A Druid's Handbook to the Spiritual Power of Plants: Spagyrics in Magical and Sexual Rituals - Jon G. Hughes 2014
Flower Attributes
The Flower
Assessing the Natural Resources
Having seen how the celestial bodies may influence the energies and attributes of flowers, we must now look at the actual physical and magical attributes of the various genera and species of flowering plants. The table below shows the range of flowers and flowering herbs (treated as flowers) that are used commonly in Druidic plant lore and that are indigenous to the Celtic regions of northern Europe.
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The Influences and Attributes of Celtic Flowers |
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Name |
Attributes |
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Common |
Scientific |
Welsh |
Celestial Influence |
Physical |
Magical |
Anemone (Wood) |
Anemone nemorosa |
Blodyn y gwynt |
Moon |
Poultice treats strained muscles |
Healing, protection, sincerity |
Angelica (Wild) |
Angelica sylvestris |
Llysiau’r gwrid |
Moon |
Digestive disorders |
Purification, healing |
Bird’s-foot Trefoil |
Lotus corniculatus |
Traed yr Oen |
Sun |
Poultice reduces bruising |
Sexual potency, fertility |
Bluebell |
Hyacinthus non-scripta |
Clych y eos |
Moon |
Used externally to ease sprains |
Faithfulness, modesty, truth |
Brooklime |
Veronica beccabunga |
Llysiau Taliesin |
Moon |
Reduces swelling; treats throat and mouth infections |
Protection; improves visionary capacity |
Buttercup (Meadow) |
Ranunculus acris |
Blodau y menyn |
Sun |
Poisonous; said to cure the plague |
Increases self-esteem and confidence |
Celandine (Greater) |
Chelidonium majus |
Llym u llygaid |
Sun |
Poisonous; treats corns and warts |
Brings joy, cures depression |
Chickweed (Starwort) |
Stellaria media |
Gwlydd |
Moon |
Treats coughs and heals wounds |
Love and relationships |
Cinquefoil (Marsh) |
Potentilla alustris |
Pumbys (five |
Moon |
Treats mouth ulcers and sore throats |
Protection and purification; love and wisdom |
Clover (White) |
Trifolium repens |
Meillionen wen |
Sun |
On skin; increases sensitivity |
Empowers projection; increases psychic power |
Coltsfoot |
Tussilago far fara |
Carn yr ebol |
Moon |
Treats coughs |
Brings love and peace |
Cotton Thistle (Scottish thistle) |
Onopordon acanthium |
Ysgall (thistle) |
Sun |
Treats nervous complaints |
Protection, vitality; increases libido |
Cowslip |
Primula veris |
Llysiau’r parlys |
Sun |
Externally, acts as mild local anesthetic |
Protection, healing, youthful energy |
Cuckoo flower or Lady’s smock |
Cardamine pratensis |
Blodyn llaeth |
Moon |
Taken as a digestive |
Fertility, passion, and sexual energy |
Daffodil (Wild) |
Narcissus pseudonarcissus |
Gwaew’r brenin |
Sun |
The bulb is narcotic; used externally to reduce swelling |
Increases self-esteem; binds fidelity and love |
Daisy (English) |
Bellis perennis |
Lygad y dydd |
Sun |
Treats strains and bruising |
Protection, binding, devotion |
Dandelion |
Taraxacum officinale |
Dant y llew |
Sun |
Treats jaundice and coughs; purifies the blood |
Rejuvenation; increases psychic abilities; cleansing |
Feverfew (Common) |
Tanacetum parthenium |
Wermod |
Moon |
Treats headaches; regulates menstruation |
Immortality, love |
Figwort (Common) |
Scrophularia nodosa |
Meddyges ddu |
Moon |
Treats sore throats and toothache |
Protection, happiness; the Irish “queen of herbs” |
Forget-me-not (Field) |
Myosotis arvensis |
Llys cariad |
Moon |
Externally, acts as cleanser |
Love; increases memories |
Foxglove |
Digitalis purpurea |
Menyg yr ellyll |
Moon |
Poisonous DO NOT USE |
Very strong magical properties |
Fumitory (Common) |
Fumaria officinalis |
Mwg y ddaear |
Moon |
Antiseptic |
Purification and cleansing |
Garlic (Ramsons Wild) |
