English Folk/Traditional Names for Common Plants & Herbs
These are known now as folk names, but back in the medieval era and well into the 18th century, these were the common names for some of the herbs and plants in use in witchcraft (and generally!) today.
This list is not an exhaustive one; the names given here are just some of the names that were used primarily in England for common plants within the region.These plants have other unique and wonderful names in many other cultures and languages throughout the world.
✧ ADDER’S TONGUE (Ophioglossum Vulgatum)
A.K.A.: English Adder’s Tongue, Snake’s Tongue, Viper’s Tongue, Serpent’s Tongue, Adder’s Spear, Christ’s Spear.
✧ AGRIMONY (Agrimonia Eupatoria)
A.K.A.: Harvest Lice, Cat’s Tail, Liverwort, Sticklewort, Stickwort, Stickweed, Fairy’s Wand, Church Steeples, Aaron’s Rod, Beggar’s Lice/Ticks.
✧ ALDER (Alnus Glutinosa)
A.K.A.: Black Alder, Fever Bush, Owler.
✧ ANGELICA (Angelica Archangelica)
A.K.A.: Holy Ghost/Root of the Holy Ghost, St. Michael’s flower, Angel’s Food.
✧ ANISE (Pimpinella Anisum)
A.K.A.: Sweet Alice, Aniseed.
✧ APPLE (Malus)
A.K.A.: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Branch, Silver Bough.
✧ ASH (Fraxinus Excelsior)
A.K.A.: Bird’s Tongue, Hampshire Weed, Widow-maker, Venus of the Woods, Husbandman’s tree.
✧ BALSAM (Commiphora Opolbalsamum)
A.K.A.: Balsam of Gilead, Balm Tree, Mecca Myrrh.
✧ BASIL (Oscimum Basilicum)
A.K.A.: Our Herb, St. Joseph’s Wort, Witches’ Herb, King of Herbs, Holy Basil.
✧ BAY (Laurus Nobilis)
A.K.A.: Bay Laurel, True Laurel, Daphne, Noble Laurel.
✧ BERGAMOT (Monarda Didyma)
A.K.A.: Horsebalm, Bee Balm, Scarlet Mondara.
✧ BIRCH (Betula Pendula)
A.K.A.: Silver Birch, White Birch, Lady of the Woods.
✧ BITTERSWEET (Solanum Dulcamara)
A.K.A.: Woody Nightshade, Felon-wort, Felonwood, Blue Nightshade, Fever Twig, Staff Vine, Violet Bloom.
✧ BLACKBERRY (Rubus Fruticosus)
A.K.A.: Bramble, Fingerberry, Blackhide, Blackbutter, Thimbleberrym Brambleberry, Gouthead.
✧ BLUEBELL (Hyacinthoides Non Scrupta)
A.K.A.: Nodding Squill, Auld Man’s Bell, Ring-o-bells, Wood Bells.
✧ BROOM (Cytisus Scoparius)
A.K.A.: Besom, Irish Tops, Scotch Broom, Butcher’s Broom, Sweet Broom.
✧ BURDOCK (Arctium Lappa)
A.K.A.: Thorny Burr, Beggar’s Buttons, Sticky Bobs, Love Leaves, Hare Burr.
✧ CARNATION (Dianthus Caryophyllus)
A.K.A.: Gilliflower, July Flower, Clove Pink, Sops-in-wine.
✧ CHAMOMILE (Anthemis Nobilis)
A.K.A.: Whig Plant, Chamomel, Earth/Ground Apple,
✧ CHESTNUT [SWEET] (Castanea Sativa)
A.K.A.: Marion, Jupiter’s Nut.
✧ CHICKWEED (Stellaria Media)
A.K.A.: Starweed, Adder’s Mouth, Scarweed/wort, Tongue Grass, Stitchwort, White Bird’s Eye, Little Star Lady.
✧ CHICORY (Cichorium Intybus)
A.K.A.: Witloof, Blue Sailors, Coffeeweed.
✧ CLARY [WILD] (Salvia Verbenaca)
A.K.A.: Christ’s Eye, Wild Clear-eye, Vervain Sage, Eyeseed.
✧ CLEAVERS (Galium Aparine)
A.K.A.: Catchweed, Beggar Lice, Goose Grass, Sticky Willy, Bedstraw, Robin-run-the-hedge, Goose’s Hair, Hedge-burrs, Milk Sweet, Stick-a-back, Scratchweed, Barweed.
