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Notes from the Apothecary: Bistort
Until the end of August, possibly a little beyond depending on the weather, you may find the bristly, bottlebrush-like flowers of bistort growing everywhere from meadows to roadside hedgerows and verges. Although the bistort we have in the UK and that found in the US are slightly different, they’re all part of the same family: Polygonaceae, under the genus Bistorta. Here in the UK, I always think of the flower as little pink or purple cleaning brushes. The North American variant tends to be a bit paler and fluffier looking — I hope I get to see some with my own eyes someday. The Kitchen Garden The Wildlife Trust reports…
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Notes from the Apothecary: Moss
It’s been a while since I posted in this column, but I’m hoping to get back to it once a month. I wanted to start back with a plant that I’ve been fascinated with since I was a child. Well, it’s not one plant really, but a whole group of plants: Moss. Moss is like a miniature forest; a whole ecosystem on a doll’s house scale (or smaller) that holds so much wonder. From common haircaps emulating pine trees to sphagnum moss that forms unique peatlands, moss is a very special part of our ecosystem and is packed with magical potential. The Kitchen Garden Moss is a collection of non-vascular…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Snowberry Snowberry, or Symphoricarpos, is the name for 15 or so shrubs that boast gorgeous white berries. The plant is part of the honeysuckle family, and is also known as waxberry or the beautifully evocative name, ghostberry. The inspiration to write about this plant came from my 13-year-old, who sent me this cute WhatsApp message on his way home (pictured). It’s lovely to be the “go-to” person for plant info, and nice to be able to give some fast advice on a potentially toxic plant! The interesting thing about snowberries is that, while they can be toxic, they’re also used medicinally in some…
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Book Review & Interview – Green Witchcraft: Discover how to use Herbs, Flowers, Woods, Crystals, and Essential Oils to Naturally Heal, Increase Abundance, and Align Yourself with the Magic of Mother Earth by Madeline Silvy
Book Review Green Witchcraft: Discover How to use Herbs, Flowers, Woods, Crystals, and Essential Oils to Naturally Heal, Increase Abundance, and Align Yourself with the Magic of Mother Earth by Madeline Silvy Publisher: Self-Published 233 Pages Release Date: September 12, 2023 Some books feel like a conversation and visit from an old friend, one that you enjoy very much. Green Witchcraft by Madeline Silvy brought the comfort and companionship of sisterhood to my heart and home. Being brought up in a family of all men, it took me a while to discover the beauty and truth spoken, Women need Women. Green Witchcraft delivered the fulfillment of that…
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Book Review – The Magic of Seeds: The Nature-Lover’s Guide to Growing Garden Flowers and Herbs from Seeds by Clare Gogerty
Book Review The Magic of Seeds: The Nature-Lover’s Guide to Growing Garden Flowers and Herbs from Seeds by Clare Gogerty Publisher: David & Charles 144 Pages Release Date: March 23, 2023 This book was an absolute joy to read. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in herbs. The illustrations and colors are lovely. Information is concise. A balance between informative, practical, magical, historical and folklore. This is a great reference for those wishing to expand culinary, magical and gardening knowledge. One of my favorite illustrations shows you what to sow during what part of the year. Many of us mistakenly think of Spring…
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Notes from The Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Petunias Petunias: Both a beautiful garden flower and a star of the RNA-focused scientific community. Way back in the 1990s, scientists tried to create deep purple petunias by inserting the gene associated with this colour. Instead, the flowers just came out white! Further studies into this led to big discoveries concerning RNA interference and gene silencing, for which scientists Andrew Fire and Craig Mello received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. But it all started with the petunias. Petunia is not a single species, but a genus of flowers that contains around 35 distinct species. They’re all in the Solanaceae family, which also includes…
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Book Review – Icelandic Plant Magic: Folk Herbalism of the North by Albert Björn
Book Review Icelandic Plant Magic: Folk Herbalism of the North by Albert Björn Publisher: Crossed Crow Books Pages: 306 Rerelease Date: June 27, 2023 There are, without a doubt, plenty of books out there on magical herbalism or green witchery. However, this is the first I have spotted specifically singling out the herbs of Iceland in a magical context. As the author notes, while the mysterious-seeming country of Iceland offers many folk tales and hidden beings, the plants of the island aren’t usually picked out as a point of interest. Albert Björn Shiell has neatly corrected that oversight with this animistic, practical, and beautiful book. This book is laid…
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Book Review – Wiccan Teas & Brews: Recipes for Magical Drinks, Essences, and Tinctures by Cerridwen Greenleaf
Book Review Wiccan Teas & Brews: Recipes for Magical Drinks, Essences, and Tinctures By Cerridwen Greenleaf Publisher: Cico Books 144 pages Publication Date: May 14, 2023 Cerridwen Greenleaf was a toddler when she learned the importance of herbs from her Auntie Edie, but it took curing a cough that lingered after a bout of flu and did not respond to pharmaceuticals for her to begin evangelizing the drinking of herbal brews. “Tea conjures a very powerful alchemy because, when you drink it, you take the magic inside of you,” she wrote in Wiccan Teas & Brews. “They have the power to heal when nothing else will,”…
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Living the Oily Life
Tea Tree Oil Tea tree oil is another main stay in my oil arsenal. Tea tree or melaleuca is known for its cleansing and purifying properties. The plant tea tree oil is derived from is found in Australia. Aboriginal people would apply the leaves of the plant directly to their skin to help cool it in the scorching sun. The oil is extracted from the leaves of the plant and for purposes of collection steam and pressure distillation are used to gather the oil. This oil is used world wide in everything from cleaning, to hair and skin care. Having issues finding a toner that works well on your skin?…
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Book Review – Culpeper’s Complete Herbal by Nicholas Culpeper, Annotated by Dr. J.J. Pursell
Book Review Culpeper’s Complete Herbal By Nicholas Culpeper Annotated by J.J. Pursell Publisher: Andrews McMeel Pages: 384 Rerelease Date: October 2022 Nicholas Culpeper was an extraordinary figure of the 17th century. Frustrated with the lack of medicine and treatment available to those with no money, Culpeper, a fairly well-to-do gentleman, abandoned his studies at Cambridge University and went to become an apprentice at a London-based apothecary. From there, he set up his own pharmacy and went on to publish “The Complete Herbal” in 1652/53. This was despite twice being accused of witchcraft, tried, and acquitted. Culpeper went against the grain and didn’t let the authorities dissuade…
