 100
It is traditionally used as a heart tonic, a practice reflected by the Doctrine of Signatures in the way the flowers present in a rhythmic fashion along the stem of the plant which is suggestive of the pulse or a heartbeat.101 Motherwort has diuretic properties, is helpful in reducing fevers, and helps regulate cholesterol. It is a vasodilator and an antispasmodic, and other traditional uses of motherwort include treating issues of the respiratory system, such as bronchitis and asthma. It can be used in cases of hyperthyroidism to bring the metabolic rate back into balance. It is contraindicated while taking heart medications and generally during pregnancy,102 although some herbalists say it can be taken safely during this time and is especially helpful in easing maternal anxiety.103
Herbal Ally for the
Time of Branwen
Moon 13
The Moon of Reflection
Herbal Ally: Woad
Botanical Name: Isatis tinctoria
Welsh Name(s): Glaslys, Lliwlys, y Glas, y Glaiarlys, Melsugn, Mel y Cwn, Melengu, y Weddlys, Llysiau’r Lliw Melyn, Gweddlys
Other Common Names: Dyer’s weed, glastum, asp of Jerusalem
Woad (Isatis tinctoria) is probably best known as the dye that British Celtic warriors used to paint their skin before running naked into battle. Indeed, there are many classical references to “woad-blue Britain” although the type and purpose of the ornament differs from one author to the next. In perhaps the most famous extant account, which dates to the first century BCE, Julius Caesar wrote:
All the Britons dye their bodies with woad (vitrum), which produces a blue color, and this gives them a more terrifying appearance in battle. 104
Similarly, in his 1st century work, Naturalis Historia, Pliny writes:
“There is a plant in Gaul, similar to the plantago in appearance, and known there by the name of ‘glastum’: with it both matrons and girls among the people of Britain are in tile habit of staining the body all over, when taking part in the performance of certain sacred rites; rivaling hereby tile swarthy hue of the Ethiopians, they go in a state of nature.” 105
In contrast, instead of the Britons covering their bodies completely in the blue dye, the second century CE Greek historian Herodian wrote:
“They also tattoo their bodies with various patterns and pictures of all sorts of animals. Hence the reason why they do not wear clothes, so as not to cover the pictures on their bodies.” 106
Several writers also allude to the use of woad as part of a scarification process,107 while others mention the Celts as having their bodies “marked with iron” 108; it is unknown if the iron is that which colors the skin or if the authors are referring to iron needles used to place the images there.
While we cannot be completely sure of the purpose, or the process (or processes) that the Celts used to paint their bodies, the properties of woad make it a good choice for the most commonly recorded uses. Woad is a styptic as well as being antibacterial, therefore, not only can it staunch bleeding, but it also helps prevent wounds from becoming infected. These are clearly desirable properties for when one enters battle, especially when naked, as well as for use in tattoos or scarification.
Pliny suggests a magico-religious purpose to these ornaments, and certainly one can imagine a warrior getting tattooed using a sacred herb with an animal that will give her strength, or an entire war band being consecrated in ritual with a protective ointment with the power to make them less vulnerable to harm. Today, woad is used to assist in recalling past lives, and some believe it had been used in ancient shape-changing rituals.
Traditionally, woad was only used externally; the herb is too poisonous and astringent to be taken internally. In addition to the properties already mentioned, it can reduce inflammation and repel insects, and it was made into an ointment for ulcers. Today’s medicine has found that it shows great promise as an anti-cancer drug, especially for treating breast cancer.
