Magickal Plants
of the Southwest
Never a day passes but that I do myself the honor
to commune with some of nature’s varied forms.
george washington carver
It occurred to me that as we delve into the world of herbalism and green magick, it would be fascinating to look not only at the classic garden plants but also at the plants of the more arid areas and warmer climates such as the American Southwest and the West Coast regions. Interestingly enough, when I first started researching this book, a coven-mate handed me a bag full of reference books and in it was an old book on cacti and succulents.
The book had belonged to her family, and apparently her mother had used it when they gardened and lived in New Mexico when my friend was a little girl. At first, I ignored the book, and then after a while it started to tickle my imagination. Then when another friend suggested that I include a chapter on the plants of the Southwest and not leave out the western gardening Witches, I really got inspired. So I dug into that bag and pulled out those books. Then I hit the library and was amazed and frankly envious at the number of plants that were so well suited to gardeners in warmer climates.
And as I sat in my office on a bitterly cold January day, I researched those gorgeous plants and dreamed a little. I was captivated at the variety of plants, many with magickal associations that are popular with and readily available to southwestern gardeners today. I drooled over gorgeous varieties of sage, willow, privet, cacti, wildflowers, and grasses. Like any other gardener, magickal or mundane, I am always on the lookout for new varieties of plants and fresh gardening information. As I happily took reams of notes, I could feel my enthusiasm firing up. So I rubbed my Garden Witch’s hands together, started writing, and conjured up some fresh herbal magick, Wild West style.
Magickal Associations for Thirteen Plants
of the West and Southwest
The West of which I speak is but another name for the Wild; and what I have been preparing to say is, that in Wildness is the preservation of the World.
henry david thoreau
There are so many plants to pick from that eventually I decided to write on the most common, popular plants that were readily available to gardeners in the West Coast and southwestern regions. When it comes to the local varieties of magickal plants, such as the popular California poppy, the New Mexico sunflower, or the desert willow, simply apply the classic magickal associations for the common poppy, the sunflower, and the willow tree. No matter where it grows, the plants will have basically the same magickal uses as their botanical cousins.
However, as I always stress, your knowledge and experience is vitally important here. Follow your instincts, and see what the plants tell you about their elemental correspondences. You may decide that for you, personally, they differ. And if that is so, then keep notes and simply go with what works best for you. Here are thirteen fascinating plants for you to incorporate into your own herbal magick.
Century Plant (Agave Americana)
Also known as agave. This native plant of Mexico is now grown worldwide. It is a succulent plant and is described as “half hardy.” The leaves are grey green, sword-shaped, and can grow to be six feet in length. The plant got its common name due to the belief that it only flowered once every one hundred years—not true, but the plant does only bloom once in its lifespan. The century plant bears a tall panicle, or bundle, of tubular-shaped, light yellow flowers up to twenty-five feet in height. The average life span for this plant is twenty-five years, and it dies shortly after flowering.
There is also a beautiful variegated variety of agave called ‘Marginata’ with yellow and green striped foliage, which would be an enchanting addition to a warm climate garden. The leaves of the century plant yield a papyruslike fiber called pita, which can be made into rope, matting, and even a crude cloth. Because it is so versatile, it was an important plant to the pre-Columbian civilizations. Please note that while the century plant is sometimes called American aloe, it is not even related to the aloe plant.
There are no classic magickal associations for this stately beauty, so I would imagine the century plant could be worked into spells for endurance and strength and the rare blossoms for miracles. In my opinion, the astrological association would be the sun, and the elemental correspondence would be fire.
Desert Four o’ Clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
This variety of four o’clock grows well in southwestern gardens and grows wild in piñon-juniper woodlands or in shrublands. Four o’clocks are herbaceous perennial plants, meaning they die back to their roots every year. The plants grow in clumps with many stems and may reach up to three feet in height. The leaves are deep green and are described as “egg-shaped” or sometimes heart-shaped. The cuplike magenta flowers are borne in small clusters. Interestingly, four o’clocks do not have petals—they have sepals, which are petal-like in look but in reality are fused together, creating a funnel-shaped blossom. The Native Americans used this plant as a sedative. Some tribes created a pale brown or purple dye for wool from this plant as well.
In the language of flowers, the four o’clock symbolizes shyness. And just as their name suggests, four o’clocks bloom in the late afternoon, remaining open throughout the night. It should be noted that sometimes on a cloudy day they may be fooled into opening in the morning. Four o’clocks will draw in hawkmoths in the evening, which are the main pollinators of this flower. A charming and very appropriate folk name for four o’clocks is “Beauty of the Night.” Due to their nocturnal blooming habitats and their sedative properties, I would ascribe the magickal association of the moon to this lovely flower. The suggested elemental correspondence is water. Magickal uses would be lunar magick, overcoming shyness, sleep, and dreams.
