Herbs and Magical Correspondences

Copyright Ambrosia Graphics

Herbs and Magical Correspondences

Herbs are used in magick for their "vibrations" or "essences". What does this mean? Herbs, like people, have gender, are ruled by a planet, an element, and are often sacred to a God or Goddess. This is known in Wicca as the herbal correspondence, and it is an important element in Wiccan Magick Spells. Herbs can be used in Charms and Sachets, Incense, Oils, Teas and Baths. 

Featured Books

Garden Witchery: Magick from the Ground Up
Bud, Blossom & Leaf: The Magical Herb Gardener's Handbook
Garden Witchery: 
Magick from the Ground Up
Bud, Blossom & Leaf
The Magical Herb 
Gardener's Handbook

Greenwitch copyright Joanna Powell Colbert
Artwork Copyright Joanna Powell Colbert

Below are some commonly used Herbs and their associated correspondences:
Herb
Attributes
Angelica Root Use in protection and exorcism incense, and also carry the root in a pouch as a protective talisman. Add to bath to remove hexes. Smoking the leaves can cause visions. Angelica protects by both creating a barrier against negative energy, and by filling it's user with positive energy. Removes curses, hexes, or spells that have been cast against you. Enhances the aura, giving a joyful outlook. Relieves tension headache, diuretic, beneficial to the stomach and digestion. Relieves buildup of phlegm due to asthma and bronchitis. Use with caution- Large doses can negatively affect blood pressure, heart, and respiration. If pregnant, can cause miscarriage.

 

Basil Use in love and prosperity spells. Carry to attract wealth. Sprinkle basil over your sleeping lover to assure fidelity. Use it in a ritual bath to bring new love in, or to free yourself of an old love. Also used for purification baths. Sprinkle on the floor for protection, and burn as an exorcism incense.

 

Bay Leaves Use in potions for visions, clairvoyance and wisdom. Place under your pillow to induce prophetic dreams. Carry to ward off evil, and scatter or burn for exorcism. Add to cleansing teas and baths. Scatter on the floor, and then sweep out for protection. The priestesses at Delphi are said to have chewed bay leaves to induce their visions and prophesies.

 

Blessed Thistle Purification, hex-breaking, protection from evil- removes unwanted influences, particularly of malevolent intent. Strew to cleanse buildings or rooms, beneficial in healing spells. Strengthens liver function, combat hepatitis, aids memory purifies the blood stream. Good fof migraine, nausea, and gallstones.

 

Burdock Used in protection incenses and for healing, especially the feet. Carry as a protection sachet or burn for purification of a room. Rinse with a root decoction for ridding oneself of a gloomy feeling about yourself or others.

 

Bramble (Blackberry) Leaf Powerful herb of protection, and used in invocations to the goddess Brigit, who presides over healing, poetry, sacred wells, and smithcraft. Also used to attract wealth. If twined into a wreath with rowan and ivy, will keep away evil spirits. A bramble patch is a favorite hiding place for faerie folk, use to invoke and attract faerie spirits.

 

Cacao (Chocolate) Brings riches and luxury, expresses gratitude. Place fresh blossoms in water on altar during ritual to attract money and prosperity. Used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating skin conditions.

 

Caraway Carry for protection against spirits who mean harm, especially Lilith. The seeds can be used to ensure faithfulness, and can be used in spells to attract a lover. Used in cooking, will induce lust.

 

Carob Often used as a chocolate substitute, but although the flavor is similar, the correspondences are opposite. Useful for protection and prosperity (the dried pods were once used as currency). Can be burned as an incense to attract spirit helpers and familiars, or to deter poltergeists.

 

Catnip Animal magick and healing pets, increases psychic bond with animals. Use as a tea for happiness and relaxation. Can also be used during meditation, increases psychic abilities. Useful in love magick- try burning dried leaves for love wishes.

 

Cayenne Pepper Use in hexes, or to break a hex. Use in love or separation spells. The fire or spark of the spirit, it adds power to any spell. Contains capsaicin, which acts as a stimulating digestive aid. Apply externally for joint pain. Aids circulation, blood pressure, and colds. Those with ulcers or chronic bowel disorders should avoid using in large quantities.

 

Cedar Healing, purification, money, protection, love. Cedar smoke is purifying and can cure nightmares. Keep cedar in your wallet or purse to attract money, and use in money incense. It can also be used in love sachets or burned to induce psychic powers. Use to draw Earth energy and grounding.