✧ COMFREY (Symphytum Officinale)
A.K.A.: Knitbone, Slippery Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort, Ass Ear.
✧ DAISY (Bellis Perennis)
A.K.A.: Day’s Eye, Poet’s Darling, Bachelor’s Buttons, Bairnwort, Billy Buttons, Boneflower, Margaret’s Herb.
✧ DANDELION (Taraxacum Officinale)
A.K.A.: Swine’s Snout, Blowball, Puffball, Clockflower, Tell-the-time, Priest’s Crown, Lion’s Tooth.
✧ DEADLY NIGHTSHADE (Atropa Belladonna)
A.K.A.: Belladonna, Banewort, Black-cherry, Devil’s Cherries, Naughty Man’s Cherries, Devil’s Herb.
✧ FEVERFEW (Tanacetum Parthenium)
A.K.A.: Featherfew, Featherfoil, Midsummer Daisy, Nosebleed.
✧ FOXGLOVE (Digitalis Purpurea)
A.K.A.: Fairy Gloves/Fingers/Petticoats/Thimbles/Weed, Witches’ Glove, Witches’ Bells, Our Lady’s Glove, Dead Men’s Bells.
✧ GARLIC (Allium Sativum)
A.K.A.: Poor Man’s Treacle, Stinkweed, Camphor of the Gods.
✧ GOLDENROD (Solidago Vibgaurea)
A.K.A.: Aaron’s Rod, Cast the Spear.
✧ HAWTHORN (Crataegus Monogyna)
A.K.A.: May Blossom, Mayflower, Whitethorn, Hagthorn, Ladies’ Meat.
✧ HELLEBORE [BLACK] (Helleborus Niger)
A.K.A.: Bear’s Foot, Setter-wort/grass.
✧ HEMLOCK (Conium Maculatum)
A.K.A.: Poison Hemlock, Devil’s Porridge.
✧ HENBANE (Hysoscyamus Niger)
A.K.A.: Hog Bean, Stinking Nightshade, Henbell, Devil’s Eye, Witches’ Herb, Devil’s Tobacco.
✧ HOLLY (Ibex Auifolium)
A.K.A.: Bat’s Wings, Holy Tree, Christ’s Thorn.
✧ HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera Periclymenum)
A.K.A.: Woodbind, Fairy Trumpets, Sweet Suckle, Honeybind.
✧ HOREHOUND [BLACK] (Ballota Nigra)
A.K.A.: Madwort, Black Hoarhound, Black Archangel.
✧ HOREHOUND [WHITE] (Marrubium Vulgare)
A.K.A.: Bull’s Blood, White Archangel, Eye of the Star, Houndbane, Devil’s Eye.
✧ IVY (Hedera Helix)
A.K.A.: Gort, Bindwood, Lovestone.
✧ JUNIPER (Juniperus Communis)
A.K.A.: Bastard Killer, Gin Berry.
✧ LADY’S MANTLE (Alchemilla Vulgaris)
A.K.A.: Our Lady’s Mantle, Lion’s Foot, Bear’s Foot, Nine Hooks.
✧ LAVENDER (Lavendula Angustifolia)
A.K.A.: Elf Leaf, Spikenard, True Lavender.
✧ LEMON BALM (Melissa Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Sweet Melissa, Bee Balm, Sweet Balm.
✧ LEMON VERBENA (Aloysia Triphylla)
A.K.A.: Lemon Louisa, Lemon Beebrush.
✧ LILY OF THE VALLEY (Convallaria Majalis)
A.K.A.: May Lily, Our Lady’s Tears, Mary’s Tears, Ladder to Heaven.
✧ MALLOW (Malva Sylvestris)
A.K.A.: Cheese-cake, Pick-cheese, Round Dock, Wild Mallow, Wood Mallow.
✧ MANDRAKE (Mandragora Officinarum)
A.K.A.: Satan’s Apple, Love Plant, Mandragora.
✧ MARIGOLD (Calendula Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Bride of the Sun, Drunkard, Husbandman’s Dial, Mary Gold, Summer’s Bride.
✧ MARJORAM (Origanum Majorana)
A.K.A.: Wintersweet, Joy of the Mountain, Mountain Mint.