Gayfeather/Liatris (Liatris spicata)
Also called prairie gayfeather, blazing star, or button snakewort, this gorgeous blooming herb is from the aster family. It has rosy purple or mauve flower spikes that are covered in florets. The flowers are described as being the shape of a bottlebrush and open from the top of the stem down. The gayfeather has tiny, thin leaves that get smaller in size as they grow closer to the flowering top. The plant is described as having a haylike scent. The foliage of this plant will repel moths. Liatris is a popular flower in floral design as it lasts for days when it is cut. This is also a striking specimen plant when grown in the garden. It will attract bees and butterflies.
In the language of flowers, this purple beauty stands for gaiety and cheer. Magickally, you may use the gayfeather to bring some happiness and brightness into your life. The planetary correspondence is Venus; the elemental association is water.
A Flower Fascination with Liatris
Arrange some of these pretty purple spikes in a water-filled vase with other enchanted flowers from your garden. Now either give them as a gift to someone who is down in the dumps or keep them for your own family and soak in the positive vibrations that they can offer to all of you.
Here is a little floral fascination that you can add to boost the power and magickal energy of your floral arrangement. Once you have the flowers arranged to your liking, hold your hands over the blossoms and repeat the following spell verse:
Liatris is a blazing star, also called gayfeather,
Bring sunshine, cheer, and joy to my/their home, in any weather.
Add your natural power to mine, and swirl about this/their place,
With a touch of herbal magick, I’ll put a smile on your face.
This cheerful herbal spell is spun straight from the heart,
Worked for the good of all with a Green Witch’s art.
Once you have finished the spell, either give the arrangement as a gift right away or set it in a place of prominence in your home so the whole family can enjoy it.
Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium foliosissmum)
This herbaceous perennial may grow up to two feet tall and is a late spring to early summer bloomer. The sky blue flowers are borne in clusters and are a beautiful bell shape with distinctive golden yellow stamens. The plant got its name from the unique foliage: the leaves are arranged in pairs and grow straight across from each other on the stems in a ladderlike style. There are other varieties of Jacob’s ladder that bloom in white as well. One European variety of Jacob’s ladder is also known as Greek valerian, and its botanical name is Polemonium caeruleum.
In the language of flowers, Jacob’s ladder tells its recipient to come back to earth and to let go of their pride. Magickally, you may work this plant into charms and spells designed to quickly restore peace, serenity, and a sense of calm. According to Culpeper’s Herbal, this flower’s ruling planet is Mercury. The suggested elemental correspondence is air.
Lupin/Lupine (Lupin spp.)
There are many varieties of the lupin that grow beautifully in drier, warmer climate gardens. This plant can be a herbaceous perennial, and there are also a few varieties of lupin that are annuals. (Check your local nursery for plants that are best suited to your garden and your climate.) Classically, this plant has long, narrow leaf stems with a circle of narrow leaves at the top. Leaves are composed of several leaflets that branch out from a central point. The eye-catching flowers blossom in June and are classically described as being “arranged in dense or open whorls on an erect spike, or raceme.” While blue is the most common flower shade, lupins may come in a variety of colors such as yellow, purple, dark pink, or white.
A pretty variety of lupin that is recommended for western gardens is the silvery lupine (Lupinus argenteus). This is a perennial plant that has silvery-grey foliage and grows up to two feet in height. The flowers bloom in midsummer and look like sweet peas. The blossoms are lilac to violet in color.
In the language of flowers, lupines symbolize imagination and voraciousness. Magickal uses include increasing your personal power and attraction. Classically, the lupin has the planetary association of Mars, but as many wild lupines are deep blue, including the annual Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis), you might also consider the planetary influence of Venus. The suggested elemental correspondence is water. According to flower folklore tradition, all blue flowers are sacred to the goddesses of love, Aphrodite and Venus.
Garden Witch Tip: It is important to note that there are several varieties of wild lupins that are considered poisonous to livestock. In fact, there are some sobering articles online from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) on the problems wild lupins can cause to grazing sheep and cattle.
Moss Rose/Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora)
This annual flower has a high heat and drought tolerance and grows up to eight inches in height. It comes in a variety of colors such as rose, pale pink, orange, yellow, and white. This annual has succulent-looking foliage and comes from the purslane family. Moss rose flowers can be found in double or single varieties, and the petals close up in the afternoon. Portulaca is one of my favorite annuals for late summertime containers, as they thrive in full sun and love the heat. I can only imagine how gorgeous they would be in a garden that was typically warm and dry.
