“The purpose of this project is to explore the diverse ways that Hekate, Her many epithets, and Her symbols may assist with one’s journey of healing – physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. We acknowledge that healing is not linear but, rather, cyclical like the changing seasons, with comparison being drawn to the story of Persephone’s yearly descent into the Underworld and her subsequent return to the Land of the Living. As we continuously grow and evolve, our healing journeys may take us through our own cycles of death and rebirth. We wish to shed light on the seemingly darker aspects of Hekate that may be called upon in such workings, but also Her lighter elements that will inevitably be found in the ultimate restoration of balance that healing affords us.” - Rev Renée Sosanna Olsen
DISCLAIMER: Please note that all information given in this article is the opinion of the author, it does not constitute medical advice. Some plants can cause allergic or other unwanted reactions, or even death. Please do not burn, ingest, or apply plant products to your skin until you have considered all the possible side effects and checked the laws in your country regulating some of these plants. The plants and herbs listed here are provided for information purposes only and if you should use them, you are fully responsible for the effects and consequences, or lack thereof.
The Sacred Grove of Hekate Empylios
by Cece Pitts, Torchbearer
The first way we’ll explore healing with Hekate is through connecting with the plants, trees, and herbs of Her Sacred Grove listed in the Orphic Argonautica. The Latin binomial system of nomenclature for plants was introduced in 1751, so plants written about in C4th CE can be a bit difficult to track down because some have common names that apply to more than one plant today and some plant names and categories have changed over the years. Therefore, information is provided here for multiple plants whenever this comes up in the search for their identification. Wikipedia was used only to source the plant’s nomenclature and I used Wikimedia Commons for plant images to avoid copyright infringement. Information regarding the beneficial uses of these plants, trees, and herbs was sourced from a variety of books and websites and listed below each entry. I have also included a little folklore for some of the plants but I have not included any plant correspondences such as elements and planets because the information varies depending on the source. It’s best to look these up yourself and go with what resonates with you. I’ve done my best to carefully track down the most accurate information for these ancient plants. I hope you find it useful for your healing journey.
“In the furthest recesses of the enclosure was a Sacred Grove, shaded by flourishing trees. In it there were many laurels and cornels and tall plane trees. Within this the grass was carpeted with low-growing plants with powerful roots. Famous asphodel, pretty maidenhair, rushes, galangal, delicate verbena, sage, hedge-mustard, purple honeysuckle, healing cassidony, flourishing field basil, mandrake, hulwort, in addition fluffy dittany, fragrant saffron, nose-smart, there too lion-foot, greenbrier, camomile, black poppy, alcua, all-heal, white hellebore, aconite, and many other noxious plants grew from the earth. In the middle a stout oak tree with a heaven-high trunk spread its branches out over much of the Grove.” - Orphic Argonautica, C4th CE, trans., D. Ogden
Laurel - binomial Laurus nobilis - common name Bay Leaf - family Lauraceae
The first plant mentioned in the Sacred Grove is Laurel. In ancient Greece, the Bay Laurel tree was dedicated to the God Apollo and its branches were used as crowns for winners of competitions. Though the leaves and berries of the Laurel tree are not usually ingested, the oils extracted from them were used in the past to regulate menstruation and stimulate miscarriages. It seems strange that today we use Bay Leaves to flavour our soups and sauces without any concern. Nevertheless, Laurel is said to be a diuretic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-rheumatic that is known for relieving headaches, ear infections, and digestive issues. Additionally, it’s a relaxant that’s said to reduce anxiety and stress.
“Neither witch nor devil, thunder nor lightning, will hurt a man in the place where a Bay-tree is.” - Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
There’s an interesting myth surrounding Laurel in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, “Phoebus kills the Python and sees Daphne” (Bk I:438-472). According to the legend, Cupid was really miffed at Phoebus (Apollo) for insulting his archery skills so Cupid shot Apollo with a golden-tipped arrow that made him infatuated with a local nymph named Daphne, thereby demonstrating the power of his love arrows. Then, he maliciously shot the nymph Daphne with a lead-tipped arrow that made her flee from Apollo’s every advance. Apollo pursued her relentlessly against his will and even though he had knowledge of medicinal herbs, he could not heal the wound of Cupid’s arrow. Daphne, being fed up with Apollo’s bullshit, prayed to her father (the river God Peneus) to help her. He answered her prayers immediately and turned her into a Laurel tree so she could evade Apollo. But this didn’t stop Apollo. He wrapped his arms around her trunk and said: “Since you cannot be my bride, you must be my tree! Laurel, with you my hair will be wreathed, with you my lyre, with you my quiver”. His words melted her heart and she bent her branches around him, she could no longer resist. And that’s how the Greek word for Laurel became “Daphne”.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Cornel - binomial Cornus mas - common name Cornelian Cherry - family Cornaceae
Cornelian Cherries are said to contain twice the amount of vitamin C than an orange. The berries are an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that protects the body against harmful free radicals. It’s also said that there’s a lower mortality rate in regions where people consume these berries due to their role in reducing heart disease.