✧ MEADOWSWEET (Filipendula Ulmaria)
A.K.A.: Bridewort, Queen of the Meadows, Little Queen, Quaker Lady, Mead Sweet, Gravel Root.
✧ MINT [PEPPERMINT] (Mentha Piperita)
A.K.A.: Brandy Mint, English Mint.
✧ MINT [SPEARMINT] (Mentha Spicata)
A.K.A.: Garden Mint, Hart Mint, Our Lady’s Mint, Sage of Bethlehem.
✧ MISTLETOE (Viscum Coloratum)
A.K.A.: Druid’s Herb, Witches’ Broom, Wood of the Cross, Golden Bough, Devil’s Fuge.
✧ MONKSHOOD (Aconitum Napellus)
A.K.A.: Monk’s Blood, Blue Wolf’s-bane, Aconite, Women’s Bane, Devil’s Helmet, Friar’s Cap.
✧ MUGWORT (Artemisia Vulgaris)
A.K.A.: Lion’s Tail, Lion’s Tart, Heart-wort.
✧ MULLEIN (Verbascum Thapsus)
A.K.A.: Blanket/Velvet/Woolly Mullein, Our Lady’s Blanket, Beggar’s Blanket, Aaron’s Rod, Adam’s Rod, Jupiter’s Staff, Jacob’s Staff, Peter’s Staff, Virgin Mary’s Candle, Lady’s Foxglove, Graveyard Dust.
✧ NETTLE (Urtica Dioica)
A.K.A.: Stinging Nettle, Burn Weed, Burn Hazel.
✧ PARLSEY (Petroselinum Crispum)
A.K.A.: Devil’s Oatmeal, Persil.
✧ PENNYROYAL (Mentha Legium)
A.K.A.: Royal Thyme, Run-by-the-ground, Lurk-in-the-ditch, Pudding Grass.
✧ ROSEMARY (Rosemarinus Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Dew of the Sea, Sea Dew, Elf Leaf, Guardrobe, Rose of Mary.
✧ RUE (Ruta Graveolens)
A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Herb of Repentance, Mother of Herbs.
✧ [CLARY] SAGE (Salvia Sclarea)
A.K.A.: Clear-Eye, See-bright, Eyebright.
✧ ST. JOHN’S WORT (Hypericum Perforatum)
A.K.A.: Scare-devil, Balm of the Warrior’s Wound, Rose of Sharon.
✧ SORREL (Rumex Acetose)
A.K.A.: Green Sauce, Sour Sauce, Cuckoo Sorrow.
✧ SWEET WOODRUFF (Galium Odoratum)
A.K.A.: Wild Baby’s Breath, Master of the Woods, Ladies in the Hay.
✧ TANSY (Tanacetum Vuulgare)
A.K.A.: Bitter Buttons, Golden Buttons, Cow Bitter.
✧ TARRAGON (Artemisia Dracunculus)
A.K.A.: Dragon’s Wort, Little Dragon.
✧ THISTLE [BLESSED] (Cnicus Benedictus)
A.K.A.: Holy Thistle.
✧ THISTLE [MILK] (Silybum Marianum)
A.K.A.: Our Lady’s Thistle, Saint Mary’s Thistle, Sow Thistle, Marian Thistle.
✧ VALERIAN (Valeriana Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Garden Heliotrope, St. George’s Herb, Bloody Butcher, Cat’s Valerian, Vandal Root.
✧ VERVAIN (Verbena Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Enchanter’s Herb, Britannica, Juno’s Tears, Divine Wood, Pigeongrass,
✧ WITCH HAZEL (Hamamelis Virginiana)
A.K.A.: Spotted Alder, Winterbloom, Snapping Hazelnut.
✧ WORMWOOD (Artemisia Absinthium)
A.K.A.: Absinthe, Crown for a King, Green Ginger.
✧ YARROW (Achillea Millefolium)
A.K.A.: Woundwort, Nose-Bleed, Thousand-Leaf, Arrowroot, Carpenter’s Weed, Devil’s Plaything, Devil’s Nettle,
Sources, References and Cross-Checks: Breverton’s Complete Herbal (Terry Breverton), Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Scott Cunningham), Medieval Plant Names and Their Modern Corollaries (The Met Cloister).
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