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 uniqueĀ and wonderful names in many other cultures and languages throughout the world.Ā
ā§ ADDERāS TONGUE (Ophioglossum Vulgatum)
A.K.A.:Ā English Adderās Tongue, Snakeās Tongue, Viperās Tongue, Serpentās Tongue, Adderās Spear, Christās Spear.
ā§ AGRIMONY (Agrimonia Eupatoria)
A.K.A.: Harvest Lice, Catās Tail, Liverwort, Sticklewort, Stickwort, Stickweed, Fairyās Wand, Church Steeples, Aaronās Rod, Beggarās Lice/Ticks.
ā§ ALDER (Alnus Glutinosa)
A.K.A.: Black Alder, Fever Bush, Owler.
ā§ ANGELICA (Angelica Archangelica)
A.K.A.: Holy Ghost/Root of the Holy Ghost, St. Michaelās flower, Angelās Food.
ā§ ANISE (Pimpinella Anisum)
A.K.A.: Sweet Alice, Aniseed.
ā§ APPLE (Malus)
A.K.A.: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Branch, Silver Bough.
ā§ ASH (Fraxinus Excelsior)
A.K.A.: Birdās Tongue, Hampshire Weed, Widow-maker, Venus of the Woods, Husbandmanās tree.
ā§ BALSAM (Commiphora Opolbalsamum)
A.K.A.: Balsam of Gilead, Balm Tree, Mecca Myrrh.
ā§ BASIL (Oscimum Basilicum)
A.K.A.: Our Herb, St. Josephās Wort, Witchesā Herb, King of Herbs, Holy Basil.Ā
ā§ BAY (Laurus Nobilis)
A.K.A.: Bay Laurel, True Laurel, Daphne, Noble Laurel.
ā§ BERGAMOT (Monarda Didyma)
A.K.A.: Horsebalm, Bee Balm, Scarlet Mondara.
ā§ BIRCH (Betula Pendula)
A.K.A.: Silver Birch, White Birch, Lady of the Woods.
ā§ BITTERSWEET (Solanum Dulcamara)
A.K.A.: Woody Nightshade, Felon-wort, Felonwood, Blue Nightshade, Fever Twig, Staff Vine, Violet Bloom.
ā§ BLACKBERRY (Rubus Fruticosus)
A.K.A.: Bramble, Fingerberry, Blackhide, Blackbutter, Thimbleberrym Brambleberry, Gouthead.
ā§ BLUEBELL (Hyacinthoides Non Scrupta)
A.K.A.: Nodding Squill, Auld Manās Bell, Ring-o-bells, Wood Bells.
ā§ BROOM (Cytisus Scoparius)
A.K.A.: Besom, Irish Tops, Scotch Broom, Butcherās Broom, Sweet Broom.
ā§ BURDOCK (Arctium Lappa)
A.K.A.: Thorny Burr, Beggarās Buttons, Sticky Bobs, Love Leaves, Hare Burr.
ā§ CARNATION (Dianthus Caryophyllus)
A.K.A.: Gilliflower, July Flower, Clove Pink, Sops-in-wine.
ā§ CHAMOMILE (Anthemis Nobilis)
A.K.A.: Whig Plant, Chamomel, Earth/Ground Apple,Ā
ā§ CHESTNUT [SWEET] (Castanea Sativa)
A.K.A.: Marion, Jupiterās Nut.
ā§ CHICKWEED (Stellaria Media)
A.K.A.: Starweed, Adderās Mouth, Scarweed/wort, Tongue Grass, Stitchwort, White Birdās Eye, Little Star Lady.
ā§ CHICORY (Cichorium Intybus)
A.K.A.: Witloof, Blue Sailors, Coffeeweed.
ā§ CLARY [WILD] (Salvia Verbenaca)
A.K.A.: Christās Eye, Wild Clear-eye, Vervain Sage, Eyeseed.
ā§ CLEAVERS (Galium Aparine)
A.K.A.: Catchweed, Beggar Lice, Goose Grass, Sticky Willy, Bedstraw, Robin-run-the-hedge, Gooseās Hair, Hedge-burrs, Milk Sweet, Stick-a-back, Scratchweed, Barweed.