Far greater than its use as a medicine, however, was woad’s ability to produce a color-fast blue dye. As far back as the La Tène period (the early Celtic culture of Switzerland in the fifth century BCE) are pieces of archaeological evidence that show woad’s use as a textile dye. Woad was an incredibly important dye plant in Europe before indigo from India started to become more readily available in the 1700s, and cultivation of the herb peaked to become an important industry in England in the sixteenth century.109 Interestingly, the soil and climate of Somerset in England was especially conducive to growing large quantities of woad; the cities of Glastonbury, Bath, and Wells became centers for its cultivation and production—and a production it was, as there were many phases of the process necessary to prepare woads dye from the plant.110
Traditionally, the blue dye was obtained using the following process: The leaves of the woad plant would be gathered and then “… crushed by horse-drawn rollers. The pulp obtained is then hand kneaded into round masses of about four inches in diameter and afterwards taken to the drying ranges, where the balls, as they are called, are dried. When the drying process has been completed, the lumps are again rolled and the powdered mass is taken to the couching house, where it is allowed to ferment for about nine weeks. The dark clay-like residue is then packed in wooden barrels and sent to the dyer.” 111
From the perspective of the Avalonian Tradition, there are some interesting connections between woad and Glastonbury, the small town in southern England and potential real-world location for Ynys Afallon. A possible etymology for the name Glastonbury derives from glaston, the Celtic word for woad; Glastonbury would therefore mean “the place where woad grows.” In Welsh, glas means “blue,” while the English word “woad” derives from the Saxon waad.112
An early name for Glastonbury in Welsh was Ynys Wintrin, which most people translate as meaning “Island of Glass.” This appears to be a folk etymology, however, based on the erroneous assumption that the glas in Glastonbury literally referred to glass, rather than woad. The Latin word for woad is vitrum, which is also one of their words for “glass”.113 There is some debate around what the contemporary classical accounts meant when they used the word vitrum in association with Britain, with some scholars arguing that they did actually mean glass; however, Bostock and Riley posit that the word “glass” arose from the blue tint that characterized the substance.114
Herbal Ally for the
Time of Arianrhod
The Moon of Cycle
Herbal Ally: Queen Anne’s lace
Botanical Name: Daucus carota
Welsh Name(s): Meddyglyn, Moron Gwylltion, Moron Y Meysydd, Moronen Goch, Moronen Y Maes, Nyth Aderyn
Other Common Names: Wild carrot, bee’s nest, bird’s nest, crow’s nest, bishop’s lace, devil’s plague, fool’s parsley, lace flower, mother die, philtron, lady’s lace, fairy lace, keck, kecksie, hedge parsley, rabbit meat, rantipole, herbe a dinde, yarkuki
Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), or wild carrot, is a powerful women’s ally; it is an emmenagogue which helps increase menstrual flow, eases painful menstruation, and its seeds can be used as a form of natural contraception. It has diuretic properties and remedies many complaints of the urinary system, including kidney stones and cystitis. Wild carrot helps with indigestion, constipation, and flatulence. Its use is contraindicated in pregnancy. Recent studies have shown that essential oils made from Queen Anne’s lace are a powerful anti-fungal and show promise in eliminating overgrowths of candida from the system.115
Queen Anne’s lace is believed to be the wild progenitor of the cultivated or domesticated carrot that most of us are familiar with. The roots of the wild carrot are edible but not as tasty as those of domesticated carrots; conversely, domesticated carrot plants have similar medicinal qualities as Queen Anne’s lace but are much less effective as their wild cousins. In the British Isles is another plant with the common name of Queen Anne’s lace, but it’s a completely different species whose botanical name is Anthriscus sylvestris.
The herb gets its name from the frilly appearance of the umbrella-like spray of white flowers that comprise its arial parts. The characteristic single purple floret in the center of the spray looks like a drop of blood that results from the pricking of one’s finger during the process of tatting lace. It is believed that this purple floret helps to attract pollinators to the flowers, and in folk medicine these purple florets were believed to treat epilepsy. It is said to be named for either the first or last queen of the English House of Stuart, both of whom were named Anne; but some sources believe the plant is named for St. Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary.
