An Introduction to Wiccan Herbs

Welcome to the wonderful world of Wiccan herbs! Whether you’re a Green Witch looking to deepen her craft, or a herb-curious newbie, look no further! The natural realm of flora is diverse and powerful. While a sprig of mint may be unassuming, just incorporate it into your magickal practice (along with heaping doses of your intention) and it will work wonders for you!

Wiccan herbs are one of the most ancient forms of magick and have been in use for thousands of years. They were used for their magickal, medicinal, and healing properties by shamans and other healers.

Because Wicca is an Earth-based religion, it makes perfect sense that we’d want to work with herbs. They help us connect to the Earth and emphasise our deep respect of nature. And they demonstrate the cycle of life and death and seasonal changes. 

What is herbal magick?

Herbal magick is all about releasing the innate energy within plants. Herbs are a realisation of the four Wiccan Elements. They grow in the ground (Earth). They are nourished by the sun (Fire). And they are fed by the rain (Water). And they ingest carbon dioxide, and exhale oxygen (Air).

As a result, herbs are steeped in the natural energies of the Universe. Herbs contain their own innate energy source, which is what herbal magick is for– releasing this store of energy within plants.

Herbal magick is a huge area of study and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But don’t worry! You don’t need to become an expert to get started. Just knowing a few simple principles and one or two herbs will allow you to get started. From there, you can incrementally build on your knowledge.

As a bonus, many of the most powerful Wiccan herbs can be found right in your own kitchen

Warning

Take particular care while working with Wiccan herbs. This article is not medical advice, so please use your own caution. Always research any herb before handling or ingestion. Take particular care to note any allergies or medical conditions like pregnancy. And always talk to your doctor. See our disclaimers

How do I use herbs?

There are so many magickal uses for herbs! They are incredibly potent and are great additions to many spells. They’re versatile and can be combined with all other forms of magick. 

Keep in mind that, as is the case with all your magickal endeavours, your mind and your intention are the heavy lifters. Whenever you work with herbs, channel your intention into your work and into the herbs themselves. Visualise what your goal is and what you want. Picture how you feel after achieving it, and keep this concentration front and centre as you do your herbal work.

Outlined below are a few of the more common ways Wiccan herbs can be used.

Charging Herbs

Before doing any magickal work with Wiccan herbs, you may want to charge them.

In your relaxed and focused state, with your intention in mind, take each herb and tool you will be working with, one by one. With each item, pass your dominant hand over it and picture an energetic beam of golden light. This light is emanating from you, through your hand, into the item.

State this short phrase:

Oh powerful [NAME OF HERB], I am channelling the universe’s energy to you. I am charging you to assist in my spell work.

Powder

You can buy pre-made herb powders to use in spells, but crushing whole herbs yourself lets you imbue them with your magickal intention. This is one of the oldest ways of using Wiccan herbs.

Just like you might crush whole herbs down to a powder with a mortar and pestle to use in your cooking, you can do the same for your spells. While you break up the whole herbs, direct your intention into the action and visualise how this herb will manifest your desire.

Sachet

Sachets don’t have to sit in a dark corner of your sock drawer. Place a sachet next to your bed, in your purse, in your closet, inside your car, or even just throughout your home to spread fragrance in your living space. Pre-made sachets are available for purchase, or you can easily make your own at home.

Simply select your favourite herbs inside a drawstring bag. If you don’t have a drawstring bag, you can stitch your own if you’re crafty with a needle and thread. Alternatively, you can place the herbs inside of a small cloth (handkerchiefs work well) and tie the opposite corners together. 

Ointments

Another ancient type of herbal magick! Ointments can be massaged onto your body for healing purposes. You’ll need to use some kind of carrier base like beeswax, shortening, or petroleum jelly. Mix in a good dose of your powdered herb into the carrier.

If it’s difficult to mix, such as with beeswax, you can try heating the carrier gently so it melts. 30 seconds in the microwave is a good place to start. Be careful not to heat it too much, and be careful of letting anything catch fire! If you heat the carrier, be sure to let it cool to the touch before application.