Allium ursinum |
Garlleg |
Sun |
Treats loss of appetite; digestive problems |
Protection; guards against evil |
Gypsywort |
Lycopus europaeus |
Llysiau’r sipsiwn |
Sun |
Yields strong black dye; treats heart, nervous conditions |
Healing; relaxation; aids divination and scrying |
Honeysuckle |
Lonicera periclymenum |
Gwyddfid |
Moon |
Treats headaches and coughs |
Increases psychic ability |
Iris (Yellow) |
Iris pseudacorus |
Enfys |
Moon |
Used externally for skin irritations |
Purification; invokes wisdom and courage |
Lavender (Common) |
Lavandula angustifolia |
Lafant |
Moon |
Treats migraine, exhaustion, and nervous disorders |
Invokes love, peace, joy, and healing |
Marjoram (Wild) |
Origanum vulgare |
Mintys y |
Sun |
Treats coughs and intestinal problems |
Happiness; relieves depression |
Marigold (Pot) |
Calendula officinalis |
Aur y gors |
Sun |
Antiseptic, antifungal; treats cuts and wounds; use as mouthwash |
Increases prophetic dreams; increases love and passion |
Meadowsweet (Bridewort) |
Filipendula ulmaria |
Brenhines |
Moon |
Treats flu, headaches, and stomach ulcers |
Love; lifts depression |
Melilot (Common Ribbed) |
Melilotus officinalis |
Mel y ceirw |
Sun |
Treats headaches; antiseptic |
Protection |
Milkwort (Common) |
Polygala vulgaris |
Llaethlys |
Moon |
Purifies the blood |
Health, longevity, immortality |
Mint (Roundleaf) |
Mentha suaveolens |
Mintys |
Moon |
Treats stomach complaints and nausea; antiseptic |
Protection, healing; the Druids’ most sacred herb |
Mistletoe |
Viscum album |
Uchelwydd |
Sun |
Treats high blood pressure, arthritis, eases menstrual flow |
Not really a flower/herb, but the “all powerful” Druidic plant |
Mugwort |
Artemisia vulgaris |
Llwydlys |
Moon |
Regulates menstruation; treats loss of appetite |
Brings prophetic dreams; aids divination |
Mullein (Great)) |
Verbascum thapsus |
Clust y fuwch |
Sun |
Treats coughs, chills, and earache; poultice treats wounds |
Increases psychic awareness and vision; used to make “hag’s tapers” or enchanter’s candles |
Nightshade (Deadly) |
Atropa belladonna |
Llewg yr iâr |
Moon |
Poisonous |
Very strong magical powers |
Pansy (Heartsease) |
Viola tricolor |
Trilliw |
Moon |
Treats skin complaints, respiratory problems |
Love and affection; aids divination |
Parsley (Cow) |
Anthriscus sylvestris |
Troes y dryw |
Sun |
Increases stamina |
Peace and affection |
Pennyroyal |
Mentha pulegium |
Brymllys |
Moon |
Poisonous; used externally to combat fleas |
Used in scrying and divination to sharpen the wits |
Pimpernel (Scarlet) |
Angallis arvensis |
Lysiau’r cryman |
Sun |
Poisonous; used as a weatherglass and clock |
Dispels melancholy (also called “the laughter bringer”) |
Poppy |
Meconopsis cambrica |
Llysiau cwsg |
Moon |
Poisonous; used externally for skin disorders |
Fertility, sleep, relaxation, meditation |
Rose |
Rosa canina |
Rhosyn y berth |
Moon |
Used as a general pick-me-up and tonic |
Healing, love; said to cure the bite of a mad dog (dog rose) |
Sage |
Teucrium scorodonia |
Sage gwyllt |
Moon |
Treats catarrh, nasal infections |
Wisdom, immortality |
Selfheal |
Prunella vulgaris |
Craith un nos |
Moon |
Treats throat and tonsils; heals cuts and wounds |
Healing; aids self-confidence |
Scullcap |
Scutellaria galericulata |
Gras Duw |
Sun |
A strong nerve tonic |
Strengthens sexual potency |
Sorrel |
Oxalis acetosella |
Suran y cwn |
Moon |
Treats liver and kidney disorders; heals cuts and wounds |
Healing; a bringer of good fortune |
Sneezewort |
Achillea ptarmica |
Tafos yr wydd |
Moon |
Treats toothache; clears head; counters fatigue |
Increases sexual energy and attractiveness |
St. John’s wort |
Hypericum perforatum |
Y gantwll fawr |
Sun |
Treats depression, wounds, sprains, and bruises |
Wards off evil; the predominant healing herb |
Tansy |
