There are a number of plants which can be extremely useful to the necromancer. Among these are the following.
Mullein: Erroneously described as a substitute for graveyard dirt, this in fact is a misconception. Known as the “Hag’s Taper”. The soft leaves are used as candle wicks and the dried stalks are soaked in beeswax or tallow to make a torch for rituals of necromancy. It is also burnt to see manifestations of spirits of the dead at night, to see into the Otherworld, and communicate with the spirits and deities that dwell there. Can also be used in talismans.
Wormwood: Used for summoning spirits and to help them manifest.
Cedar: The dried needles when smouldered serve both as a sustaining feast and call for the blessed dead, and the smoke is used to exorcise malevolent shades. The wood works for this purpose as well when turned into a fetish or as a staff.
Dittany of Crete: Used to aid in the manifestation of the spirits of the dead. Also has somewhat of a nasty reputation because of where it tends to grow. Harvesters tend to fall from the cliffs and crags where it grows and plummet to their death.
Aconite: Also known as Wolfsbane or Monkshood. Because of its incredible toxicity it is better to not to harvest it. If one has the dried root it can be preserved in order to serve as a tutelary spirit. Not to be used by amateurs.
Yew: Known in European countries as the Death Tree, it is a symbol of death, reincarnation, and longevity. Is planted in graveyards to protect the spirits of the dead. It can be used to banish malevolent spirits of the dead. Often associated with sorcery and dark magic. It is considered the sister of the Tree of Life, the birch.
Apple: Considered the food of the Irish dead and the inhabitants of the Otherworld. Can be added to incense blends to feed the spirits of the dead and ancestors.
Mugwort: Ingested as a tea to aid in divination and talking to the dead. Also boiled in water and, then the liquid is used to wash divination tools.
Copal: Serves as a offering to the dead and can be used to appease the spirits who remain in states of trauma or confusion after death.
Willow: The wood of the willow is used in incenses and in the construction of fetishes dedicated to the dead.
Tobacco: May be presented as a herbal offering upon a ancestral altar or a grave in the form of a incense or sacramental smoke to honor the shades of the dead.
Cypress: The oil of this tree serves as a great addition to incenses and formula of the underworld.
Myrrh: The oil aids in all blends of a necromantic design. Can also be mixed into incenses.
Graveyard Mold: Technically no folklore or magical traditions associate this herb with necromancy of any kind. However I have included it here because I believe it can be used as a compound in necromantic incenses. Since it grows on graves it should contain some of the essence of the dead.
Mandrake: According to legend King Solomon carried a piece of this root in his seal ring to give him sovereignty over souls. Since one of its names is the “Little gallows man” it can be used as a poppet for laying curses of death, illness, pain, etc.
Birch: Petitions and blessings are written on the bark of this tree which is then burnt or buried in the grave of the spirit.
Bay Laurel: Used to communicate with the dead, possibly through use as an incense. Easily available in the form of bay leaves.
Chervil: Also known as garden chervil or “gourmet’s parsley” a tea or other drink made with it can be imbibed to aid in rituals of communion with the dead.
Lavender: Burnt as incense in order to bring peace of mind to the dead.
Marigold: Associated with funerals and used in funeral sprays.
Asphodel: In Greek legend is connected with the dead and the underworld. Sacred to Hades, Persephone, and Hekate. The roots were eaten by the poor of Greece and hence thought good enough food for the dead. Could be burnt as incense or the roots could be given as food offerings.
Thyme: Burnt as an incense helps ease the soul of a person who died a violent death.
American Sycamore: Known as “Ghost Trees” for their distinctive patchy appearance. Associated with the dead and poverty.Elder: In Norse mythology the tree is considered the Guardian of the Road to Hel (and thus sacred to Hela, Goddess of the Dead). Also associated with the ancestors.
Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) is a Halloween Horror!
There are numerous species in the genus Aconitum found across the northern hemisphere in mountain meadows.
They have a long and storied history and have been known by many names. Names like Devil’s Helmet, Mousebane, Wolfsbane, Leopard’s Bane, Women’s Bane and Queen of all Poisons.
Did you know “bane” comes from old Germanic for DEATH? Later on it came to refer to stuff like poison and it turns out Monkshood is a great, big, horrible poison, capable of killing people within hours by interfering with the rhythm of their beating heart.
Some say it grew from the spittle of Cerberus, guard dog of the Underworld. Others say it was discovered by Hecate, probably the Halloweeniest goddess of them all.
Either way, Monkshood has been used to hunt animals, assassinate Caesars and commit murders for thousands of years and right up to the present day!
The goal was to illustrate a spread for a (fake) book/magazine about unusual produce! I chose the tomatillo as my subject. The images of the tomatillo were all rendered in watercolor.
Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators need access to abundant nectar and pollen resources throughout the growing season. At minimum, strive for three species to be blooming at any one time; the greater the diversity, the better. The links below will help you find the best plants for your garden. It is important to include flowers that bloom early in the spring to provide food for newly emerging bumble bee queens. Similarly, it is important to provide flowers that bloom in the late summer and fall to support new bumble bee queens for overwintering.
If you are adding plants to your garden, plant flowers in clumps at least three-feet-wide to help them be more attractive to passing pollinators. Choose native plants wherever possible, as they have evolved with native pollinators and the local environment. To attract butterflies, include their host plant in your pollinator garden…
(CLICK ABOVE TO GET REGIONAL GUIDES TO POLLINATOR GUIDES)
A good read on the sad state of the Venus Flytrap. Carnivorous plants native to the USA are increasingly close to becoming extinct, for absolutely no logical reason. All are easy to cultivate and readily available for under $10-$20. There is no need to poach whatsoever. Help save North American carnivores—we have more genera of carnivorous plant than ANY other continent, including the tropics.
PiraticOctopus 