Oil

It’s very difficult to make your own oils without the proper equipment. However pre-made oils made from a variety of herbs are readily available for purchase.

Anoint yourself and your altar with the oil. Place a drop of oil on your upper lip (just under your nose) to freshen your mind and enjoy the scent as you go about your day. Place a few drops of the oil into your bath water to fragrance it.

Wraps and Packs

Not just for the spa, you can create a quick herbal wrap or pack to place on your skin to enjoy the healing benefits.

Please be mindful of the temperature of anything you place on your skin, and stay away from sensitive areas like the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

To make a wrap, find an old washcloth or small towel which you don’t mind if it changes colour. Make a strong tea from your herb or herbs of choice. Gather a bowl, put a few tablespoons of dried herbs into it, then pour boiling water on top. Let the tea steep for a few minutes, then place your washcloth into the tea.

After the washcloth has soaked up the tea, add a few ice cubes to allow the temperature to decrease. Once the liquid has cooled enough to be comfortable, remove the washcloth, wring it out, then place the cloth anywhere on your body you like.

To make a pack, add a few tablespoons of your dried, crushed herbs of choice to a bowl. Slowly add warm water, stirring the mixture constantly. Keep adding water until the dried herbs have soaked up the water and the entire mixture has a thick consistency. Then you can scoop up the thick mixture and spread it onto your skin anywhere its needed.

Teas

Teas can be made of Wiccan herbs for magickal properties and also for general medicinal qualities. For example, peppermint is calming and aids an upset stomach. Ginger is an antioxidant and helps with nausea. Please be careful before ingesting any herbs. Verify that the herbs are safe for consumption, and also be mindful of any medical conditions you have such as pregnancy.

Cooking

What better way to work with herbs than to eat them! Make ritual dishes on the sabbats using specific herbs, or find ways to incorporate them into your everyday cooking for health and healing benefits. As with teas, always verify your herbs are safe for consumption. A good rule of thumb is that unless you can find the herb in your grocery store’s spice aisle, don’t eat it!

Baths

Purification and healing baths are quite common in Wiccan practice. You may already do cleansing baths with crystals, candles, and other items. Try incorporating some herbs into your next ritual bath. Use a small porous bag like muslin cloth or a large tea infuser and fill it with the dry herbs of your choice. Then submerge it into your hot bath water, almost like you are making a tea. Bathe in the herbal, fragrant water.

Smudging and Incense

You may already use herbs in your rituals and spellwork, so whether you intended to or not! Smudging is burning a bundle of dried herbs within a space, usually for purification or sanctification. Incense is used in the same way, in addition to enhancing the environment in which you perform magick.

Try using incense in a more deliberate way sometime. Focus on the herb, what your goals are, and how the properties of the herb align with your goals. Enjoy the smell and let it envelop you.

Other Uses

There are still other ways to use herbs besides for their magickal properties. Many herbs are aromatic when fresh or dried. Try adding a small bouquet of fragrant herbs to your daily space as a pleasant reminder of the power of nature. Many herbs are beautiful as well. A small gathering of lavender or another brightly coloured herb can add some beauty to your altar or living space.

How do I store herbs?

If you’re just getting started with Green Magic, you may want to think about a place to store your supplies. Although you may start out small, after some time passes you may end up with an unmanageable number of small containers!

You may need to think about incorporating a herb cabinet into your practice, like the one shown below. (It’s not officially a Wiccan herb cabinet, but I love the small drawers and the rustic Earthy design.)

Where do I get herbs?

Herbs can be purchased in several forms. Depending on the form, you will want to look for herbs in different places:

• If you’re just starting out, you might find an herbal starter kit

• Most dried and crushed herbs can be found in your grocery store. These are the types of herbs that are used for cooking. Other herbs will be harder to find, but these you can generally order online or find in your local occult store. Sometimes natural grocers will carry less-common herbs as well.
• Fresh herbs can be purchased at the grocery store or gathered from a garden.
• Live herbs, such as small potted plants, can sometimes be purchased in the produce section of the grocery store, garden supply stores, and home improvement stores.
• Seeds can be found online and at garden supply stores and sometimes at home improvement stores if they have a gardening section. 