Magickal associations for this flower are sleep, love, good luck, and protection. Scatter the flower petals in the four corners of your home to increase its protection and to repel negativity. Try tucking a pale white blossom under your pillow at night to rid yourself of nightmares. To encourage love, work with the pink-colored flowers. To give your spells a boost of energy, work with the yellow- and orange-colored flowers. The moss rose/portulaca is ruled by the moon (as are all plants in the purslane family), and its elemental correspondence is water.
Prickly Pear (Opuntia phaeacantha)
This cactus represents about a dozen species of the Opuntia genus of cactus in North American deserts. Prickly pear cactus can have yellow, red, or purple flowers, even among the same species. They vary in height from less than twelve inches to up to six to seven feet in height. The red fruits of the prickly pear are edible. Prickly pears have flat, fleshy pads that look like large leaves. The pads are, in reality, adapted branches, or stems, that provide several purposes, among them water storage, photosynthesis, and flower production.
The spines of this cactus are described as “modified leaves” that grow out from a small “wart” on the pad of the plant. There is another type of spine on the prickly pear as well: tiny barbed spines called glochids. These are located just above the cluster of regular spine, are yellow or red in color, and remove easily from the pads of the cactus. However, those tiny, colored spines are tougher to see and are more difficult to remove from the skin, should you be unfortunate enough to discover this the hard way.
To make your herbal magick even more unique and personal, you could also work color magick with the blossoms of the prickly pear: yellow for wisdom and red for protection and to shield your loved ones. Finally, you may use the purple-colored prickly pear blossoms for added power in any protection spell.
In the language of flowers, the prickly pear symbolizes satire. The planetary ruler for all cacti is Mars, and the elemental association is fire. On an interesting note, in the language of flowers, a cactus symbolizes endurance. The magickal association for all varieties of cacti is protection.
Protecting Your Property with Cactus
To add a bit of magickal protection to your property, you may wish to plant a cactus at each corner of your home’s foundation, or you may decide to plant them at the outer four corners of your property to mark the area as a protected and sacred space. (If you do this, it is recommended that the cacti all be the same species.)
As to astrological timing, if you work this spell during a waning moon, then focus on removing all negative influences from your property. Conversely, if you happen to work this spell during a waxing moon, then concentrate on increasing the protective vibrations of your home and yard. Select your plants, and then dig all four holes. Then, one at a time, starting in the east, plant the first cactus. Move clockwise and plant the remaining cactus, moving from the south to the west and ending in the north. As you set the final cacti in place, say:
As above, now so below;
Around my home protection grows.
At the four corners I’ve set in place
These spiny plants that will guard my space.
To close up this green magick, I would pat the soil down firmly but gently, and water all the plants well to avoid transplant shock. Then hold your hands over the plants one at a time and say:
This protective cactus spell is spun from the heart,
Worked with my love and trust in my Green Witch’s art.
Repeat these closing lines at each cactus, moving clockwise around the home or property. When you are finished, put away your gardening tools, and go relax and enjoy the rest of your day.
Garden Witch Tip: Here is another magickal idea: cactus spines are often incorporated into Witch jars for protection and security. (It’s a more natural component as compared to pins, needles, or broken glass.) Just be careful when you gather the spines from the cactus. Remember not to take too much and to leave the plant in good condition. A spine or two will suffice.
Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
This small tree or shrub is described as vigorous and bears pungent and spicy-scented, grey green, wedge-shaped leaves; it is the state flower of Nevada. The leaves are covered in fine silvery hairs, which help the plant protect itself from transpiration, or water loss. The sagebrush blossoms in late summer/early fall and bears yellow flowers that are arranged in long clusters. Varieties of sagebrush cover large areas of the high, dry plains of the West. There are five subspecies of sagebrush, including the popular California sagebrush (Artemisia californica). The Native Americans valued the sagebrush plant for its healing properties and considered the smoke from dried, burning sagebrush a sacred purifier.
According to flower folklore, all types of sage symbolize both wisdom and skill. According to Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, the sagebrush is classified as a plant that carries feminine energies. Its magickal uses are purification and exorcism. Burning dried sagebrush and waving the fragrant smoke around is a simple way to purify, or “smudge,” a place or person. The planetary association of sagebrush is Venus, and the elemental correspondence is earth.
