Articles — herbs

Sage is a popular garden herb with a sweet and savory aroma. Sage grows well in most temperate climates. Its velvety leaves release their fragrance when rubbed. Sage was used medicinally in Egyptian, Roman, and Greek medicine. It is now best-known as a culinary herb for the dishes of Autumn, from roast turkey to sausage stuffing to pumpkin soup. An Old World herb, Sage was brought to the Americas by colonists for use in their gardens and kitchens. This article refers to Common Sage or Garden Sage, Salvia officinalis. It is distinct from the White Sage (Salvia apiana) commonly used...

Myrrh is the sticky, dry resin of a certain forlorn desert tree, Commiphora myrrha. Myrrh is extracted by piercing the bark of the tree and returning later to collect the nuggets of dried sap. True to Myrrh’s reputation as a funerary herb, these pieces are sometimes called “tears.” Ancient Egyptians used Myrrh, along with linen and natron, to embalm the dead. The resin both perfumes and preserves the body of the deceased. The Ebers papyrus (a document written around 1500 BCE contains over 800 medicinal formulas, many of which are based on a mixture of honey and myrrh. The antimicrobial...

Honeysuckle graces many a garden with its nectary fragrance and cheery blooms of ivory, pink, and yellow. Honeysuckle is said to attract friends, bring in luck, and sustain love in the home where it grows. Honeysuckle is especially liked by Faeries, and is essential if you wish to court their presence in your home. Like the Fae themselves, Honeysuckle thrives in liminal spaces, preferring fences and half-shade. If you eat the blossoms from a Honeysuckle bush, always leave a few of the best ones for the Fae. Be careful leaving a garden window open at night, because dreams of love...

Eucalyptus is a shrubby, flowering plant with a fresh and herbaceous fragrance. Most varieties are native to Australia. Koalas love to munch on the leaves, and the essential oil is popular in aromatherapy and herbal remedies. Lots of people are familiar with Eucalyptus as an ingredient in cold remedies like Vicks VapoRub. The fibrous leaves have even been studied as a renewable textile source! Eucalyptus is available to the Witch as a dry herb, as an essential oil, and as a blended (anointing) oil. Synthetics are rare because Eucalyptus oil is not terribly expensive to produce. Magickal Uses of Eucalyptus...

Jasmine has been cultivated for centuries for its delicate white flowers and heady floral scent. It is regarded as one of the most mystical of all flowers. Jasmine hails from the Middle and Far East, where it once graced palace gardens and inspired poets. The name comes from the Persian “Yasmin,” meaning fragrance. In the language of flowers, Jasmine symbolizes purity and grace. The flowers bloom in the evening, leading to colorful nicknames for Jasmine such as “Queen of the Night,” and “Moonlight on the Grove.” In the Witch’s pantry, Jasmine is available as dried flowers and as a scented...