Starting a Wiccan Garden

Many witches like to grow their own herbs

Get in touch with the energies of the four elements and the cycle of life and death. As you grow these lovely plants, you can also charge every item you use with them– the soil, shovels, pots, water, etc.

Herbs can be grown outdoors if you have the space, or you can make a Wiccan indoor garden if not! Whether your garden is indoors or outdoors, you’ll need the seeds or live plants to start out. Plant the seeds or transplant herbs outside.

If inside, think about a terrarium that you can place on a tabletop or a small greenhouse which you can stand in a corner in your home (as you would a bookshelf). You’ll know how to garden like a witch in no time!

Gathering Live Herbs

Collecting herbs can be a ritual in itself. Plants are living beings and they provide us with nourishment and healing properties. Make it sacred by honouring the plant from which you are gathering. Show your gratitude to the plant. Before you remove a part of the plant, thank the herb:

Thank you [NAME OF HERB] for growing powerful in the light of the sun. I am grateful for your sacrifice as I remove a small part of you. I am thankful for your gift in my magickal work.

Give a small offering to the plant as well. Then, take an athame or other consecrated knife and remove part of the plant. Take only what you need, and be sure not to damage the plant in any other way. 

How to Discard Herbs

You will know when it’s time to discard your herbs. When you feel that the spell or ritual has been worked to its completion, and its work is done, ritually discard the herbs. You can burn the herbs, then bury the ashes to return to the Earth, or scatter the ashes to return them to the Wind. 

Herbal Correspondences

Below is a table of correspondences you can use in your own magickal work. Use this chart when selecting an herb for spellwork, or in the event that you don’t have an herb that a spell calls for and you need a substitute.

Allspice

A powerful, all-purpose herb which aids in a number of diverse area. It can attract luck and money. It can aid your conviction and perseverance. Use it in groups to increase social harmony. Boost positive attitudes, empathy, and teamwork. Promote cooperation. Physically, it helps digestion and boosts your energy.

Aloe

A soothing plant which alleviates emotional distress and eliminates inner barriers. It increases self-control, diligence, grit, and tenacity.

Anise

A fragrant spice when roasted, anise brings increased psychic abilities. It opens the Third Eye chakra and builds spiritual connection to the universe. Draws luck and is good for protection and purification. Crush and then burn anise before doing divination.

Asafoetida

An extremely pungent herb which helps in protection, keeping away negative energies, and purification. When used in cooking, it aids in digestion with antibacterial properties and it prevents excess flatulence.

Basil

A common kitchen herb. It draws both love and money. It leads you to success and prosperity, especially due to its green colour. Basil is great for protection and keeping away negative energies. Use it to promote group harmony, aid communication, soothe tensions, and keep the peace. Ingest basil or make a tea for headaches, anxiety, digestive troubles, or excess flatulence. Use it as a topical for antibiotic and antifungal properties. Keep a potted basil plant in your home to attract wealth, or give as a gift to be rewarded with prosperity.

Bay

Another common kitchen herb, used in cuisines all over the world. Use it for protection, healing, and purification. It keeps away negative energies, aids psychic abilities

Black Pepper

Almost every kitchen contains black pepper. Use it for banishing, protection, exorcism. It protects from evil, repels hexes and curses, and wards off envy and gossip. It can also be used in binding. Can be used to promote digestion, heal with its antioxidant properties, and help you recover from illness.

Caraway

Herb which draws luck and good fortune. Brings success and wealth. Good for romantic love and sexual passion.

Cardamom

Calming herb which promotes serenity. Powerful when used for love, sex, and romance. 

Catnip

Common herb for cat owners. Promotes love, romance, beauty, and joy. Can also be used for animal and cat magick.

Cayenne / Chili

Spicy herb which encourages romance, soothes heartbreak, and pacifies after divorce. Use for protection, purification, cleansing, and to ward off negative energies. Increases spells’ effectiveness. Builds your inner strength and fortitude. Incorporate into foods for detoxification and to increase your metabolism. 

