The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

AKA: Lady's Tears, May Lily, Lily Constancy, Jacob's Ladder



Part Used: Leaves and Flowers



Magick: Marital longevity, to stop harrassment, purity, mental, happiness, improve memory.



Other: A favorite of the Fae and nature beings.

AKA: Jalap, Bindweed



Origin: Native to S. America and Mexico, also southern Europe.



Toxicity: There is some debate as to its toxicity, but its magickal actions are similar to other poisonous herbs.



Part Used: Root



Magick: Talismanic. Attracts love, prosperity, success, victory in court. Used to neutralize melancholy, confusion and evil spirits. Protects from hexes. To break and destroy spells and curses. Bind, banish or promote attraction to someone or something. Anointing.

A popular hoodoo herb.



Other: To use, cut or score root and soak in oil for several weeks. Strain, add a piece of root to the oil. Use this to anoint magickal items and tools.





~MORNING GLORY: Ipomoea purga



AKA: Devil's Guts



Magick: May be used as a substitute for High John.





~GREATER BINDWEED: Convolvulus sepium



AKA: Old Man's Nightcap, Hooded Bindweed, Bearbind



Origin: England and Scotland.



Magick: Can be used as a substitute for High John.



Other: While most twining plants follow the course of the sun and turn clockwise, Greater Bindweed twines contrary to the sun...counterclockwise.

AKA: Hog's Bean, Jupiter's Bean, Symphonica, Belene, Henbell, Black Nightshade.



Origin: Central and Southern Europe, Asia, India and Siberia. Not indigenous to Britain and N. America, but found there now.



Part Used: Leaves, flowering tops, seeds.



Lore: Dead in Hades were crowned with Henbane as they wandered in the River Styx. In language of flowers, the Henbane blossom means *defeat.*



Magick: Burn outside to bring rain. Herb of the Underworld. Summon spirits and relatives who have passed. Love, of a binding nature.



Other: Same family [solanace] as tomato, potato, nightshade, tobacco.



...According to Scott Cunningham: To bring love, a man should gather henbane early in the morning, naked and standing on one foot. ***This I gotta see...***

AKA: Pokeroot, Pokeweed, Pigeon Berry, Crowberry, Pocan, Skoke, Poke Sallat



Origin: N. America. Also common in Mediterranean countries.



Toxicity: Young shoots can be eaten after being boiled twice. Rest of plant, including older leaves, is toxic.



Part Used: Roots, berries and twigs



Magick: Courage, hex-breaking, magickal ink [berry juice]. Use at New Moon to break hexes.

AKA: Christe Herbe, Christmas Rose



Origin: Native of mountainous regions of central and southern Europe, Greece and Asia Minor.



Lore: Once people blessed their cattle with this herb to protect them from evil. Old French tales speak of a sorcerer who strew powdered Hellebore ahead of himself as he walked to make himself invisible.



Magick: Banishing, necromancy. Used in incense for consecrating talismans.

Used to render oneself less visible by scattering in ahead while walking.



Other: Black Hellebore is the variety most used in magick.



~FALSE HELLEBORE: Adonis autumnalis, A. vernalis



AKA: Red Chamomile, Rose-a-Rubie, Sweet Vernal



Origin: England and Europe



~GREEN HELLEBORE: Veratrum viride



AKA: American Hellebore, Swamp Hellebore, Itchweed.



Origin: North America



~WHITE HELLEBORE: Veratrum album



Origin: Lapland to Italy.

AKA: Mandragora, Satan's Apple



Origin: Southern Europe



Part Used: Roots, apple



Lore: The root is believed to shriek horribly when pulled from the ground, and anyone hearing it would die. A dog, preferably black, was tied to the root and coaxed with food to pull the root from the ground. Of course, all humans were safely out of earshot and the poor dog died.

Fabled to grow under the gallows of murderers.

The root has been found in Tutankhamun's tomb.



Magick: For love poppets, money-drawing magick. As an incense in some black magick rites.

Has power against demonical possession. Place a piece of the root on a mantle to avert misfortune and to bring properity and joy. Carry to attract love.

Exorcism, protection, fertility, money, love, health.

Herb of creativity. Used to increase potency of any magickal working.

Sexual desire, potency, love charms [to cause another to fall in love with you.] To seal commitment between lovers, although it may be binding.

For incense, either apple or root may be dried and used. The root is used as an amulet.

Other: To activate root, place in a prominent place in house for three days. Then let set overnight in warm water. It will then be ready for use in any magickal working.

It is said that a drop of blood should be put in the hole left by digging the root as payment and to insure potency of amulet.

Used as a poppet, due to its resemblance to the human form. But......Culpeper says *The root formerly was supposed to have the human form, but it really resembles a carrot or parsnip.*

Used to invoke deities, especially Circe and Diana.

Eastern belief has it that the root cures sterility. Genesis 30:14

Demons cannot bear the smell or presence of Mandrake.



~AMERICAN MAYAPPLE: Podophyllum peltatum



AKA: Racoonberry, Hog Apple, Wild Lemon, American Mandrake

AKA: Mystldene, Holy Wood.



Origin: Northern Europe to northwest Africa, Asia, Japan.



Part Used: Berries, Whole Herb.



Lore: Revered by Druids, who only sought it when they had visions directing them to seek it. If a great length of time passed without the visions, or it fell to the ground, it was considered an omen of great misfortune. The Mistletoe that grew in Oak trees was the most sacred. It was harvested using a golden sickle and not allowed to touch the ground.



