by Ellen Dugan
Read the following botanical information very carefully. You will see that according to old plant lore, many of these baneful herbs have common names and titles that are the same. There are a few mandrakes; likewise, there is a nightshade that is known as belladonna and a nightshade that is not, which was new information to me. I suppose you can teach an old Garden Witch a new trick. Also, I guess this means that that kid could have had six herbs on his list after all.
The folk names, or common names, are there for the information, not for plant identification. Always use botanical names, which are listed in italics, for proper plant identification. Please use your common sense if you decide to work with these botanicals. Be smart and safe and keep these herbs well out of reach from children. Also, you should never use cooking utensils, pots, bowls, or dishes to work with or to store these herbs—they should have their own dedicated equipment. Should you decide to store any of these botanicals, clearly label these herbs as toxic and list the botanical name as well as the common name.
Always wash your hands carefully after handling any of these botanicals. Finally, there is no room for mistakes with any of these baneful herbs. For no reason whatsoever should any of these be taken internally. The consequences are deadly.
Thirteen Gothic Herbs
of Lore and Legend
Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
shakespeare, macbeth
aconite
Aconite (Aconite napellus)
Also known as monkshood and wolfsbane; some other folk names include blue rocket, friar’s cap, and Venus’s chariot. As stated earlier, many classically gothic poisonous plants have the same common names; this is why botanical names are crucial for identification. Among the deadliest of plants, aconite is a hardy perennial that is a native of Europe and Asia, and it thrives in shady areas. Aconite produces tall stems of up to five feet in height and bears beautiful, purple-helmeted flowers in the early summer. The herb has delphinium-looking foliage. This plant is inexorably linked with Witchcraft, magick, and poison gardens. The tales of the dangers of aconite are prevalent in old herbals.
In the language of flowers, monkshood has the definition of deceit and warns that a deadly foe is near. (I think that deadly foe may be the plant itself.) Magickally, this herb will grant invisibility and protection from werewolves and vampires. This plant is sacred to Hecate; it is also supposed to cure lycanthropy. Astrological associations for this feminine herb are the planet Saturn and the element of water.
To give you an idea of just how deadly this herb is, in the dark times, aconite was an arrowtip poison used to kill wolves. It was also a “death drink” given to condemned prisoners.
Warning: This plant is subject to legal restrictions in some countries. Do not take internally or wipe any part of the plant on the skin. The plant will cause skin irritation, and even skin-to-plant contact can be dangerous. Always handle with gloves. All parts of this plant are exceptionally toxic.
black hellebore
Black Hellebore (Helleborus niger)
Also known as the Christmas rose, snow rose, or winter rose. This is a traditional cottage garden plant that blooms from late autumn to early spring. This winter-blooming plant often blossoms in the snow. This baneful herb grows up to fifteen inches tall and is part of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It has evergreen compound leaves of seven or more leaflets, and it bears white flowers that age to pink. There are large-flowered cultivars available, as are pink-flowered and double-flowered varieties. Hellebore has become a popular early spring garden perennial these days. I saw it for sale everywhere in one-gallon containers this past April.
For practical magick use, I would grow this plant in the garden and enjoy the pretty flowers in late winter. Magickally, hellebore was thought to cure madness. Interestingly enough, in the language of flowers, it signifies a scandal. It is a feminine plant, sacred to Hecate and ruled by the planet Saturn. Its elemental association is water.
Warning: This plant is an abortifacient; it is toxic and should not be ingested.
black nightshade
Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum)
Also known as garden nightshade, black nightshade’s folk names include hound’s berry, small fruited nightshade, and poison berry. This plant is often called garden nightshade as it was often found growing wild, or volunteering, in the garden. A native plant of southern Europe, this variety of nightshade is an annual. The black nightshade has been introduced to the Americas and grows one to two feet in height. The plant has irregular toothed, oval, or heart-shaped and pointed leaves that are arranged on hairy stalks.
The black nightshade bears white flowers from midsummer to early fall that are arranged in clusters. The white flowers have five petals each and yellow anthers. The berries follow the flowers, and they begin as green and then ripen to a shiny black in the fall. All parts of this plant are considered toxic, the berries most of all. This plant is poisonous to both humans and animals. However, because the plant tastes bitter to animals, they typically will leave it alone.
Further along in this list, you will see a second variety of nightshade: the deadly nightshade Atropa belladonna, which is simply known as belladonna. The differences between these two types of nightshade are many, most notably in the flowers. The black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) has white flowers arranged in clusters. This plant has smaller berries, borne again in clusters, and is a shorter annual plant reaching only one to two feet in height, while deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) has purple, trumpet-shaped flowers borne singularly. The deadly nightshade is a herbaceous perennial and can grow up to five feet in height. The berries of deadly nightshade are described as large and looking like black cherries.
In the language of flowers, black nightshade warns of false and dark thoughts. Magickal uses are protection and defense magick. This plant is also sacred to Hecate. Black nightshade is associated with the planet Saturn and is linked to the element of water.