 

Chamomile Chamomile tea is a great relaxer. Prosperity wishes, use to attract money, use as an amulet for prosperity. Use in sleep and meditation incense. Prepares body and mind for magick. Add to a bath or use to wash your face and hair to attract love. Bathe children in chamomile tea to protect from the evil eye, useful in breaking curses cast against you.

 

Cinnamon Spirituality, success, healing, psychic powers, lust, protection, love. Burn cinnamon as an incense or use in sachets and spells for healing, money-drawing, psychic powers, and protection. Mix with frankincense, myrhh and sandalwood for a strong protection incense to be burned every day. A male aphrodisiac.

 

Cloves Protection, exorcism, love, money, good luck. Use in incense to attract money, drive away negativity, purify, gain luck or stop gossip. Wear to attract the opposite sex or for protection. Worn or carried to repel negative energies around you, also said to protect babies in their cribs if hung over them strung together.

 

Coltsfoot Add to love sachets and use in spells for peace and tranquility. Smoke the leaves to aid in obtaining visions. A soothing expectorant and anti-spasmodic, which can be used to treat bronchitis, whooping cough, asthma, and chronic emphysema. Caution: Do not use if pregnant or nursing!

 

Cumin Burn with frankincense for protection. Mix with salt and scatter to keep away evil spirits and bad luck. Use in love spells. Steep cumin seed in wine to induce lust. Place the seeds on, in or near an object to prevent left. Burn with frankincense for protection.

 

Clover (Red) Protection, money, love, fidelity, exorcism, success, clairvoyance, beauty. Brings good luck. Induces clairvoyant powers. Use for rituals to enhance beauty and youth.

 

Comfrey Leaf A strong herb for protection against any type of negativity, especially when traveling, and particularly for protection in the astral realms. Very nutritious, beneficial for healing sprains, strains, fractures and sores. Also soothes an upset stomach.

 

Damiana Sex magick, lust, love, visions. Use in lust spells. Use in love baths. Burn to enhance visions. Damiana can be prepared in a tea for use in sex magick. It is a mild aphrodisiac. It produces a marijuana-like euphoria when smoked. Good for enchanting a male lover. Damiana tea is the best thing for hangovers. Use caution with this herb.

 

Dandelion Leaf Divination, wishes, calling Spirits. Use the root in a tea to enhance psychic powers. Used in Samhain rituals. Sleep, protection, healing. A very nutritious and universally beneficial herb. Use in dream pillows and sachets, the leaves and flowers can be used in tea for healing.

 

Dill Hang in the doorway to protect your home, or carry to protect your person. Can be used in money spells. Add to a ritual bath to become irresistible to the one you desire. Use in love and lust spells.

 

Eucalyptus Leaf Uses include great healing properties, kills germs, infections, eases lung congestion, heart stimulant. Attracts healing vibrations and protection. Use to purify and cleanse any space of unwanted energies. Also useful in dream and sleep pillows.

 

Fennel Seed Healing, longevity, courage, vitality, virility and strength. Use for protection spells of all kinds. Prevents curses, possession and negativity. Use for purification. Gives strength, courage and longevity. Delicious flavor, purifies breath, aids digestion and weight loss.

 

Feverfew Love and protection. Include in charms or sachets. Also a strong herb for health and spiritual healing. Use to ward off sickness and bolster immune system. Protects travelers, keep in your suitcase or car the next time you travel. Excellent treatment for migraine headaches- eases inflammation and constriction of the blood vessels in the head, reduces sensitivity to light and nausea.

 

Dried Fig Fertility, love spells- excellent ingredient in spell bags. Divination. Sacred to Dionysus, Juno and many others. Recommended for a Beltane altar. If placed on the doorstep before leaving it will ensure you will arrive home safely.

 

Flax Seed Use to keep the peace at home- place in a bowl to absorb negative energy. Useful in healing and protection spells. Also, carry flax seeds in your wallet or purse to attract money. Very nutritious, good for cholesterol.

 

Galangal Root Psychic abilities, luck, money. For courage, strength, and for avoiding legal problems. Worn or carried, it protects its bearer and draws good luck. Placed in a sachet of leather with silver, it brings money. Powdered galangal is burned to break spells and curses. It is also carried or sprinkled around the home to promote lust. Worn as a talisman, galangal aids psychic development and guards the bearer's health. A mild hallucinogen- eat about three inches of the root for this effect. Use caution with this plant.

