St John's Eve Herbs - part 5 : vegetables, fruits, branches.
Regarding vegetable plants, garlic is regularly mentioned; amulets are constantly made from it, especially at this time of year.
Regarding fruits, the still-green nut (ideal for future walnut wine!) is often mentioned. They are passed through the fire, still attached to their branch, and are then used as remedies or preservatives.
Regarding branches, the hazel wands of shepherds and shepherds are blessed on this day, passed through the fire and capable of rendering snakes harmless simply by touching them. They are also often planted in the soil of fields to protect them from hail and bad weather.
[Excerpts arranged by me from M.C. Delmas's Dictionnaire de la France Mystérieuse.]












