Herb Magic for Beginners (16 page)

Appendix

Herbal Correspondences and Substitutions

Here are a few more herb magic correspondence lists for you to refer to. You will notice that there are many herbs here that were not listed in the previous theme chapters.

Please note that these lists are not all-inclusive. There are many other herbs associated with the planets and elements as well. However, all of the following magical herbs are easy to find and practical to use in your own herbal spells and charms.

These herbs are not intended to be taken internally or to treat medical issues. Some are toxic. This listing is for charms and spells only.

Practical Elemental Herbs

Earth

Barley

Buckwheat

Corn

Cypress tree

Ferns

Honesty

Honeysuckle

Magnolia

Mugwort (avoid during pregnancy)

Oats

Primrose

Tulip

Vervain

Wheat

Air

Almond

Anise

Aspen tree

Borage

Chicory

Clover

Dandelion

Lavender

Lemon grass

Lemon verbena

Mace

Maple tree

Marjoram

Mint

Orange bergamot

Parsley

Pine tree (common allergen)

Sage

Witch hazel

Fire

Allspice

Angelica

Ash tree

Basil

Bay

Carnation

Cedar tree

Chili pepper (keep away from eyes)

Cinnamon

Clove

Coneflower

Coriander

Dill

Fennel

Garlic

Ginger

Hawthorn tree

Heliotrope (may cause contact dermatitis)

Holly

Hyssop

Marigold

Mullein

Mustard

Oak

Orange

Pepper

Rosemary

Rowan tree (Mountain ash)

Rue (toxic; avoid handling during pregnancy)

St. John’s wort

Snapdragon

Sunflower

Sweet woodruff

Thistle

Walnut (common allergen)

Water

African violet

Aloe

Apple

Birch tree

Catnip

Chamomile

Comfrey

Elder tree and berries

Elm tree

Eucalyptus (common allergen)

Feverfew

Gardenia

Heather

Iris

Jasmine

Lady’s mantle

Lemon balm

Mallow

Pansy

Periwinkle (toxic)

Poplar tree

Raspberry

Rose

Spearmint

Strawberry (common allergen)

Sweet pea

Tansy

Vanilla

Violet

Wintergreen

Yarrow (may cause contact dermatitis; avoid during
pregnancy)

Practical Planetary/Astrological Herbs

These herbs are not intended to be taken internally or to treat medical issues. Some are toxic. This listing is for charms and spells only.

Sun (Sunday)

Angelica

Ash tree

Bay

Carnation

Cedar

Chamomile

Chrysanthemum

Cinnamon

Heliotrope (may cause contact dermatitis)

Juniper

Marigold

Oak

Orange

Peony

Rosemary

Rowan tree

Rue (toxic; avoid handling during pregnancy)

St. John’s wort

Sunflower

Witch hazel

Moon (Monday)

Aloe

Eucalyptus (common allergen)

Gardenia

Grape

Honesty

Jasmine

Lemon

Loosestrife

Mallow

Moonflower (mildly toxic)

Poppy

Pumpkin

Sandalwood

Willow

Wintergreen

Mars (Tuesday)

Allspice

Basil

Chili pepper (keep away from eyes)

Coriander

Dragon’s blood resin

Garlic

Ginger

Hawthorn tree

Holly

Mustard

Nettle

Onion

Pepper

Peppermint

Pine tree (common allergen)

Snapdragon

Sweet woodruff

Thistle

Yucca

Mercury (Wednesday)

Almond

Aspen tree

Celery seed

Clover

Dill

Fennel

Fern

Horehound

Lavender

Lemon grass

Mace

Marjoram

Mint

Parsley

Pomegranate

Jupiter (Thursday)

Anise

Betony

Borage

Cinquefoil

Clove

Dandelion

Honeysuckle

Hyssop

Linden tree

Maple tree

Meadowsweet

Nutmeg

Oak tree

Sage

Venus (Friday)

Apple

Aster

Banana

Barley

Birch tree

Blackberry

Catnip

Cherry

Columbine

Elder tree

Feverfew

Foxglove (toxic)

Geranium

Heather

Iris

Lady’s mantle

Lilac

Magnolia

Oats

Orchid

Periwinkle (toxic)