 

Gardenia Wear to attract love. Use in healing spells. Use in Moon incense, use to increase spirituality.

 

Garlic Use is in protection spells- traditionally used to ward off vampires. Great healing properties, antiviral, antifungal, strengthening. The ancient Greeks placed garlic on the stone cairns at crossroads as an offering to Hecate.

 

Ginger Love, money, success, power. Use in love spells. Eat before performing spells to increase your power.

 

Ginseng Powder Rejuvenation, longevity and sexual potency. Use the root in spells to attract love, maintain health, draw money and ensure sexual potency. Carry to enhance beauty. Burn to break curses or ward off evil spirits. Make into a lust enhancing tea. Useful as an antidepressant, equalizes blood pressure, and aids digestion.

 

Hazelnut Healing, protection, luck, clairvoyance, divination, inspiration, wisdom, defense, fertility, wishes. Hazel is an ancient Celtic tree of wisdom, inspiration, and poetry. In Celtic tradition, the Salmon of Knowledge is said to eat the 9 nuts of poetic wisdom dropped into its sacred pool from the hazel tree growing beside it. Ancient Irish tales tell of poets and seers "gaining nuts of Wisdom," a metaphor for heightened states of consciousness; this belief may have root in a potent brew ? hazelmead- made from hazelnuts that caused visions. To enlist the aid of plant fairies, string hazelnuts on a cord and hang up in your house or ritual room.

 

Hulled Hemp Seed Healing, love, vision, meditation. Burn as an incense during scrying or to attract spirit guides. Also add to wax when casting candles. Rich in nutrients, add to healing formulas and spells. Also useful in love magick.

 

Hibiscus Flower  Useful as an aphrodisiac and in love spells. Also use to induce dreams, and enhance psychic ability and divination. Soothes nerves, antispasmodic. Tea aids digestion, and sweetens breath. Helpful with itchy skin.

 

Holly Leaf Luck, dream magick. An excellent protective herb, keeps away lightning, poison, evil spirits, and other malign forces. The wood is used for all magickal tools as it will enhance any wish you have. A powerful protection. Do not consume, for ritual use only.

 

Hops Use in healing incenses and spells. Put inside pillow to induce sleep. Tea helps with a restful sleep. Also drink tea after magickal practices to balance and refocus your energy back to ordinary reality. Use in healing sachets and amulets. Also burned during healing prayers.

 

Horehound As a tea to increase energy and strength, both physically and mentally- it increases concentration and focus. Carry or burn for protection wishes. Called the "Seed of Horus" by the Ancient Egyptians, it is excellent for blessing one's home. Gather flowering Horehound and tie with a ribbon, then hang it in your home to keep it free from negative energies. The leaves and stems are used in candies, cough drops and syrups. Used to treat asthma, coughs, colds, bronchitis, sore throats, and skin irritations. Also used as a diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, laxative, stimulant, and stomachic.

 

Hyssop An excellent purifying herb. Use in purification baths and spells. Associated with serpents and dragons, and can be burned as an incense to call on dragon energy. Aids in physical and spiritual protection.

 

Juniper Berries Useful for protection magick of all kinds. Makes a nice incense for protection. It can be burned or carried to enhance psychic powers. Attracts good, healthy energies and love. Aids in digestion, intestinal cramps, diuretic, eases arthritis. Banishes energies injurious to good health.

 

Mandrake Root Protection, love, money, fertility, health. Mandrake intensifies the magick of any spell. To charge mandrake root with your personal power, sleep with it for three nights during the full moon. A hallucinogen when used in tea- it has great power as a visionary herb, empowering your visions and propelling them into manifestation. A whole mandrake root placed in the home will bring protection and prosperity. Carried, it will attract love and couage.

 

Morning Glory Blossoms Happiness, peace, visions. Place under your pillow to stop nightmares and induce beneficial psychic dreams. Sacred to the Aztecs. Do not consume, toxic.

 

Moss To ensure good luck, especially with money, carry any type of moss removed from a gravestone. Use in prosperity spells, Gnome magick and spells to Mother Earth. Use in "Witch Bottles" for home and business. Place in your bra When a MALE lover is near to attract sexual attention.