ā§ COMFREY (Symphytum Officinale)
A.K.A.: Knitbone, Slippery Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort, Ass Ear.
ā§ DAISY (Bellis Perennis)
A.K.A.: Dayās Eye, Poetās Darling, Bachelorās Buttons, Bairnwort, Billy Buttons, Boneflower, Margaretās Herb.
ā§ DANDELION (Taraxacum Officinale)
A.K.A.: Swineās Snout, Blowball, Puffball, Clockflower, Tell-the-time, Priestās Crown, Lionās Tooth.
ā§ DEADLY NIGHTSHADE (Atropa Belladonna)
A.K.A.: Belladonna, Banewort, Black-cherry, Devilās Cherries, Naughty Manās Cherries, Devilās Herb.
ā§ FEVERFEW (Tanacetum Parthenium)
A.K.A.: Featherfew, Featherfoil, Midsummer Daisy, Nosebleed.
ā§ FOXGLOVE (Digitalis Purpurea)
A.K.A.: Fairy Gloves/Fingers/Petticoats/Thimbles/Weed, Witchesā Glove, Witchesā Bells, Our Ladyās Glove, Dead Menās Bells.
ā§ GARLIC (Allium Sativum)
A.K.A.: Poor Manās Treacle, Stinkweed, Camphor of the Gods.
ā§ GOLDENROD (Solidago Vibgaurea)
A.K.A.: Aaronās Rod, Cast the Spear.
ā§ HAWTHORN (Crataegus Monogyna)
A.K.A.: May Blossom, Mayflower, Whitethorn, Hagthorn, Ladiesā Meat.
ā§ HELLEBORE [BLACK] (Helleborus Niger)
A.K.A.: Bearās Foot, Setter-wort/grass.
ā§ HEMLOCK (Conium Maculatum)
A.K.A.: Poison Hemlock, Devilās Porridge.
ā§ HENBANE (Hysoscyamus Niger)
A.K.A.: Hog Bean, Stinking Nightshade, Henbell, Devilās Eye, Witchesā Herb, Devilās Tobacco.
ā§ HOLLY (Ibex Auifolium)
A.K.A.: Batās Wings, Holy Tree, Christās Thorn.
ā§ HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera Periclymenum)
A.K.A.: Woodbind, Fairy Trumpets, Sweet Suckle, Honeybind.
ā§ HOREHOUND [BLACK] (Ballota Nigra)
A.K.A.: Madwort, Black Hoarhound, Black Archangel.
ā§ HOREHOUND [WHITE] (Marrubium Vulgare)
A.K.A.: Bullās Blood, White Archangel, Eye of the Star, Houndbane, Devilās Eye.
ā§ IVY (Hedera Helix)
A.K.A.: Gort, Bindwood, Lovestone.Ā
ā§ JUNIPER (Juniperus Communis)
A.K.A.: Bastard Killer, Gin Berry.
ā§ LADYāS MANTLE (Alchemilla Vulgaris)
A.K.A.: Our Ladyās Mantle, Lionās Foot, Bearās Foot, Nine Hooks.
ā§ LAVENDER (Lavendula Angustifolia)
A.K.A.: Elf Leaf, Spikenard, True Lavender.
ā§ LEMON BALM (Melissa Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Sweet Melissa, Bee Balm, Sweet Balm.
ā§ LEMON VERBENA (Aloysia Triphylla)
A.K.A.: Lemon Louisa, Lemon Beebrush.
ā§ LILY OF THE VALLEY (Convallaria Majalis)
A.K.A.: May Lily, Our Ladyās Tears, Maryās Tears, Ladder to Heaven.
ā§ MALLOW (Malva Sylvestris)
A.K.A.: Cheese-cake, Pick-cheese, Round Dock, Wild Mallow, Wood Mallow.
ā§ MANDRAKE (Mandragora Officinarum)
A.K.A.: Satanās Apple, Love Plant, Mandragora.
ā§ MARIGOLD (Calendula Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Bride of the Sun, Drunkard, Husbandmanās Dial, Mary Gold, Summerās Bride.
ā§ MARJORAM (Origanum Majorana)
A.K.A.: Wintersweet, Joy of the Mountain, Mountain Mint.