Chamomile

A well-known herb for relaxation. Make a tea from it to unwind at the end of a long day. Promotes healing, reduces anxiety, and decreases stress

Cinnamon

A comforting herb which reminds many of warm baked goods. It draws love, luck, happiness, and wealth. It increases your personal vibrations and puts you into contact with heightened spiritual and psychic powers. Great for healing, calming, and protection. When ingested, cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant that reduces stress and can combat nausea. Cinnamon can also be burned as incense, and it works well in sachets.

Cloves

A powerful herb which can draw money and wealth. Highly protective, it can repel negative energies, ward off haters, and prevent jealousy. Builds inner strength and confidence. Medicinally it’s a powerful antioxidant and is excellent to reduce inflammation and all sorts of pain. It can also be used as an aphrodisiac. 

Coriander

An herb which most people either love or hate. Protective, draws love, and is healing.

Cumin

A common herb in many cultures. Protective, brings peace and calm, and promotes romantic fidelity. It’s often used in exorcisms. Add to your recipes for digestive health.

Dill

A cooling herb that draws luck and money. It sharpens the mind, helps you concentrate, gives you mental agility, and lets you see the bigger picture. Soothes an upset stomach.

Eucalyptus

An herb with a pleasant yet piercing smell. It’s a common ingredient in medicinal salves to aid breathing, body aches, and sore muscles. It’s a very powerful healer. Use for cleansing and purification. 

Fennel

An herb to aid in memory and mental powers. Use it for health and weight loss spells, and to increase your personal energy vibration so others feel drawn to you.

Fenugreek

An herb which gives mental focus, concentration, and transparency. It’s a good protective herb as well.

Frankincense

Powerful ancient herb used to increase psychic abilities. Crush and burn it as incense before divination. Use during meditation to see foreshadowing visions. Opens you to the spirit world.

Garlic

One of the oldest protective herbs. You may have heard about it as a way to keep away vampires. You can do the same spiritually, to keep away negative energies and bad influences. Use it to repel all toxic people and keep away ill intent. It can also be added to other spells as a strengthening ingredient. It’s antiseptic and antifungal. It’s also excellent for all-around health including blood pressure, circulation, cholesterol, and a general reduction of inflammation.

Ginger

A wonderfully spicy and flavourful herb. It’s great for cleansing and purification. It’s also a good protector. It opens you up to new experiences, allowing for daring exploits and pursuit of new opportunities. As a result it draws money and prosperity. It can also aid in romance, passion, sexual expression, and confidence. Add to dishes or brew into a tea for indigestion, nausea, menstrual cramps, and for general antioxidant benefits. 

Ginseng

An herb

Hyssop

An herb used for purification and cleansing. It calms and draws love. 

Jasmine

An herb with a light and pleasing scent. It enhances romantic relationships and natural beauty. Aids in psychic abilities and connection to the spirit world. Keep a jasmine sachet near your pillow to induce pleasant dreams.

Lavender

A versatile herb which is great in love spells. It has an attractive scent and can be put in a sachet to keep in your home or carried with you as you go about your day to draw love. It’s a very powerful herb to aid in sleep as well. It brings serene sleep

Lemongrass

An herb with a lovely citrus scent, it’s great for increasing psychic abilities, purification, and opening you to spiritual wisdom.

Mandrake

An ancient herb whose roots can often resemble a human. By legend, mandrakes are said to have a fatal scream when pulled out of the ground. Mandrake is a powerful herb, especially as an aphrodisiac. It can help with spells around sexuality, fertility, love, and impotence. It’s also great to make you more perceptive. Use it to increase intelligence and see the bigger picture.

Marjoram

A great herb for spells about love, happiness, and joy. It can also help during a time of grieving. It’s highly protective and purifying. It keeps away negative energies to help you maintain your inner happiness. It can also help connect you with the spirit world and can be used with necromancy and ancestor magick. Marjoram works well as an incense.

Mugwort

An ancient herb which is best known for its psychic qualities. Use it for all pursuits requiring psychic abilities like dream work, divination, and prophecy. Please note that mugwort is harmful to pregnant women, and should be avoided totally (don’t ingest or touch) if you think you may be pregnant. It’s commonly used as an incense, smudge stick, or as a tea. 

