One Eye of Newt, A dash of Sleepwort, pass the Bloody Fingers? I must finish this brew! Ever hear anything like this, and wonder just where and what people were talking about? Well would you be surprised to know that the things stirred into witches brews of old are still used to this very day?
The “code” words for many herbs were used for different reasons. As we all well know Witches were hunted not so very long ago. Unfortunately because of this hysteria many innocent people were hung or burned as witches, JUST for what they had growing in their own gardens. For example growing or using Foxglove could get you branded a witch, so many people because of this, began calling the herbs what they most resembled to the naked eye.
Below you will find a few “Old Herbal” names, Craft name (underlined) comes first, followed by the common name for that herb/flower/root.
Blood – Sap of Elder Tree
Bloody Fingers- Foxglove
Candlemas Maiden – Snowdrop
Candlewick Plant – Mullein
Crown for a King – Wormwood
Dew of the Sea – Rosemary
Dragonwort – Bistort
Earth Smoke – Fumitory
Elfwort – Eclampane
Enchanter’s Plant – Vervain
Eye of the Star – Horehound
Eyes – Aster Daisy
Five Finger Grass – Cinquefoil
Joy of the Mountain – Marjoram
Lad’s Love – Southernwood
Little Dragon – Tarragon
Love in Idleness – Pansy
Love Parsley – Lovage
Loveroot – Orris
Maiden’s Ruin – Southernwood
Master of the Woods – Woodruff
Masterwort – Angelica
May Lily – Lily of the valley
Mistress of the Night – Tuberose
Password – Primrose
Queen of Meadow – Meadowsweet
Ram’s Head – American Valerian
Seven Year’s Love – Yarrow
Sleepwort – Lettuce
Sorcerer’s Violet – Periwinkle
Star of the Earth – Avens
Starflower – Borage
Starweed – Chickweed
Starwort – Aster
Thousand Seal – Yarrow
Thunder Plant – Houseleek
Unicorn Horn – True Unicorn Root
Wax Dolls – Fumitory
Witch Herb – Mugwort
Witches Asprin – White Willow Bark
Witches Bells – Foxglove
Witches Briar – Briar Hip
Witchgrass – Dog Grass
Witchwood – Rowan