 

Mugwort Use in dream pillows for prophetic dreams. Burn with sandalwood or wormwood in scrying rituals. Drink as a tea sweetened with honey before divination. The plain tea can also be used to wash crystal balls and magick mirrors. Leaves of mugwort can be placed around these to aid in scrying.

 

Mullein Protection and courage. Keeps away demons and nightmares while sleeping, also protects against wild animals. Useful in protection and exorcism spells. Invokes spirits, use on scrying tools to aid divination. This plant is the Original Witch's torch, used to illuminate spells and rites. Useful as an expectorant to clear and heal lungs, stops diarrhea and soothes hemeroids.

 

Nettles Carry to remove a curse and send it back, or sprinkle around the house to keep out evil. Use in purification baths. Highly nutritious for anemia, skin disorders and allergies, restores health, expectorant, stops bleeding. One of the nine sacred herbs of the Anglo-Saxons.

 

Nutmeg Luck, money, health. Carry for good luck, and to strengthen clairvoyant powers. Use in money and prosperity spells. A hallucinogen when made into a tea. TOXIC in large doses! Take no more than a pinch!

 

Orris Root Love, protection, divination. Use to find and hold love- a powder made from the root is used as a love drawing powder. Protection from evil spirits. Roots and leaves hung in the house, and added to the bath are good for personal protection.

 

Pau d'Arco Works best during the waning Moon- can be empowered by drawing down the Moon directly into the herb. The active ingredient is xyloidin, a very potent antibiotic and antiviral. Can relieve arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, eczema, gastritis, psoriasis, pyorrhoea, rheumatism, skin and nails, ulcers. Used to treat chronic candida. Potent tonic and cell regenerator, stimulating natural defenses and revitalizing the body. Also a sedative, an analgesic, and a diuretic.

 

Passion Flower Promotes emotional balance, peace, attracts friendship and prosperity. Heightens libido, use in love spells. Calming and soothing, promotes emotional balance, aid in sleep. Use to relieve nerve pain and hysteria.

 

Pennyroyal Carry in a green bag to attract money and to aid in business transactions. Burn for protection in meditation and astral travel. Use for ridding negative thoughts against you, carry when dealing with negative vibrations of all kinds. Caution: stimulates menustration when consumed, and can induce miscarriage

 

Peppermint Purification, sleep, love, healing, psychic powers. Promotes sleep and visionary dreams. Use in healing and purification baths. Burn as a winter incense. Very useful for stomach upset and heartburn, nausea, and to ease congestion during colds and flu.

 

Pine For sacred wisdom. Prosperity,fertility, healing.The Pine tree is an evergreen, its old title was "the sweetest of woods". Its needles are a valuable source of vitamin C and can loosen a tight chest. The scent of Pine is useful in the alleviation of guilt. Burn for strength, and to reverse negative energies.

 

Raspberry Leaf Protection, healing, love. Calming, promotes sleep and visions. Useful during pregnancy and childbirth, eases diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Beneficial to the kidneys.

 

Rose Petals Love, psychic powers, healing, luck, protection. Use in love spells of all kinds. Drink rose tea before bed for prophetic dreams. Domestic peace and happiness, promotes joy of giving. Helps clear away headaches, dizziness, mouth sores and menstrual cramps. Heart and nerve tonic.

 

Rose Hips Rose hips are very high in Vitamin C. Rose hips also contain A, B, E, and K, organic acids and pectin, and have a high concentration of iron. The hips are strung like beads and worn to attract love. A woman should eat rose hips during her menstrual period. A woman's lover should gather roses for this purpose. The earliest known gardening was the planting of roses along the most traveled routes of early nomadic humans.

 

Rosemary Protection, love, lust, mental powers, exorcism, purification, healing, sleep, youth. Burn to purify and cleanse. Use in love and lust incenses and potions. Use for healing of all kinds. A tea of rosemary causes the mind to be alert. Circulatory, digestive and nerve stimulant. Heals headache, depression, and halitosis.

 

Sage Immortality, longevity, wisdom, protection, prosperity. Use in healing and money spells. Purifying, use as incense during sacred rituals-walk the smoke to the four corners of the room to repel and rid negative energies and influences. Especially good when moving into a new home. Heals wounds, aids digestion, eases muscle and joint pain, colds and fever.