ā§ MEADOWSWEET (Filipendula Ulmaria)
A.K.A.: Bridewort, Queen of the Meadows, Little Queen, Quaker Lady, Mead Sweet, Gravel Root.
ā§ MINT [PEPPERMINT] (Mentha Piperita)
A.K.A.: Brandy Mint, English Mint.
ā§ MINT [SPEARMINT] (Mentha Spicata)
A.K.A.: Garden Mint, Hart Mint, Our Ladyās Mint, Sage of Bethlehem.
ā§ MISTLETOE (Viscum Coloratum)
A.K.A.: Druidās Herb, Witchesā Broom, Wood of the Cross, Golden Bough, Devilās Fuge.
ā§ MONKSHOOD (Aconitum Napellus)
A.K.A.: Monkās Blood, Blue Wolfās-bane, Aconite, Womenās Bane, Devilās Helmet, Friarās Cap.
ā§ MUGWORT (Artemisia Vulgaris)
A.K.A.: Lionās Tail, Lionās Tart, Heart-wort.
ā§ MULLEIN (Verbascum Thapsus)
A.K.A.: Blanket/Velvet/Woolly Mullein, Our Ladyās Blanket, Beggarās Blanket, Aaronās Rod, Adamās Rod, Jupiterās Staff, Jacobās Staff, Peterās Staff, Virgin Maryās Candle, Ladyās Foxglove, Graveyard Dust.
ā§ NETTLE (Urtica Dioica)
A.K.A.: Stinging Nettle, Burn Weed, Burn Hazel.
ā§ PARLSEY (Petroselinum Crispum)
A.K.A.: Devilās Oatmeal, Persil.
ā§ PENNYROYAL (Mentha Legium)
A.K.A.: Royal Thyme, Run-by-the-ground, Lurk-in-the-ditch, Pudding Grass.
ā§ ROSEMARY (Rosemarinus Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Dew of the Sea, Sea Dew, Elf Leaf, Guardrobe, Rose of Mary.
ā§ RUE (Ruta Graveolens)
A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Herb of Repentance, Mother of Herbs.
ā§ [CLARY] SAGE (Salvia Sclarea)
A.K.A.: Clear-Eye, See-bright, Eyebright.
ā§ ST. JOHNāS WORT (Hypericum Perforatum)
A.K.A.: Scare-devil, Balm of the Warriorās Wound, Rose of Sharon.
ā§ SORREL (Rumex Acetose)
A.K.A.: Green Sauce, Sour Sauce, Cuckoo Sorrow.
ā§ SWEET WOODRUFF (Galium Odoratum)
A.K.A.: Wild Babyās Breath, Master of the Woods, Ladies in the Hay.
ā§ TANSY (Tanacetum Vuulgare)
A.K.A.: Bitter Buttons, Golden Buttons, Cow Bitter.
ā§ TARRAGON (Artemisia Dracunculus)
A.K.A.: Dragonās Wort, Little Dragon.
ā§ THISTLE [BLESSED] (Cnicus Benedictus)
A.K.A.: Holy Thistle.
ā§ THISTLE [MILK] (Silybum Marianum)
A.K.A.: Our Ladyās Thistle, Saint Maryās Thistle, Sow Thistle, Marian Thistle.
ā§ VALERIAN (Valeriana Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Garden Heliotrope, St. Georgeās Herb, Bloody Butcher, Catās Valerian, Vandal Root.
ā§ VERVAIN (Verbena Officinalis)
A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Enchanterās Herb, Britannica, Junoās Tears, Divine Wood, Pigeongrass,Ā
ā§ WITCH HAZEL (Hamamelis Virginiana)
A.K.A.: Spotted Alder, Winterbloom, Snapping Hazelnut.
ā§ WORMWOOD (Artemisia Absinthium)
A.K.A.: Absinthe, Crown for a King, Green Ginger.
ā§ YARROW (Achillea Millefolium)
A.K.A.: Woundwort, Nose-Bleed, Thousand-Leaf, Arrowroot, Carpenterās Weed, Devilās Plaything, Devilās Nettle,Ā
Sources, References and Cross-Checks: Brevertonās Complete Herbal (TerryĀ Breverton), Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Scott Cunningham), Medieval Plant Names and Their Modern Corollaries (The Met Cloister).
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