Tanacetum vulgare |
Tansi |
Sun |
Used as a mouthwash and eye lotion |
Divination; increases psychic powers; longevity |
Thyme |
Thymus vulgaris |
Gruwlys |
Moon |
Treats digestive disorders, coughs, and bronchitis; used as mouthwash |
Purification and cleansing; helps in seeing other worlds |
Valerian |
Valeriana officinalis |
Gwell na’r aur |
Moon |
Mild sedative; treats insomnia and nervous disorders |
Purification, peace and calm, tranquillity and meditation |
Vervain |
Verbena officinalis |
Llys hudol |
Moon |
Hair tonic; aphrodisiac |
Enhances spells; increases vitality |
Violet |
Viola odorata |
Crinllys |
Moon |
Antiseptic; used in perfumes and toiletries; treats earache |
Protection, calming, healing |
Woodruff |
Galium odoratum |
Llysiau’r eryr |
Moon |
Treats circulatory disorders |
Cleansing; aids divination |
Wormwood |
Wormwood Artemisia absinthium |
Chwerwlys |
Moon |
Treats loss of appetite, digestive disorders, fevers |
Increases psychic power |
Yarrow |
Achillea millefolium |
Llysiau’r gwaedlif |
Moon |
Digestive tonic; treats colds and flu; heals cuts and wounds |
Relaxation, love; increases attractiveness |
There are a number of things to note from this table. The plants marked “poisonous” should not be harvested or used in any way. They are included purely because they are used by experienced herbalists and form part of the overall picture of plant medications. Never use any plant that you suspect to be poisonous.
The physical attributes of each plant are those that are expressed through the Druidic complex—here, the complex of the flower. They do not necessarily express the same therapeutic and healing attributes of remedies and medications prepared through other means. Even though herbalists and homeopaths may prepare remedies from the same genus and species, they generally use different parts of the plant, such as roots and leaves, to prepare their medications. This has a profound effect on the nature of the remedy.
One of the unique features of Druidic complexes is that because of the method of preparation (see here), all internal medications are taken in the same doses. These doses and the most suitable dilution agent (carrier) are considered later in this book. The “carriers” for external use of the complexes, such as salves, balms, and poultices, are also considered later as are the details of how these complexes are used in Druidic rituals and in particular in Celtic sex magic rituals.
Each plant has a binomial categorization, beginning with its family name (genus), followed by its individual name (species). Each genus is made up of a number of species. The plant’s family name (genus) is usually of ancient Greek, Persian, or Latin origin. The genus is always a noun, and, due to its antiquity, it is often impossible to translate a name into modern English. The species name of the plant may have been created from a number of sources. Sometimes it indicates the plant’s country of origin; other times, the plant’s natural habitat, its color, its fragrance, or even the discoverer’s name. On some occasions the species name indicated the common use of the plant as in the species name officinalis, which indicates the plant’s use as an ancient herbal medicine.
Once again I will stress the importance of absolute identification of the plants you are using. Some plants are very confusing, and many are similar to other, sometimes deadly plants. Cow parsley, for example, has the common country names of adder’s meat, devil’s meat, and bad man’s oatmeal because it is easily mistaken for hemlock and fool’s parsley, both of which are deadly poisonous.
Of course, when considering which plants to use for a particular physical or magical benefit, it is possible to combine the complexes of a number of plants to obtain the attributes you desire.