Plant Magic: Wisdom from the Green World

Whether you live in a city or the countryside, the magic of plants can be found everywhere and sometimes where you least expect it. Be open and explore the magic that surrounds you.

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Sandra Kynes

Sandra Kynes

The author of over a dozen books, Sandra is an explorer of history, myth, and magic. Her writing has been featured in SageWoman, The Magical Times, The Portal, and Circle magazines, Utne Reader and Magical Buffet websites, and various Llewellyn almanacs. Although she is a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, she travels a solitary Goddess-centered path through the Druidic woods. She has lived in New York City, Europe, England, and now Maine where she lives in an 1850s farmhouse surrounded by meadows and woods.  

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Woodland Magic You Can Eat

Early spring is a special time for many reasons and one of them is the fiddlehead fern. Although ferns are common houseplants that have graced parlors and porches since Victorian times, there’s a magical aura about them when encountered in the woods. At this time of year, young ferns rise like wispy, spirited musicians presenting tightly scrolled stem tops that resemble the heads of fiddles.

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Magical and Healing Aloe Vera

With over three hundred species of aloe, the one simply called Aloe vera, meaning “true aloe,” is the most common. Aloe is a perennial plant with succulent leaves that can grow up to two feet long from a center base. If you are lucky, it will produce a spike of yellow or orange flowers. As a houseplant, it is commonly kept in the kitchen for first aid treatment of burns; just break off the end of a leaf and apply a little of the translucent gel. A yellow sap known as bitter aloe is exuded at the base of the leaves. Bitter aloe should never be used on the skin or ingested.

Well known for healing burns, aloe gel is also good for cuts, insect stings, acne, and other skin ailments. When used on burns and scalds, it helps prevent blisters and scarring. Also called medicine plant and healing plant, aloe has a long history of use that dates back thousands of years. It is believed to be the plant mentioned on a Sumerian tablet.

Certain documentation comes from 16th century BCE in the Ebers papyrus, the oldest written record on the use of medicinal plants in Egypt. In addition to healing, it was included in preparations to beautify the skin and protect it from the harsh, damaging desert climate. Aloe’s use in the embalming process earned it the name plant of immortality. Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40-90 CE) and naturalist Pliny the Elder (23-79 CE) both extolled its merits in their writings.

Of course, like most medicinal plants, aloe was also used for magical purposes. In Mesopotamia and throughout the Middle East, it was believed to provide protection. Leaves were hung over doorways for this purpose and to ward off evil spirits. Aloe was also used for protection from accidents and a charm to bring good luck.

Position an aloe plant on a windowsill at the front of your house to dispel negative energy and attract good luck. If you live in a place where aloe can grow outside, plant it near your front door or set a potted plant outside for the summer. For protection, break off the end of a leaf and dab a little of the gel over each exterior doorway. For healing spells, place a little of the gel at the base of a green candle. For your esbat ritual, use the gel on a white candle or put the plant on your altar to draw on the power and wisdom of Luna.

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The Fairy Maids of February

While the days are noticeably longer, February often brings some of the fiercest winter weather making us long for spring and warmer days. One of the earliest flowers to venture into the bleak landscape is the snowdrop. Not waiting for clear ground, this little white flower often comes up through a blanket of snow.

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Plant Magic in Winter

At this time of year when there’s not much to do in the garden or find in the wild, houseplants become the focus for plant magic.

The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) has been popular since forever, which is no wonder because it is so easy to care for. This plant gets its name from its spider-like appearance and its spiderettes (babies) that dangle from the mother plant like little spiders on a web. The spiderettes start out as small, white flowers. Once they develop roots, they can be planted to start a whole new colony of spiders. Also known as the ribbon plant, their ribbon-like leaves can be solid green or variegated. In addition to adding a splash of interest to a room, spider plants are good for clearing impurities from indoor air.

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A Pagan Perspective on the Poinsettia

As the wheel of the year makes its final turn and begins a new cycle, most plants have faded but evergreens live up to their name. They were considered sacred because they didn’t seem to die each year. Bringing evergreens indoors embodied the reborn spirit of the Green Man. With sacred trees, mistletoe, and other plants taken into the home, it is no accident that this is a magical time of year.

As a time of transformation, Yule celebrates the return of the sun/son, which brings hope and the promise of ongoing life. While the Celts had established Samhain as the beginning of the New Year, tenth-century Norse Pagans changed their new year to Yule to coincide with the solar cycle.

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Flowers for the Dead

Samhain is a time to remember loves ones who have passed beyond the veil, as well as ancestors and even beloved pets. It is still customary in some cultures to honor the dead with a feast. As in the past, the feast can be a complete meal with an extra place set for those not physically present, or it can be as simple as leaving cakes and wine by the fireside or on the front step.

Flowers for remembrance placed on a gravesite or a home altar is a practice that also continues today. While most flowers are gone from our gardens at this time of year, chrysanthemums and marigolds are at their peak seeming to shine light into the darkness. The common chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium syn. Dendranthema grandiflorum, Anthemis grandiflora) is also known as the “garden mum” or just “mums.” This well-known perennial has dense flower heads that can be white, yellow, orange, or reddish-orange, as well as various shades of purple.

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The Magic of Autumn Leaves

Just when the vibrant colors of spring and summer seem like a distant memory, the trees put on their autumn display. On cloudy and dull afternoons, bright leaves capture the light making trees seem to glow from within. This last hurrah before winter provides a special time for magic.

Common throughout most of the United States, red maples (A. rubrum spp.) are distinctive with their rich-colored leaves, but come autumn, other maples get into the act and put on some of the most dazzling displays. Depending on the variety, red maple leaves turn from deep muted colors to a range of brilliant reds and yellows. Throughout the year, leaves from the red maple can be used in love spells, but in autumn they really help fire-up relationships. Press four bright red leaves in a heavy book. When they are dry, place them under the corners of your mattress to add spark your sex life. For something a little subtler, attach a pressed leaf behind a picture of your beloved.

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Recent Comments - Show all comments
  • Sandra Kynes
    Sandra Kynes says #
    Thank you, Tasha. It's a lovely poem.
  • Tasha Halpert
    Tasha Halpert says #
    Lovely information, and so timely, I love the fall colors. I will post a poem about this for you on my site, along with a picture.

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