There are several plants that resemble Queen Anne’s lace that are dangerously poisonous, so care must be taken when wildcrafting this herb. One of these is hemlock (Conium maculatum), a poisonous herb that famously ended the life of Socrates; when consumed, hemlock causes respiratory paralysis that leads to death. Another similar-looking herb is giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). This invasive plant can cause a dangerous reaction when its sap comes in contact with skin that is subsequently exposed to sunlight; a serious burning rash develops, causing painful blisters that result in scarring. Getting giant hogweed sap in the eye can cause temporary or even permanent blindness. To positively identify Queen Anne’s lace, look for the purple flower at the center of the spray of small white flowers that make up the basket or umbel. Unlike hemlock or hogweed, Queen Anne’s lace has a hairy stem whose leaves smell like carrots; the other two plants have a very unpleasant odor. Hogweed’s stem has distinctive purple streaks and blotches, and the plant can grow to be over seven feet tall if left undisturbed; Queen Anne’s lace, on the other hand, typically only grows to be one to three feet tall. Above all, the best course of action if you aren’t sure of a plant’s identity is to consult a guide—a person or a book—and don’t leave it to chance!
One of the most powerful uses of Queen Anne’s lace is as an herbal contraceptive; its recommendation for this usage in the West goes at least as far back as the writing of Hippocrates in the fifth or fourth century BCE. In his excellent book, Eve’s Herbs: A History of Contraception and Abortion, John Riddle has this to say about Queen Anne’s lace:
Its seeds, harvested in the fall, are a strong contraceptive if taken orally immediately after coitus. Extracts of its seeds have been tested on [small mammals]. In mice given the seeds (doses of 80–120 mg) on the forth to sixth days of pregnancy, the pregnancies were terminated. The action is such that the implantation process is disrupted and a fertilized ovum either will not be implanted or, if … implanted for only a short period, will be released. In other experiments …, the seeds were found to inhibit implantation and ovarian growth and to disrupt the estrous cycle. 116
Riddle goes on to say that the herb also appears to disrupt progesterone production.
When mentioned at all, most ancient and medieval herbal treatises simply refer to Queen Anne’s lace as an emmenagogue, a typical euphemism for an abortifacient. However, like many anti-fertility herbs or abortifacients, the qualities of Queen Anne’s lace appear to have been passed along through oral tradition among women, as evidenced by its widespread usage all over the world by women throughout time who even in the present day ingest or chew these seeds in an effort to control their fertility. If you are seeking to use Queen Anne’s lace as a natural “morning after” contraceptive, please do so with an abundance of caution; be sure to research herbal protocols fully, be conscientious with tracking your menstrual cycle, and—with the understanding that no form of contraception is 100 percent effective—avoid using it as your sole method for preventing pregnancy. Herbalist Robin Rose Bennet has developed protocol for the use of Queen Anne’s lace as a natural form of contraception, and has conducted several controlled studies exploring its efficacy in preventing pregnancy, the outcomes of which are discussed on her website.117
Interestingly, for all of its pregnancy deterring qualities, the ancient Greeks believed Queen Anne’s lace to be an aphrodisiac that acted to increase arousal in men and fertility in women. Carrots in general have an association with inciting lust because of their color and shape. The plant is considered invasive in some areas because it produces so many seeds that it can take over an area in no time; sometimes this is a nuisance if it chokes out other plants in the garden, but as a plant that loves meadows and hedgerows, and grows wildly in ditches along roads, their beautiful white and lacy heads bring welcome ornament to otherwise dull places.
Queen Anne’s lace has a reputation as a flower that takes care of itself. In wet weather, the area of the stem a few inches below the flowers becomes flexible enough to allow the head of the flower to bend and face downward, thus protecting its pollen from being washed away by the rain; interestingly, in older plants that have already lost their pollen, the flowers remain upright and do not bend even in the heaviest of rain.118
Queen Anne’s lace is an herb of Sovereignty. There is no doubt that one of the ways that patriarchy controls women is through the control of their fertility; Queen Anne’s lace helps women take that power back. She is an herb that supports letting go of emotional attachments, things from our past, as well as outcomes for our future. She assists us in seeing the truth of our self-destructive patterns; these are often the result (or cause) of long standing shadow issues that keep us bound up in fear and reactive to situations that feel even remotely like ones that were a source of pain in the past.
50. David E. Allen and Gabrielle Hatfield, Medicinal Plants in Folk Tradition: An Ethnobotany of Britain and Ireland (Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2004), 296.