Magick: Wear around the neck for invisibility. Protection from all things astral and mundane. Aphrodisiac. Fights against despair, helps in hunting and conception. Dreams, immortality. To ward off thieves and werewolves.

Used as amulets for protection or to speed healing.

Used to make wands, handles of ritual knives.

Berries used for sexual potency and in amulets for heightened sexual experiences.

Banishing evil and negative magick. Harmony, protection.

An all-purpose magickal herb....use in any positive magick.

Business success, love drawing.



Other: Found growing on many different trees, most usually, Apple. A symbol of rebirth. Gather at Midsummer or on the sixth day of the moon.

Origin: Large tree native to S. America. Later cultivated in W. Africa.



Part Used: Beans, oil.



Magick: Healing Rites. Attract Fast Luck. Protects from poverty. Grant courage. Love mixtures. Carry or wear to attract love or luck. Wishes.



Other: Used as a fixative

AKA: Witches' Gloves, Faery's Gloves, Dead Man's Bells, Faery Thimbles, Folks Gloves



Origin: Britain and Europe.



Part Used: Leaves, sometimes flowers.



Lore: Spots on flowers said to mark where elves have put their fingers. It is said that the favorite places of the Fae are in the woody dells where the Foxglove grows. It is a Druid sacred herb.



Magick: Herb of the Underworld. Associated with Faeries. Grow near the home for protection.

A capricious herb and anyone using it for magick needs to be very careful.

(ACONITE: Aconitum napellus)



AKA: Monkshood, Helmut Flower



Origin: Both varieties from Himalayas, through Europe to Great Britain.



Toxicity: Both varieties VERY poisonous. Wolfsbane even more so than Monkshood. All parts toxic, especially roots.



Part Used: All parts powerful, but best to use flower in any workings.



Lore: Said to be invention of Hecate from the foam of Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld.



Magick: Wolfsbane and Monkshood used interchangeably. Very magickal. Used to redirect enemies. Protection. The seed, when wrapped in lizard's skin, allows one to become invisible. To invoke Hecate.

Consecration of magickal blades, bringing power of protection and magickal awareness to protect ritual from negative energies. Fast acting.



Other: Wolfsbane has yellow flowers, Monkshood has blue/purple flowers.

AKA: Red Paint Root, Coon Root, Red Root, Tetterwort.



Part Used: Root and juice of root.



Magick: Juice used as a substitute for blood.

Used as amulet against evil spirits. Throw burning herb on enemy's doorstep to turn back spells.

Burn powdered root for seven nights to purify area. Sprinkle circle around home or area with powdered root for protection.

Carried to bring love.

AKA: Herb Bennet, Beaver Poison, Water Hemlock.



Origin: Southern Europe and Britain. Temperate areas of Asia and northern Africa.



Lore: Given to criminals in Greece to kill them. This is what did in Socrates. Used by King Solomon to consecrate his ritual knife. Sacred to Hecate.



Magick: To purify and empower ritual and magickal tools.

To arouse jealousy. Astral projection. Banishing.



~WATER HEMLOCK: Cicuta virosa



AKA: Cowbane



Other: Used interchangeably with Poison Hemlock, both equally toxic. The Hemlock TREE is an entirely different being and is not poisonous.

AKA: Thornapple, Devil's Apple, Devil's Trumpet. American version known as Jimsonweed.



Origin: All over the world except in coldest regions. Possible origin is S. America or Asia.



Part Used: Whole plant highly poisonous. Seeds most active.



Lore: An ingredient in ancient witches' flying ointment. Was said to be an aid to witches' incantations. It was very unlucky if it were found in a garden during the Witch Hunts....obviously.



Magick: To hex or break hexes. Produce sleep, induce dreams. Divination, allow one to see spirits. Protection.

The visionary qualities of both Jimsonweed and Datura can best be accessed by inhaling the scent of the flower.



Other: Daturas usually have a very pleasant scent. Jimsonweed, on the other hand, stinks.

Sacred to Aztecs, and used in shamanic rites.

AKA: Belladonna, Dwale



Origin: Native of southern England and central Europe, southern and western Asia. Rare in Scotland.



Toxicity: All parts poisonous, especially roots.

Part Used: Berries



Lore: Named after Bellona [war goddess.] At certain times it takes the form of a beautiful enchantress whom any that look upon her will die.

Plant belongs to the devil who tends to it all year long, except on Walpurgis when he is preparing for Witches' Sabbat.

Atropa comes from Greek Atropos, one of the Fates who held the scissors to cut the thread of human life.



Magick: Beauty magick. To consecrate ritual tools made of lead. Has affinity with Onyx. Lunar magick. Spell workings related to Death.



Other: Berries are black.



~BITTERSWEET: Solanum dulcamara



AKA: Woody Nightshade, Felonwort



Origin: All over.



Toxicity: Slightly poisonous.



Part Used: Berries.



Lore: Shepherds hung it as a charm around the necks of their animals as protection from evil.



Other: Berries are red.



~BLACK NIGHTSHADE: Solanum nigrum



AKA: Garden Nightshade, Petty Morel



Toxicity: Berries are poisonous, especially to children.



Origin: All over.



Other: Berries are black.





Note: Bittersweet and Black Nightshade are of the Solanacae family and related to Henbane, Datura, Mandrake, Capsicum [Red Pepper], Tomato, Potato.

In magick, all Nightshades may be used interchangeably.