Halloween, the spooky, scary celebration enjoyed on October 31, inspires thoughts of witches, broomsticks, and skeletons. But dig a bit deeper into folklore, and stories of ancient plants associated with this autumn celebration emerge. More than just flavoring or medicine, these herbal plants were used to inspire incantations, defy witches, and banish ghosts. Display a few of the milder-mannered ones in a Halloween arrangement or wreath to bring the ‘spirit’ of the celebration alive.
The Halloween Pumpkin is a Herb Too
The first herb of Halloween, known to all, is the humble iconic pumpkin Cucurbita pepo. Its main herbal use is far removed from its pleasant associations with pumpkin pie. But it does bear some resemblance to other Halloween herbs in that it's used to banish something undesired. In this case, it’s not spirits that are banished, but intestinal parasites—worms. Large amounts of pumpkin seeds are a powerful anthelmintic, or parasite repellent.
And so the carved Jack-o-lantern has a grin that scares away more than just witches and goblins. But its herbal uses are more mundane than those of the other magical herbs of All Hallows Eve.
Ancient Plants Long Associated with Superstitions and Halloween
According to folklore, other garden plants and common weeds also have ties to witchcraft and so to ancient Halloween customs:
- Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris, was in the Middle Ages thought to be a magic herb able to withstand witches, and even the Devil himself. Long stems of this herb, which can grow to be five feet tall, would be hung in doorways and from ceiling rafters.
- Mullein, Verbascum thapsus, is a familiar herb of waste places, flourishing in tall, dignified spires along old railways, and in vacant lots. Its soft, grey leaves were once thought by the Romans to be a powerful repellent to demons. In the Middle Ages mullein was called “hag taper” –but not because the dried flowering stems were used as torches (which they were), but because it was thought that witches used it in incantations and in their brews. But the witches no doubt would have used the tall burning stems, soaked in oil, to light their midnight revelries as well.
- Rue, Ruta graveolens, has also been used since ancient times as a weapon against evil. Medieval folk used rue as a defense against witches, and against the plague, to the modern mind a much more real threat. Witches used rue in their enchantments too. “Double, double toil and trouble,” said the witches in Macbeth as the cauldron of magical herbs roiled and boiled.
- Birch, Betula alba, the silvery-barked tree of the forest edge, was the witches’ choice for their broomsticks. But now birch leaf tea may be used as a mild sleep inducer – that is, if dreams of witches on birch-wood broomsticks can be held at bay.
Angelica, a Strong Defence Against Witches
In a class by itself is the Halloween herb whose name says it all—angelica, Angelica archangelica. Thought to be the strongest defense against witches and the plague, angelica was revered as the best herb in the medicinal plant arsenal. An angel revealed the secrets of this plant to a monk while he dreamed and from then on no witch dared to use angelica in any brews or spells. Medieval monks continued to use this imposing plant’s roots in their wines and liqueurs, free from witch-like ties.
Mandrake, the Witch’s Ally
If angelica was the most potent anti-witch herb, then mandrake, Mandragora officinarum, the super strong, all-purpose herb for working every spell, invoking every curse, was the witch’s most desired plant. European mandrake, also known as Satan’s apple, is a narcotic root of humanlike appearance, long known as a mystical plant. When a face was carved into the root, the resulting manikin became a potent weapon, capable of great evil.
Making Halloween Decorations with Magical Herbs
Some of these herbs aren’t suitable for decorations, and may be hard-to-find, even dangerous. Use the well-known and safer ones: pumpkin (of course), mullein, birch, and mugwort. The easiest to obtain would be mullein (sometimes grown as a garden plant, but widely available from roadsides and waste spaces) and birch (from garden or woodlands). Mugwort may be found in some herb gardens. Mullein, birch, and mugwort can be used fresh or dried.
Adelma Grenier Simmons, the matriarch of all things herbal, was known for her knowledge of folklore and old superstitions. In Country Wreaths from Caprilands: the Legend, Lore,and Design of Traditional Herbal Wreaths, she tells how to make a witch’s wreath and recommends willow, hawthorn, elder, and rowan tree berries. She also advises, “Oak leaves may be added to this magical wreath, as the oak and the ash were used for and against witches: folklore authorities agree that they will either help or hinder the witch, depending upon their applications.”
Make Halloween decorations—swags, arrangements, or wreaths—with some of these herbs and display them on the porch, or by the entranceway —there’s room beside the pumpkin. On Halloween the semi-spooky Jack-o-lantern will continue to steal the limelight. But these ancient herbs will also weave their spells, and play their parts, both good and evil, on this All Hallows Eve.
References:
Lust, John, The Herb Book, New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1987.
Simmons, Adelma Grenier, Country Wreaths from Caprilands: the Legend, Lore, and Design of Traditional Herbal Wreaths, Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1989.
Jen L. Jones - Based in Canada, Jones writes on human rights, history,and the natural world. She focuses also on Turkish and Scottish travel and ...
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