 

Sea Salt Prosperity, protection, purification, consecration of ritual tools. Sprinkle a few grains around your sacred space to clear it of any unpleasant presences. Some ancient rituals call for pouring dry salt into a receptacle of water to symbolize the dissolving of evil.

 

Shavegrass Also known as Horsetail. Fertility spells. Nutritious, helps the body absobrb calcium, may help to strengthen bones, hair and nails. Control excess oil on the skin. Diuretic, helps to relieve urinary disorders. May help blood to clot, reduce fevers, and calm nervous tension. Also can be used in snake charming!

 

Scotch Broom Leaf A Druid sacred tree. Use in purification and protection spells and scatter to exorcise evil spirits. Burn to calm the wind. The branches are used to make traditional besoms. The tea can induce psychic powers, and its smoke is a sedative. Use in moderation, can be toxic.

 

Seaweed Offers protection to those at sea. Summons sea spirits and sea winds. Uses in sachets and spells to increase psychic powers. Scrub floors and doors of business with infusion to attract customers and bring in positive energy. Use in money spells. Fill a small jar with whiskey, add kelp, cap tightly and place in the kitchen window. Ensures a steady flow of money into the household. Helps regulate an underactive thyroid. Relieves the pain of rheumtism and rheumatic joints.

 

Spanish Moss Luck, money, banish poltergeists- To ensure good luck, especially with gambling, carry Spanish moss. Use in "Witch Bottles" for home and business. Place around home, or burn to banish poltergeists.

 

St. John's Wort Health, protection, strength, love divination, happiness, exorcism. A Druid sacred herb. Use in protection and exorcism spells and incenses of all kinds. Use as a tea to treat depression. Use the leaves in a necklace to ward off sickness and tension. Carry to strengthen your courage and conviction. Burn to banish negative thoughts and energies.

 

Star Anise Protection, purification, youth, psychic powers, luck. Use for protection, meditation and psychic power incenses. Can be used in purification baths. Wards off evil and averts the evil eye. A pillow stuffed with anise seeds will keep away nightmares. The tree is planted by the Japanese around temples and on graves as an herb of consecration and protection. The seeds are burned as incense to increase psychic powers, and are also worn as beads for the same purpose. Sometimes star anise is placed on the altar to give it power; one is placed to each of the four directions. It is also carried as a good luck charm, and the seeds make excellent pendulums. The tree is often grown near Buddist temples where it is revered. A stimulant and diuretic. Promotes digestion and relieves flatulence.

 

Tea Riches, courage, strength. Use the leaves in money sachets, incenses and spells. A stimulant. Green tea is rich in antioxidants, and other youth enhancing compounds. The leaves can be used in scrying.

 

Tobacco Leaf Sacred to the Native American Tradition. Tobacco ties- wrap tobacco leaves in pieces of white, red, yellow and black cloth, and hang them around the ceremonial space at the 4 cardinal directions. Smoke to allow communication with spirits. Burn as an incense to purify a space. Spirits appreciate offerings of tobacco.

 

Thistle Flower Represents courageous defense and deep rooted ideals. Protection spells, also used to bring spiritual and financial blessings. Carried in an amulet for joy, energy, vitality, and protection. Can be burned as an incense for protection and also to counteract hexing.

 

Thyme Burn for good health and use in healing spells. Burn as purification incense. Wear to increase psychic powers.

 

Valerian Root A muscle relaxant and a tranquilizer. Use for dream magick and sleep protection baths. Keep in the home or grow in the garden to aid in keeping harmony. May be used to purify a ritual space. Useful in consecrating incense burners. Drink tea daily, in moderate doses, during times of purification.

 

Vanilla Love, seduction, mental powers. Use in love sachets, and wear the fragrant oil as an aphrodisiac.

 

White Willow Bark Love, divination, protection, healing. Carry and use in spells to attract love. Use the leaves, bark and wood in healing spells. Burn with sandalwood to conjure spirits. Brings blessings of the moon into one's life. Eases muscle and joint pain, beneficial for arthritis.

 

Yarrow Flower Use to dispell melancholy, negative energy, lingering sorrow, or depression. Carried as a sachet or amulet it repels or rids of negative influences. Aids in divination. Good remedy for colds. Opens the pores and purifies the blood. Said to prevent baldness as a hair wash.