Warning: All parts of this plant are toxic. Use extreme caution handling this plant. Do not ingest.
common foxglove
Common Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Folk names include fairy’s gloves, folks’ gloves, fairy weed, bloody man’s fingers, Witches’ gloves, and Witches’ thimbles. A classic faerie plant that is popular in gardening and landscaping, many people have no idea that it is a toxic plant. This is another plant that you may want to avoid if you have small children. Digitalis is used as a drug for heart failure. The foxglove leaves contain glycosides, which are used as a heart stimulant. The foxglove is classified as a biennial and can grow up to three feet in height. There are also a few other varieties of perennial foxglove. The foxglove blooms in the late spring–early summer from the bottom of the flower stalk up toward the top. There are white- and purple-blooming varieties of common foxglove.
In the language of flowers, foxglove warns of insincerity and fickleness, and cautions that “your love is as changeable as the breeze.” Magickally, foxglove may be used for faerie spells, deflecting negative magick, and defense. If you grow it in your magickal gardens, it will protect your home and property. It also encourages the faeries to live in your magickal gardens. This feminine herb is ruled by the planet Venus and claims the elemental association of water.
Warning: This plant is toxic and should not be ingested.
Garden Witch Tip: There are dozens of varieties of foxgloves available to purchase at nurseries and garden centers these days. As a matter of fact, I have four different varieties of foxglove in my perennial garden right now: the classic Digitalis purpurea, plus a soft yellow perennial variety that is called Digitalis grandiflora—its common name is simply yellow foxglove. I also added a variety called ‘Foxy’ that I am crazy about. At the moment, it is over three feet in height and is blooming in purple, white, and pink. I found a
nother new foxglove variety this year that is called ‘Camelot’. I bought the lavender assortment, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Remember, if you want to have foxglove blossoms every year, when you first purchase your foxglove plants, buy two plants—one that has a bloom stalk and one that does not—and plant them side by side. Foxgloves are biennials, which means that they bloom one year and are vegetative, or dormant (without flowers), the next. This way, you will have a foxglove plant in bloom each year.
datura
Datura (Datura stramonium)
Folk names include Jimson weed, thorn apple, devil’s apple, and angels’ trumpet. This annual plant may grow up to two feet in height. It has large leaves with incised edges; the leaves have a musky scent, and the large, trumpet-shaped flowers also have a peculiar odor. The flowers may be white, yellow, or purple and bloom from midsummer through autumn. The plant then produces a green, spiky seed pod.
I wrote about datura in my first book, Garden Witchery. I had bought the plant by accident from a plant vendor at a flea market. He referred to it as a moonflower bush. After I planted it in my gardens and it bloomed, I began to realize it was an altogether different sort of plant. Since my children were small at the time, once I identified it as a highly toxic plant, I did remove it from my magickal gardens. On an interesting note, it was years before anything else would grow in that spot.
Magickally, the plant is used to break hexes and manipulative spells, or any spell that has been cast against you. To do this, you need to sprinkle the petals of the flowers around the outside of your home. If you are considering trying this, I would recommend wearing latex gloves that you could dispose of immediately. (If you have sensitive skin, this plant may cause contact dermatitis just by brushing against the leaves or flowers—I wasn’t kidding about those gloves!) Also, I would not have this plant around children or nibbling pets. The consequences could be tragic.
This baneful herb is considered to have feminine energies. Its astrological influence is Saturn, although some sources say Jupiter, and the elemental association is water.
Warning: This plant is restricted in some countries. The datura, or thorn apple, is exceptionally poisonous; some herbal reference guides bluntly say that it causes insanity and death.
deadly nightshade
Deadly Nightshade/Belladonna
(Atropa belladonna)
Also known as nightshade. Folk names include bane wort, fair lady, and Witch’s berry. It is also fascinating to note that this particular plant was referred to as “the mandrake of Hecate.” Both Mandragora, the classic mandrake, and Atropa belladonna come from the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which they share with other plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, tobacco, and chili peppers. The nightshade is a native plant to the Mediterranean and Eurasia. It is also sacred to the triple goddess Hecate.
This herbaceous perennial has red stem sap and solitary trumpet-shaped purple flowers that blossom from mid-summer through autumn. The flowers are followed by shiny black berries. (The berries are the most virulent part of the plant.) This perennial is described as short-lived and may reach heights of up to five feet. In the past, an extract of the belladonna plant was used to dilate the eyes; this was thought to make a woman look more beautiful. This practice is not recommended today.
The botanical name for this plant, Atropa belladonna, may be linked to one of the three goddesses of Fate, also called the Norns. One goddess wove the strand of each person’s life, another sister measured it, and the third cut the strand when the mortal’s life was to be ended. Atropos is the name of the goddess that snips the thread of life. How very appropriate.