Mustard

A hardy herb that helps develop strength, courage, and fearlessness. Mustard gives perseverance and helps you to have faith and carry on when you want to quit. Eventually, this leads to success. To source, you should be able to find both mustard seeds (spice aisle) and mustard leaves (produce section or canned goods) in your grocery store.

Nutmeg

A warm and sweet choice from the Wiccan herbs. It has a taste that’s commonly used in wintertime favourites like eggnog and pumpkin pie. It’s an herb which focuses your vision.

Nutmeg lends itself to clarity and an ability to see the bigger picture. It also helps you to see beyond what’s on the surface– to see the truth behind what is presented to you. It opens you up to creativity which leads into luck, prosperity, and monetary success. Nutmeg is also protective and it can be used to end hexes and curses.

Onion

A kitchen staple with numerous health benefits. Magickally, it’s a powerful protector as it soaks up and neutralizes negative energies. It’s great for grounding and to create stability into your life. You can also use it for healing work, both physical and spiritual. Biologically, onions are in a family of vegetables called alliums. They are powerful antioxidants and can aid everything from blood pressure, circulation, and cholesterol. You can work with fresh onions, onion powder, or onion seeds.

Oregano

An earthy herb that’s used for increasing positivity in your life. It brings happiness and a joie de vivre meaning that you embrace and have joy for all things in your life. It also brings you more energy, strength, and endurance. Oregano is a powerful antioxidant with great healing capabilities.

Paprika

A spicy addition to spells and dishes alike. It can be added to any spell to increase that spell’s potency, even spells which already use other herbs. It can also quicken the amount of time a spell’s results take to manifest. Similarly, it can bring personal strength, emotional resilience, and amplifies your own personal energy. Physically, it’s purifying in the body and is great for detoxing and helping with digestive issues (just don’t use too much!) Some say it helps you avoid overeating as well.

Parsley

A calming green herb that you may find garnishing your dinner plate. It draws luck, wealth, and prosperity. It’s protective and purifying. It can bring you personal strength, help you bounce back after difficult situations, and lets you inspire others.

Patchouli

A multi-purpose herb with an unmistakable scent. Use it for all things regarding sex, fertility, love, and romance. It can be used to increase concentration and improve memory, so it can aid in things such as academic work or business pursuits. It’s an attractor of money and wealth. Use its mysterious scent in incense, in a sachet, or in an essential oil. 

Pennyroyal

A trusty herb often used for protection. It’s typically used to ward off the Evil Eye, commonly with a small sachet carried on your person. It’s also used for money magick. It can be made into an oil or added for its fragrance into non-ingestible goods. Please note that pennyroyal is highly toxic, especially to pregnant women. It should not be ingested.

Peppermint

Who doesn’t love peppermint? It’s a flavourful, cooling herb that makes great tea, is a refreshing scent, and is used in a number of medicinal products. It’s cleansing and purifying. It can stimulate psychic abilities and can be used before or during divination. It brings positivity, optimism, and happiness. Use it for work- or business-related inspiration. It can be eaten or made into a tea to soothe an upset stomach and other digestive troubles.

Poppy

A beautiful flower with seeds that are easy to find in the supermarket. It’s beneficial for attracting luck and money. Keep some poppy flowers near you to draw money. It’s also great at treating insomnia and to promote restful sleep. You can use poppy in spells for happiness, joy, and love.

Rose

A timeless flower, rose can be grown, purchased in a bouquet, and dried. Given its pretty colours, roses are excellent at attracting love in all its aspects, from romance to passion. They can be used for healing and protection, and drawing luck as well. You may also use rose to increase psychic abilities during divination.

Rosemary

One of the great versatile and general purpose Wiccan herbs, rosemary can be used for just about anything. It’s a good staple to keep on hand for healing, purification, consecrations, and blessings. Use it for protection from negative energies, ill intent, and possessions (it’s commonly used in exorcisms). It can help you find romantic love and increase passion in your life. It can also strengthen focus and make your brain and memory

Saffron

A beautiful (and expensive!) herb which expands your mind and spirit. It opens you up to new experiences, more opportunities, and prosperity. Similarly, it will improve psychic abilities and clairvoyance.

