One of the Most Magical Plants: Vervain
On the blog, we often touch on some magical plants storied in folklore…like holly and feverfew. And, if you listen to our sister podcast, The Midnight Library, you may know some of these plants can be magical and murderous. So, when a blogstonishing request came in asking for one of the most magical plants, I dug into Vervain. Now, Vervain being the most magical is completely subjective and, well, not entirely accurate. There are so many dynamic flowers, herbs, plants, trees, and more steeped in folklore that it was hard to pick just one. But, for now, let’s grab a bunch of Vervain and learn a little more about it.
In grimoires and the remaining written recipes we have from those who were said to practice magic, vervain often comes up. Although it looks fairly regular, its history and use are anything but. In fact, its nickname is the "Enchanter's Herb." It also grew around the world and was consistently used in spellwork or veneration of the gods. From Egypt to North America, variants of the Enchanter’s Herb seem to crop up over the centuries.
One reason I think it may have gained its notoriety, besides variations of it being found across the globe, is the fact that it's a perennial. The adjective perennial literally means something "existing for a long or apparently infinite time" and "enduring or continually recurring." There is something magical, even with today's knowledge of science, about these hardy plants that can weather almost anything and stay with us throughout the year, or make a return each time the weather gets warmer.
As previously mentioned, Vervain has been used over the centuries for a variety of things. Druids were said to use the plant in their rituals, Romans were said to venerate it as a holy plant, and Egyptians typically used it for their altars. In fact, Egyptians believed that vervain was specifically from the gods. It was believed by the Early Egyptians that vervain came from the very tears of Isis. Vervain cropped up when this goddess of magic wept for her dead husband, Osiris.
Druids, those pesky and mysterious Celtic figures, were said to specifically harvest Vervain under the constellation Sirius. The use of the plant was believed to be used for Druidic practices of divination, consecration, and ritual cleansing. To this day, planting vervain near your house is said to be good luck and protective.
Fast-forwarding quite a bit, in the 1500s you could find buy it at many apothecaries and it was often used by those in the UK. The reason it was likely so popular is the herb is said to have anti-inflammatory, pain relieving, and even antibacterial properties. All important things for surviving in a time before modern medicine (and modern plumbing).
Similarly, Native American tribes were also said to use Vervain for its health benefits. It was said that they used the flowers and roots of vervain as a natural treatment for headaches and even insomnia.
According to Witchipedia, “Vervain resonates with the energy of Gemini, the planet Venus and the element Water. It is considered feminine in nature. Vervain is associated with Cerridwen, Isis, Thor, and Jupiter. It can also be used in Midsummer celebrations.”
Of course, please do not ingest vervain because of this article, and know it is not recommended for use in modern medicine. This piece is simply meant to elucidate the folklore and history of this plant.
This blog image is is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. It is Verbena hastata Linnaeus, 1753 - blue vervain (Dawes Arboretum, Licking County, Ohio, USA) and the artist is Ser Amantio di Nicolao (talk | contribs)
Thanks to Natasha C for this blogstonishing suggestion!