51. M. L. Cameron, Anglo-Saxon Medicine, (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006), 144.
52. Ibid., 147.
53. Allen and Hatfield, Medicinal Plants, 297.
54. Allen and Hatfield, Medicinal Plants, 300.
55. Allen and Hatfield, Medicinal Plants, 300.
56. Pliny, Natural History 25, chapter 59.
57. Anne McIntyre, Flower Power: Flower Remedies for Healing Body and Soul Through Herbalism, Homeopathy, Aromatherapy, and Flower Essences (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996), 233.
58. Jocelyne Lawton, Flowers and Fables: A Welsh Herbal (Bridgend, Wales, UK: Seren Books, 2006), 32.
59. David Hoffmann, Welsh Herbal Medicine (Aberteifi, Wales, UK: Abercastle Publications, 1978), 35.
60. Paul Beyerl, The Master Book of Herbalism (Blaine, WA: Phoenix Publishing, 1984), 205.
61. Lawton, Flowers and Fables, 33.
62. Scott Cunningham, Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1985), 63.
63. Tess Darwin, The Scots Herbal: The Plant Lore of Scotland (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK: Mercat Press, 1996), 112.
64. Allen and Hatfield, Medicinal Plants, 162.
65. Malcom Stuart, ed., The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism (New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1979), 260.
66. Niall MacCoitir, Ireland’s Wild Plants: Myths, Legends & Folklore (Cork: The Collins Press, 2015), 85
67. Lawton, Flowers and Fables, 134.
68. MacCoitir, Ireland’s Wild Plants, 85.
69. Timothy Coffey, The History and Folklore of North American Wildflowers (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1993), 34.
70. McIntyre, Flower Power, 229.
71. Laura C. Martin, Wildflower Folklore, 75–76.
72.Lawton, Flowers and Fables, 189.
73. Lawton, Flowers and Fables, 163.
74. Lawton, Flowers and Fables, 163.
75. Martin, Wildflower Folklore, 244.
76. Beyerl, Master Book of Herbalism, 243.
77. McIntyre, Flower Power, 222.
78. Ibid., 222.
79. Allen and Hatfield, Medicinal Plants, 162.
80. McIntyre, Flower Power, 222.
81. Cunningham, Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, 64.
82. Martin, Wildflower Folklore, 17.
83. Darwin, Scots Herbal, 75–76.
84. Matthew Wood, The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2008), 203.
85. Angela Paine, The Healing Power of Celtic Plants: Their History, Their Use, and the Scientific Evidence That They Work (Winchester, UK: O Books, 2006), 59.
86. Nicholas Culpeper, Culpeper’s Complete Herbal (London: Richard Evans, 1816), 29.
87. Martin, Wildflower Folklore, 17.
88. McIntyre, Flower Power, 217.
89. McIntyre, Flower Power, 217.
90. Lawton, Flowers and Fables, 63.
91. Darwin, Scots Herbal, 82.
92. Hoffmann, Welsh Herbal Medicine, 45.
93. Culpeper, Complete Herbal, 62.
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96. Culpeper,Complete Herbal, 184.
97. Wood, Earthwise Herbal, 484.
98. MacIntyre, Flower Power, 216.
99. Beyerl, Master Book of Herbalism, 235.
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102. Paine, Celtic Plants, 162.
103. Wood, Earthwise Herbal, 318.
104. Caesar, De Bello Gallico V, xiv.
105. Pliny, Naturalis Historia 22, ii.
106. Herodian, III, xiv, 7.
107. Solinus, Collectanea Rerum Memorabiliam 22, 12.
108. Claudian II, Poem on Stilicho’s Consulship II.247.
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110. Jamieson B. Hurry, The Woad Plant and its Dye (London: Oxford University Press, 1930).
111. Hurry, The Woad Plant, 277.
112. Frank D. Reno, The Historic King Arthur: Authenticating the Celtic Hero of Post-Roman Britain, (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co Inc, 1997), 222.
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114. John Bostock and H. T. Riley, trans., The Natural History of Pliny (London: H. G. Bohn, 1855–1857).
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