Sage

An ancient herb used for thousands of years. It’s been long used for cleansing and purification by smudging. Sage has healing properties and can be used for protection

You can also use sage to make wishes come true. Place sage leaves wherever you want to manifest a wish– in the bedroom, in the wallet, etc. 

Salt

Although this is technically a crystal and not an herb, I’m including it here because almost every kitchen has it (and it’s right next to the herbs anyway). If your kitchen has no other spices, you will surely have salt!  A kitchen and magical staple as long as we’ve known, salt is highly tied to the Earth and so can be used for fundamental magick like cleansing, purification, grounding, and healing. It has many medicinal uses as well. You can use salt as an antiseptic for cuts and scrapes, gargle with salt water for oral health, and include it in your food for its taste and vital electrolytes. Besides the common iodized salt, try experimenting with natural sea salts, pink salts, and black salts.

Sandalwood

An herb which is highly protective and keeps negative energies away. Use it for healing, consecration, blessing, and to open yourself up spiritually.

Spearmint

An herb which is a cousin to peppermint. It’s a strengthener, so it can be added to any spell or ritual which you do. It’s protective as well, keeping away negativity and evil spirits. It can also be used to improve mental focus.

Thyme

A great herb for making yourself more attractive to others in all respects– beauty, loyalty, respect, and affection. It will let others view you favourably and listen to you. Thyme will make you stronger, braver, and a better leader. It can also be used more generally in cleansing, purification, and healing rituals. Use it to increase your psychic abilities as well.

Turmeric

Used throughout history for its medicinal effects, turmeric can heal you spiritually as well. Use it for protection, exorcism, and banishing. You can also use it to increase your personal strength and stamina. It’s a powerful antioxidant, so it can be used medicinally for inflammation and to relieve pain. It’s so powerful it’s commonly incorporated into cancer treatments.

Vanilla

Much like its sweet scent, vanilla draws romantic love and happiness. Keep it near you to enhance your inner and outer beauty and its aid as an aphrodisiac. It will attract good luck and bliss into your life. 

Verbena

This herb can enhance the power of any other herb you use. It is often used for love. It’s a great protector by keeping away evil spirits and warding off negative energies. It’s often carried on the person for its protective powers. It can be used to purify and heal. Verbena creates a sense of peace and calm, making your life more pleasant.

Vetivert

A woodsy smelling herb that offers protection and draws wealth. Use it to repel negativity from others, eliminate mental blocks, and prevail over stumbling blocks.

Violet

A flower with a beautiful smell, it imparts peace  and tranquillity wherever it is present. It’s a calming influence that can help to reduce anxiety. It activates the creative part of your brain leading to clairvoyance and prophecy. Violet also has uses as an aphrodisiac *hint, hint*.

Wisteria

A flower which is very powerful spiritually. It leads to spiritual awareness and more powerful personal vibrations. It opens you up to more spiritual experiences and connections. Additionally, wisteria can be used to draw wealth.

Witch Hazel

A great herb for protection against evil spirts and hexes. Use it to handle negativity in your life and build up emotional resilience. 

Wormwood

An herb which can help you get through difficult periods. It breaks down negativity, lights up the path in front of you, and lets you progress regardless of any obstructions. 

Yarrow

A powerful herb with a variety of uses. It’s a great healer, both spiritually and physically. It can heal physically and improve mood and eliminate depression. Yarrow is a staple in love spells, bringing friendship, love, and passion. It strengthens psychic abilities and is used during divination. It builds up self confidence, dispelling fear and strengthening resoluteness. Finally, it may be used for cleansing and purifications, to eliminate negative influences in your space. Yarrow is used in multiple forms including ointments or medicinal purposes, teas, dried bouquet, hung in the home, worn on the person, and used in ritual baths. 

Ylang Ylang

An Asian plant, this herb increases your beauty and physical attractiveness. It leads you to greater passion and pleasure. It can also be used to boost your influence and power over others.

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