In the language of flowers, deadly nightshade whispers of fascination and Witchcraft. Magickal associations are varied; this plant was once used in charms to encourage visions (because of its hallucinogenic properties, I’m sure). It will also protect against evil and manipulative magick. Atropa belladonna is also thought to have the ability to make you forget your old flame. Classified as a feminine plant, its astrological influence is Saturn. The elemental association is water. Belladonna is thought to be at its most powerful at Beltane.
Warning: Subject to legal restrictions in many countries. All parts of this plant are extremely poisonous and should be handled with extreme caution. Do not take internally.
fly agaric
Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)
Common names include agaric, Deadly Amanita, death cap, redcap mushroom, and raven’s bread. Technically, this is not a botanical; it is a fungus. This storybook-looking toadstool comes into fruiting in the autumn. It can grow up to ten inches in height and is described as having a “fruit body,” with a stem ringed with remnants of a veil and a bright red cap dotted with white warts. This fungi’s bright red color boldly declares its lethal nature. The cap is large (four to six inches) and spreads out quite horizontally. This mushroom’s habitat is birch, pine, spruce, and cedar forests in Europe and North America. It grows in poor soils in marshes and along roadsides.The quintessential toadstool, it is one of the most recognizable of the gothic plants today.
Though it is considered highly poisonous, Amanita muscaria is believed to be the world’s oldest hallucinogen. It was used by Siberian and Lapland shamans in vision quests and in healing rituals, which gave them a sense of flying. This mushroom is reported to be a popular food for reindeer. Interestingly, the shamans in Lapland ate it for enlightenment—which may explain where the legends of the flying reindeer and Santa all dressed in red and white came from! In Europe, these mushrooms were thought to be symbols of good luck at the winter holidays and New Year’s Day. This red and white mushroom also became a popular motif in early twentieth-century European postcard art.
Magickally, the fly agaric is associated with the Norse god Odin, who was a shamanic god of knowledge. According to old folklore, these fungi bring good fortune and luck to you, and they also open a doorway to the world of the fae, elves, and other earth elementals. The astrological association is Mercury. The elemental correspondence is air.
Warning: While researching this fungi, I discovered a lot of conflicting information about its legality. In some countries, it is considered illegal to grow, sell, or to possess the fly agaric mushroom. Other places warn that it is a “Class A drug”—meaning possession could get you a fine and up to seven years in jail. Finally, this toadstool, while gorgeous, is considered intensely poisonous. Should you stumble across some growing wild in the woods, leave them be. Just as in the Wildflowers and Witchery chapter, I suggest that you leave these toadstools alone and work your spontaneous magick for good luck right there while leaving the plant untouched.
hemlock
Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
Folk names include warlock’s weed, winter fern, water hemlock, poison hemlock, spotted hemlock, spotted cowbane, and water parsley. This is a biennial plant native to Europe, but it now also grows widely throughout America. It flourishes in waste areas and damp habitats.
According to herbal history, death by hemlock poisoning was the official method of execution in ancient Athens. Hemlock contains the extremely toxic alkaloid coniine in all of its parts, but most particularly in the seeds. Socrates was a famous victim of this toxic plant.
The plant is often mistaken for fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). However, the fennel plant has foliage that is described as airy and feathery. I think fennel foliage looks like the delicate asparagus fern, and to help you with further identification, the fennel flowers are aromatic and yellow.
Another hemlock look-alike is the wild carrot, also known as Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota). The flowers of Queen Anne’s lace typically have a central floret that is purple. Another noted feature of this wildflower are the hairy stems, and you’ll also notice that as the flowers of Queen Anne’s lace wither, they contract into bowl-like shapes into which the seeds fall.
&nbs
p; Hemlock is also distinguished from similar-looking plants by its foul smell and the markings on its stem. Hemlock’s stems are smooth and green and have purple spots, or red and purple streaks, on their lower half. A way to determine whether a plant is poison hemlock is to crush some leaves and smell the result. The fennel smells like anise or licorice, while the smell of poison hemlock is often described as rank, “mouselike,” or musty.
Hemlock has fernlike leaves and may grow up to six feet in height. The plant blooms from May through September. It bears white, compound umbel-type flowers that look remarkably similar to Queen Anne’s lace. (Hence the careful description of the flowers and the markings on the hemlock stems.) Remember, there will be no central purple floret on hemlock flowers.
Magickal uses are purification, and it was believed to squash your libido. This is another herb that is sacred to the goddess Hecate. Hemlock has feminine energies. Its astrological association is Saturn, and its elemental association is water.
Warning: A baneful herb, hemlock causes death by respiratory paralysis. Do not ingest. It also causes skin irritation on contact.
mandrake
Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum)
Folk names include devil’s apple, herb of Circe, ladykins, mannikin, and womandrake. This baneful herb is sacred to Aphrodite and is a native plant of Europe. It has long, oval-shaped leaves that are pointed at the tips. The leaves are described as “malodorous,” meaning they stink. The plant does bloom—a pale violet-colored flower in the spring that then matures to round, yellow, pineapple-scented fruits. These toxic fruits were called the golden apples of Aphrodite.