Shrubby Cinquefoil
In the West, this enchanting herb is identified as Potentilla fruticosa; however, shrubby cinquefoil has recently been reclassified as Dasiphora floribunda. Shrubby cinquefoil is a beautiful blooming shrub in the wild, but to the delight of gardeners, it has been cultivated extensively and is readily available at western nurseries. This deciduous shrub is multi-branched and described as possessing a spreading and upright habit. The shrub grows from one to three feet in height. The bark is reddish brown, and this plant has short and thin leaves. This variety of cinquefoil blooms from June through August. The five-petaled flowers are bright yellow and shaped like large buttercups.
In the language of flowers, the blossoms of the cinquefoil represent a beloved daughter and maternal love. Conversely, this is thought to be a plant with masculine energies. The five points on the leaves represent the magickal uses of the plant: love, power, prosperity, health, and knowledge. The cinquefoil, in all of its varieties, is an excellent hex-breaking plant. The blossoms and the foliage may be worked into charm bags or magick to break or neutralize a manipulative spell that another may have cast upon you. The planetary ruler for cinquefoil is Jupiter, and the elemental association is fire.
A Cinquefoil Charm Bag Recipe
Supplies
- Cinquefoil foliage and blossoms (fresh or dried)
- One silver- or grey-colored sachet bag, or a three by three-inch square of grey fabric and a coordinating twelve-inch ribbon (the silvery grey color will help neutralize discordant energy)
Directions: Work this spell in a waning moon to help make the situation decrease or on a Saturday to tap into that day’s banishing properties. To begin, gather together fresh cinquefoil foliage and blossoms. (You may use dried cinquefoil in a pinch.) Place the botanicals into a silver- or grey-colored sachet bag. You can easily find little organza bags in a rainbow of colors at an arts and crafts store; look in the bridal section. If you use the fabric square, then place the botanicals in the center and gather up each corner. Tie the fabric closed with the ribbon. Now hold the herb-filled bundle in your hands, and repeat the following charm:
Grey is the color of neutrality,
I banish any spells cast against me.
By the cinquefoil’s hex-breaking power,
I am free from you, as of this hour.
This protective charm bag is conjured from the heart,
Worked with my love and trust in my Green Witch’s art.
Keep the herbal charm bag with you, tucked in your pocket or purse, for one week. Afterwards, open up the charm bag and neatly dispose of the herbs. Add them to a compost pile or to your yard waste. Gently hand wash the sachet bag or fabric, allow it to air dry, and you may use it again if you wish.
Wild Hyssop (Agastache cana)
Also commonly called a hummingbird plant or a hummingbird mint. Wild hyssop is a bushy perennial that grows up to three feet in height. It bears dark pink to rosy purple tubular flowers in summer that are about one inch long. This plant is stunning and blooms from June through September. It can grow up to two to three feet in height and approximately eighteen inches in width. This beautiful plant is heartily recommended for mixed borders and herb gardens. The foliage is sweetly scented and is attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. It is also said to deter mosquitoes when the crushed foliage is rubbed on the skin.
Garden Witch Tip: I would test how you or anyone else reacts to this plant on a small patch inside the elbow first. Then wait several hours, and see how your skin reacts. (This way, you can make sure you are not allergic to this foliage before you go crazy and rub it all over any exposed skin.)
Another beautiful variety of hyssop that also thrives in the Southwest is the purple hyssop (Agastache pallidiflora). This plant bears purple flower spikes that are two feet long. Many varieties of hyssop are very popular with gardeners as they typically bloom for long periods of time in the garden. Hyssop flowers are also popular for arrangements both as a freshly cut and as a dried flower.
In the language of flowers, the hyssop signifies cleansing. Magickally, hyssop is worked into purification rituals and protection charms. You can tuck the foliage and blossoms into charm bags or add them to a candle spell. The fragrance of hyssop blossoms is often used in aromatherapy to heighten your spirituality. Hyssop is considered to have masculine energies. Its planetary correspondence is Jupiter; the elemental association is fire.
Wild Plum Tree (Prunus americana)
This tree is the only plum native to the Southwest. In the wild, you will find it growing in mountain fields and along ditches and fences. In the garden, it is often grown as a shrub but can be grown as a tree. If grown in the garden and left unpruned, it will grow into a tall, bushy shrub, with thicket-forming, thornlike, spreading side branches and a broad crown. This tree thrives with neglect, so leave it be and allow it to grow naturally in the garden. At maturity, the wild plum may range from twelve to twenty feet in height.
The leaves of the wild plum are described as three to four inches in length and simple, with an oval shape with pointed tips. The wild plum tree blossoms in early spring. It bears white five-petaled flowers, and the leaves appear at the same time as the flowers. The fruit is classified as a drupe and is borne in mid to late summer. The fruit of the wild plum is edible, can vary in color from purple-red to golden, and measures about an inch across.
