Lore, wild plants

Lore - Wild plants

Gardening is an inexact science and surrounded by centuries of tradition, folklore, myth and superstition. Hidden amongst it is some age old wisdom and also some age old cobblers.

Bluebells

Fields of bluebells are dangerously enchanted by fairies, who are called to their midnight dances and revels by the sound of bluebells ringing.

Dandelions

Apparently seen as a love omen in English country folklore. When I was a child smelling a dandelion flower was to be avoided as it meant that you would wet the bed.

Dandelion clocks of the fluffy seed heads can be used to tell the time - count how many blows (o'clocks) to remove them all. Alternatively counting the number of seeds left after you have blown on it will indicate how many years you will have to wait until your wedding day.

Ferns

Also known as 'Devil Brushes' in England. It is believed that hanging dried ferns in the house will protect all the inhabitants from thunder and lightning damage. Be careful because it may rain when the ferns are cut or burnt.

The brackenseed of the plant is said to provide magical qualities if you place a few in the pocket - invisibility being the most notable (probably need to keep your fingers crossed at the same time).

Be careful when you go seed collecting because it is believed that treading on a fern will cause the poor unfortunate traveller to become confused and lose his way. Stomach ache is supposed to be alleviated by taking some crushed brackenseed taken with water from a fern growing on a tree. (I wouldn't try this one, bracken is very poisonous, the alleviation of pain may be permanent!)

Ferns are also favored by pixies, who can sometimes be found near them.

Mandrake (Mayapple)

Mandrake (so called because the root is said to shaped like a man - with two legs) was said to scream when pulled from the ground and that the person who pulled it would die. To avoid this, starving dogs were tied to the plant and then tempted to pull it out with food.

St. Johns Wort

Now in many herbal remedies. Noted for its calming effect, valuable for nervous disorders such as insomnia, depression and bedwetting. The oil has remarkable soothing and healing action when rubbed into painful joints and strained muscles. Celtic tradition held that the druids wore it in battle for invincibility - that'll be why we're all ruled by druids then. Burn to exorcise negative spirits.

The plant was believed to be able to move around to avoid having the flowers picked it. If caught the flowers help ward off evil spirits by hanging over the door. Originally known as the "sun god's flower" the Christians dedicated Midsummer to St. John the Baptist and renamed the plant St. John's Wort.

Considered a sacred fairy plant on the Isle of Man, where it is believed pixies will have revenge on you if you tread on it.

Californian Poppy Eschscholzia californica (Family: Papaveraceae)

When the Spaniards who the first European explorers of California saw these poppies emblazoning the hills, they called the land "The Golden West". Not so much because of the wealth...that came later; but, because of the golden poppies! The Spaniards named this poppy, "copa de oro" or cup of gold.

Some of these California poppies were taken to Russia by Adelbert Chamisso, a botanist on a voyage to collect samples from the North American continent. Chamisso named the poppy after a Prussian doctor on the ship whose name was Dr. Elsholz, which was then Russianised to Eschscholz.

Now starting to be available in pink varieties as well as the usual yellow and orange. California poppies may look fragile but are a very hardy variety of the Papaver family. If you plant them in your garden, you will be assured of adding beauty to the world. Sprinkle the seeds on the ground and rake in gently, and you get your reward back in layers of gold. They self-seed fairly reliably too.

Primrose

Eating primroses is supposed to enable you to see fairies.
Touching a fairy rock with a primrose posy opens the way to fairyland and fairy gifts.

Mistletoe

Supposed to give Protection and convey love. Anti-lightning charm, place a branch above the doorway to your house to protect it during thunderstorms. Supposedly extinguishes fires (can't find any details how though). Hang Mistletoe and kiss the one you want.

It is a parasitic plant. When the host or main tree died off (lost its leaves) in the winter it was believed that the mistletoe held the life of the main plant within itself.

For the most effective magic it's supposed to be harvested from an oak tree using a golden sickle on the sixth day of a full moon - seems like a good excuse to me - "It would have worked but I only had my ordinary sickle on me....."