Primrose

Raspberry

Rose

Spearmint

Strawberry (common allergen)

Tansy

Thyme

Valerian

Vanilla

Vervain

Violet

Wheat

Willow

Saturn (Saturday)

Amaranth (Love-lies-bleeding)

Beech tree

Belladonna (toxic)

Comfrey

Cypress tree

Elm

Hellebore (toxic)

Ivy (berries are toxic)

Lobelia

Mimosa

Morning glory (mildly toxic)

Mullein

Pansy

Patchouli

Poplar tree

Quince

Slippery elm

Yew (toxic)

Featured Herbs for Love and Happiness

Basil

Chili pepper (keep away from eyes)

Columbine

Maple tree

Marjoram

Rose

Rosemary

Strawberry (common allergen)

Thyme

Vanilla bean

Violet

Willow tree

Yarrow (may cause contact dermatitis; avoid during
pregnancy)

Featured Herbs for Well-Being and Comfort

Ash tree

Chamomile

Coriander

Dianthus

Feverfew

Lady’s mantle

Mace

Nutmeg

Parsley

Purple coneflower

Sage

Witch hazel

Featured Herbs for Protection

Anise

Bay leaf

Birch tree

Calendula (Pot marigold)

Dill

Elder tree

Garlic

Holly

Lamb’s ears

Lavender

Rue (toxic; avoid handling during pregnancy)

Featured Herbs for Prosperity

Allspice

Cinnamon

Cinquefoil

Clover

Ginger

Heliotrope (may cause contact dermatitis)

Honeysuckle

Mint

Oak tree

Oats

Periwinkle (toxic)

Pine tree (common allergen)

Emergency Herb Magic Substitutions

If an herb is not available,
substitute it with another of like properties,
that also shares the same planetary and elemental rulers.

—Scott Cunningham,
Magical Herbalism

Sometimes you just can’t get your hands on an herb that is called for in a spell, ritual, or charm. While I have focused on easy-to-find botanicals and herbs in this book, I do realize that you probably have other books on herb magic. So, I figured an herbal substitution list may come in handy. Common sense applies here. If you are working with toxic plants, please be very careful and keep them well away from children and foodstuffs. Yes, I know I’ve said that before, but it certainly bears repeating.

As for myself, I tend to roll my eyes at magical books that list dramatic and mysterious ingredients. While the spellwork in some tomes may be solid, the ingredients list may be incredibly challenging, expensive, unsafe, or ridiculous. In the following inventory, the spell ingredient substitutions are all natural or botanical materials. While researching this topic, I wasn’t too surprised to notice that tobacco is considered an acceptable alternative to the most toxic of plants, such as belladonna and aconite. There is a certain logic to this, since tobacco products cause so many health problems.

If using tobacco makes you uncomfortable, try working with nicotiana (Nicotiana). This beautiful, annual flowering tobacco is found in most garden centers and nurseries. If you can find the pale-green variety, it is a bonus for your magical gardens, as the flowers are very fragrant at night. Also, it is worth mentioning again that yarrow (Achillea) is an all-purpose magical herb as well. (I have always considered the flowering yarrow to be the herbal equivalent of the multipurpose white spell candle.) Following this list of herbal substitutions, you’ll also find an accompanying spell. Happy casting!

Spell Ingredient Herbal Substitution List

Aconite: Tobacco or the flowering tobacco (Nicotiana)

Ambergris: Vanilla beans

Angelica: Marigold or calendula

Bergamot: Bee balm flowers, or try loose-leaf Earl Grey tea

Belladonna: Tobacco or the flowering tobacco (Nicotiana)

Betony: Lamb’s ears

Blood: Apple cider or apple juice

Camphor: Eucalyptus

Cassia: Cinnamon

Chamomile: White daisies

Cinquefoil: Clover

Citron: An equal part of lemon peel and orange peel

Citronella: Scented geraniums

Cypress: Juniper or pine needles

Deer’s tongue: Sweet woodruff (Asperula odorata)

Drawing powder: Powdered sugar

Frankincense: Copal, pine resin

Galangal: Fresh ginger root

Graveyard dirt: Mullein

Heliotrope: Chicory

Holly foliage or berries: Snapdragons