The Magic of Flowers: A Guide to Their Metaphysical Uses & Properties - Tess Whitehurst 2013

Author’s Notes

Obviously every flower on this list will not necessarily grow in your area, so just work with the ones that do, as there will almost certainly be at least one that fits with your magical intention. Or, if you read about a flower that you have a burning desire to employ and it doesn’t happen to grow in your area, you might find a commercially available flower essence online or at a health food store or metaphysical supply shop.

Also, although I wanted to write about every flower in existence, for practical purposes I wrote about eighty of them. And while I tried to cover all the old standby flowers (daisy, lily, tulip, rose, and so on), as well as a good selection of the more obscure varieties, I apologize if I left out your favorite or one that grows in abundance in your neighborhood! However, it is my intention to point you in the direction of engaging in your own flower communication practice and discovering your own portal into the magical properties and uses of our friends in the floral realm. In other words, if you want to know about the magical properties of a flower that isn’t included in this book, just ask her yourself!

Finally, you will notice that a number of times throughout the text, after I have recommended gathering one or more blossoms for the purpose of a ritual or charm, I suggest that you place a silver dollar or shiny dime near the base of a plant as an offering and token of thanks. This is because, in my experience, many plant spirits (also known as elementals, faeries, or devas) really enjoy receiving shiny silver objects that are denominations of human money. I don’t pretend to understand exactly why this is the case, but this is the message that I’ve received. There are other ways to offer a thank-you token, such as by pouring out a small libation of ale or blessed water. Also, if you’re worried that a child or passerby might find the coin and pocket it, don’t be. The plant spirit is just interested in the essence of the coin and your gesture of offering it, not in hoarding it for an extended period of time.

Oh—and if you don’t see a particular flower, be sure to check the index in case it’s listed under an alternate name.