In the language of flowers, the plum tree symbolizes independence, valor, happiness, matrimony, and perseverance. Magickally, the plum tree brings joy and cheer to anyone who grows the tree on their property. It will attract bees and butterflies. The plum is considered a feminine plant. It is ruled by the planet Venus and has the elemental correspondence of water.
Wild Yarrow (Achellia millefoil)
Also called milfoil, this herb is a hardy perennial that bears large, flat clusters of small white or pink flowers at the top of erect downy stems. The plant blossoms heavily at the beginning of summer and then off and on throughout the fall. Yarrow dries well and can be worked into various magickal arts and crafts. Yarrow has aromatic, ferny, green foliage that can grow to above twelve inches in height. The larger leaves of the yarrow plant make pretty fillers in floral arrangements. However, the fresh foliage may cause skin irritation in some individuals.
According to herbal lore, this plant was named after Achilles and is associated with healing, as Achilles used this herb to help heal his soldiers who were wounded in battle, giving it another folk name of “wound wort.” The straight, dried stems of yarrow were also once used for divination by I Ching masters and also the Druids.
Personally, I often consider the yarrow flower to be the herbal equivalent of the white spell candle; it is truly an all-purpose magickal herb. This herb is also rumored to keep a married couple happily together for seven years. In the language of flowers, yarrow announces that it is a cure for all sorrows and heartaches.
A classic Witch’s herb, there are many varieties of yarrow, both as wildflowers and garden perennials. There are many types and cultivars of yarrow available at the garden center or nursery today. Yarrow can range in colors from yellow, white, pink, and red to purple. The magickal associations of this feminine plant will be the same no matter if it is the wild variety or a cultivar that you selected from the nursery. Yarrow is ruled by the planet Venus, and its elemental association is water.
Here is an all-purpose herbal blessing that you can use as you gather your botanicals for magickal use. Oh, and yes: this gathering charm will work for you beautifully no matter where you live.
All-Purpose Herb Gathering Charm
I gather this herb for a magick spell,
Bringing harm to none, may it turn out well.
By the powers of earth and air, fire and water,
I conjure up love, safety, money, health, and laughter.
By all the power of three times three,
As I will it, then so must it be.
Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)
Also known as needle palm. There are forty to fifty species of yucca worldwide, and they can be classified as perennials, shrubs, or trees. The yucca plant is part of the agave family. The needle palm variety of yucca may reach heights of thirteen feet and has stiff, narrow, and swordlike evergreen leaves that fan out from the base. The greenish white, tuliplike flowers are borne on long, narrow spikes that may reach up to four feet in height. The flowers of the yucca slowly open in the evenings. On an interesting side note, the flower of the yucca is the state flower of New Mexico.
Yuccas are widely grown as ornamental specimens in gardens. Many yuccas also bear edible parts, including fruits, seeds, flowers, flowering stems, and roots. Yucca fiber was once used to make rope, and the leaves can be woven into baskets. All the yuccas contain saponin, a natural hair cleanser that is used today in cosmetics and soap.
Magickal uses for this masculine plant include protection, purification, and setting boundaries. Twisting the fibers of the yucca plant into a solar cross and then displaying it on the wall of the home was thought to protect those who dwelled within. I would suggest adding fresh yucca flowers into red charm bags to help rid a person of negative energy. They will also work nicely to protect against emotionally toxic work or living environments.
You may also plant four yucca plants at the corners of your house, as was suggested in the prickly pear section. (See the “Protecting Your Property with Cactus” spell on page 57.) I would simply adjust the words of the spell accordingly. The planetary ruler for the yucca is Mars, and the elemental association is fire.
Walking on the Wild Side
Nature knows no difference between weeds and flowers.
mason cooley
I hope that you found the botanical information in this chapter to be interesting. Most of all, I hope that it sparked ideas for you and inspired you to work with the plants that are indigenous to your neck of the woods. I can only imagine how incredibly smug Witches who can garden year-round feel while some of us are sitting cooped up inside and scowling at the barren landscapes, leafless trees, and snow and ice of the winter months. So if you live in a more temperate zone, lucky you.
Keep notes on your Witch’s gardens and your magickal plants no matter where you live, and see what the plants are willing to teach you. Pick up a spiral notebook or start a gardener’s journal. As you keep your notes and log in your gardening successes and experiences each season, you will gain a treasured keepsake of your garden and your life. Take photos of the plants and of your landscape. Try scrapbooking the journal—make it gorgeous and make it personal. Have some fun and be creative.
In our next chapter, we are really going to get a little wild. Sound intriguing? Let’s be daring and walk on the wild side—of flowers, that is. Get ready for wildflowers and witchery!