Apr 26
Above Nimrod Lake Dam
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Above Nimrod Lake Dam
Old homestead along the Kiamichi river in Leflore Co. Oklahoma.
Yellow Trout Lilies in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains.
Five-finger Grass/Cinquefoil (potentilla)
Famous for the Five Finger Blessings, "where each leaflet represents an area of life you wish to "grasp" or influence”:
Love
Money
Health
Power
Wisdom
Cinquefoil is a significant plant in European folklore and magic, primarily revered for protection, love, and luck. Often hung over doors or used in charms, it was believed to ward off evil spirits, witchcraft, and bring success, particularly in love and fishing. It also symbolized mastery of the five senses.
In Czech folk magic and traditional herbalism (lidové léčitelství), the cinquefoil variation—known as Mochna husí (Potentilla anserina)—is celebrated as a "powerful" herb (from the Latin potentia) with a primary focus on protection and relief from physical and spiritual "cramps".
The "Seven-Finger" Charm
In folk magic, a sprig with seven leaflets (you’ll note that in some of my personal photos I’ve found some with seven) is considered exceptionally lucky and is specifically used to dream of a future lover.
While the base five leaflets represent the essentials of a successful life (Love, Money, Health, Power, and Wisdom), the addition of the sixth and seventh "fingers" elevates the herb's use from physical needs to spiritual advantages:
The 6th Leaf (Luck/Success): Represents gaining an unfair advantage or a "lucky break" in gambling, legal battles, or competitive situations.
The 7th Leaf (Prophecy/Spirit Communication): Connects the practitioner to the spirit world. This is why seven-leaf sprigs are specifically sought after for dream pillows to see the face of a future spouse or to receive warnings in sleep.
In some Southern conjure traditions, finding a natural seven-leaf sprig is treated like finding a four-leaf clover. It is often pressed in a Bible or carried in a red flannel mojo bag specifically to draw "fast luck" that the standard five-leaf version might not reach.
Tip: to find a seven-finger cinquefoil, look for sulphur cinquefoil, and search the bottom leaves, which often have seven fingers. One of mine is currently pressed in my copy of The Secret Garden as my Bible is in storage (something that I really need to remedy). The box that houses my shrine to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is decorated with a plant that looks very similar to my seven fingered cinquefoil, though the artist probably intended a maple leaf (cinquefoil is in the rose family, so it seems fitting that it houses Mother Mary).
Cinquefoil is an ingredient in this recipe from the royal college of physicians and was used extensively in heraldry.
“In heraldry, the cinquefoil, a five-petalled stylized flower, symbolizes hope, joy, honour, and abundance, and it is one of the most enduring floral charges in armorial design. Its balanced form and clear outline made it especially popular in medieval heraldry, where it was valued both for its decorative appeal and its rich symbolic associations with natural beauty, flourishing life, and noble aspiration. The cinquefoil can also suggest fertility and good fortune, making it a fitting emblem for families or communities that wished to express prosperity, vitality, and established lineage. It appears widely in British and European heraldry, often as a charge on the shield but also in crests and badges, and it is particularly well known in the arms of several notable families and places where floral symbolism carries dynastic or local significance”
Do you work magic with herbs? Do you use them in spells, for talismans or simply use their innate powers? If you don't have Cunningham's Enc
Language:EnglishPhysical Type/Description:xiv, 431 pages, 25 unnumbered leaves of plates (1 folded) : color illustrations ; 13 cmGeneral Not
viii, 272 pages : 26 cm
Handwritten medical recipe from the collections of the Royal College of Physicians. 17th century. The first two lines of ingredients read: H
In heraldry, the cinquefoil, a five-petalled stylized flower, symbolizes hope, joy, honour, and abundance, and it is one of the most endurin
An Introduction to Cinquefoil Folklore and Magical Properties We love cinquefoil. We use it all the time and is a key ingredient in a numbe
Heartleaf Skullcap (Scutellaria ovata)
I have been keeping an eye on the heartleaf skullcap all season waiting for it to flower, which I read is the best time to harvest it. It’s been popping up on the Wildflowers of Arkansas Facebook page for a week or so now, so we plan on heading out this afternoon to see what we can find. Though Scutellaria lateriflora is the one mentioned most often in the literature, it was common for both Native Americans and settlers to use whichever skullcaps were in their region interchangeably. Below, I have quoted Rewild Alabama about ovata specifically and linked to another source below that, which refers to ovata as medicinal but gives no further information. Below these are more generic resources on skullcaps.
The first photo is alongside Lake Dardanelle and the second is later in the spring in the Ouachitas.
From Rewild Alabama Facebook page:
Heartleaf skullcap is known for its distinctive heart-shaped leaves and vibrant blue to violet flowers. It thrives in woodland settings, shaded gardens, and along stream banks, making it a versatile addition to both natural and cultivated landscapes.
This plant not only enhances aesthetic appeal but also offers significant ecological and wildlife benefits:
Its flowers are a rich nectar source for various pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
It is a favorite of bumblebees and serves as a great nectar source in late winter and early spring for these threatened friends.
Additionally, the flowers are cross-pollinated by long-tongued bees, especially Anthophorine bees. Short-tongued bees and Syrphid flies may also visit the flowers, although they are too small to be effective pollinators.
The leaves of this species serve as a food source for several insect species including the Skeletonizing leaf beetle (Phyllobrotica limbata), the Shiny Flea Beetle (Asphaera lustrans), Skullcap Skeletonizer Moth (Prochoreutis inflatella) larvae, and Caloptilia scutellariella moth larvae.
This species has long-standing medicinal uses as well. Heartleaf skullcap is considered a nervine herb, which means it supports the nervous system. It has been traditionally used by Native Americans, early settlers, and folk herbalists to help alleviate stress, anxiety, and nervous tension.
Secondary source:
https://medivetus.com/botanic/?s=Scutellaria+ovata
Skullcaps more generally:
A Modern Herbal, Volumes 1 & 2 : Margaret Grieve : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Encyclopedia Of Herbal Medicine : The Definitive Home Reference Guide to 550 Key Herbs with all their Uses as Remedies for Common Ailments (
Soft Thistle and Clouded Skipper
Wildflowers (Mostly) Above Nimrod Lake Dam
1. Oldfield milkvine
2 & 3. Soft thistle & clouded skipper butterfly
4. Blue Pigroot
5. Violet woodsorrel
6. Common cinquefoil (five-fingered grass)
7. Arkansas beardtongue
8. Clasping Venus’ looking glass
9. Redring milkweed
10. Ohio spiderwort
11. Selfheal
12. Mock strawberry
13. Yellow crownbeard
Selfheal
A lost classic of Western herbalism rediscovered and restored with 200 full-color images. Herbalist to King Charles I, John Parkinson (1567
Sponsored by the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute.
A Modern Herbal, Volumes 1 & 2 : Margaret Grieve : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Magical Plants