Nicholas Culpeper wrote about them being useful in regulating menstruation: “Take of the juice of Cornels two pounds, sugar a pound and a half, boil it according to art. Of those Cornel trees are two sorts, male and female, the fruit of the male Cornel, or Cornelian Cherry, is here to be used. The fruit of male Cornel binds exceedingly, and therefore good in fluxes [diarrhea], and the immoderate flowing of the menses.”
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Plane Trees - binomial Platanus orientalis - common name Oriental Plane - family Platanaceae
In ancient Greece, great thinkers such as Socrates, Homer, and Plato all revered Planes Trees as sacred and divine gifts from the Gods. It was believed that sitting in their shade inspired one to contemplate matters of truth and love deep in their soul. The leaves of the trees were usually harvested and dried for their astringent properties and the bark was used to treat ailments such as toothaches, hernias, and diarrhea.
According to the book “De materia medica” by Dioscorides: the leaves were boiled in wine and used as a poultice to alleviate inflammation, the bark boiled in vinegar aided in toothache relief, and the green stalks used in animal fat treated burns.
Sources:
Asphodel - binomial Asphodelus albus - common name White Asphodel - family Asphodelaceae
In ancient Greek mythology, Asphodels were associated with the Underworld, death, and mourning. The flowers were planted near tombs because they were thought to be the food preferred by the dead. The name “Asphodel” is derived from the Greek word meaning “sceptre”. The ancients used their roots in regulating menstruation but also to stimulate vomit and urine flow. As an ointment, Asphodel was used to cause hair to grow and facial freckles to fade.
Nicholas Culpeper notes that only the roots of the male flower were useful and found no use for the female flower: “Asphodeli. Of Kings Spear, or Female Asphodel, I know no physical use of the roots; probably there is, for I do not believe God created any thing of no use.”
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Maidenhair - binomial Adiantum capillus-veneris - common name Maidenhair Fern - family Pteridaceae
A syrup known as Sirop de Capillaire, or Maidenhair Syrup, has been used since the Renaissance era as a respiratory tonic and today in France it’s used with orange flowers and honey as a drink flavouring in cocktails and tea. Nicholas Culpeper said Maidenhair is useful for stimulating menses, drying up ulcers, and breaking down kidney stones and that it also alleviates coughs and shortness of breath by loosening phlegm in the lungs.
“The herb boiled in oil of Camomile, dissolves knots, allays swellings, and dries up moist ulcers.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Rushes - 464 known species - common name Rushes - family Juncaceae
There’s 464 species of Rushes and no way of knowing which species was growing in Hekate’s Sacred Grove. There’s no known edible or beneficial uses for Rushes and although they’re not considered poisonous, there is a report that at least one species, Juncus acutus, is possibly toxic to mammals. Rushes were used in ancient times for weaving mats, baskets, and chair seats. The pith in the stem was used as wicks in oil lamps and for tallow candles (rushlights). In this aspect, they could be used in candle spells for manifesting healing with Hekate, weaved into baskets for gathering herbs, or for making biodegradable plates for offerings. Nicholas Culpeper says that toasted Bullrush seeds mixed in wine and water slows down “women’s courses, when they come down too abundantly: but it causes head-ache”. He wasn’t a big fan of Rushes and their side-effects overall.
“Are our Rushes good for nothing? Yes, and as good let them alone as taken. There are remedies enough without them for any disease, and therefore as the proverb is, I care not a rush for them; or rather they will do you as much good as if one had given you a Rush.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Galangal - binomial Alpinia officinarum - common name China Root - family Zingiberaceae
Although both are from the Ginger family, Galangal is not quite the same as Ginger. Galangal is peppery with hints of a mustard and citrus flavour, where Ginger is spicy but sweet with a lemony aroma. Homeopaths use Galangal as a stimulant and carminative; it’s said to be useful for reducing fevers, dyspepsia, flatulence, and sicknesses of the stomach such as sea-sickness.
Nicholas Culpeper recommends grinding dried Galangal into a powder and making little Troches you can carry in your pocket. Troches, (pronounced trō-key) are little lozenges or cakes that dissolve easily in the mouth; usually under the tongue or between the gum and cheek, so they absorb quickly into the bloodstream and bypass the liver.
“Of Troches: The Latins call them Placentula, or little cakes, and the Greeks Prochikois, Kukliscoi, and Artiscoi; they are usually little round flat cakes, or you may make them square if you will.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Verbena - binomial Verbena officinalis - common name Vervain - family Verbenaceae
Verbena, commonly called Vervain, has upwards of thirty supportive uses as an astringent, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, and even a galactagogue helping increase the flow of breast milk. It’s said to be useful for fevers, jaundice, rheumatism, and for easing irregularities of the bowel and bladder. Boiling Verbena in water to extract the plant’s natural chemicals, is a method used in homeopathy for alleviating diarrhea and managing gum disease. Externally, it’s said to be effective for piles, bruising, and some skin conditions. Vervain essential oil has been used in studies for its anticancer effects and has shown to improve brain function after a stroke. In folk medicine, Vervain was valued for its anti-anxiety and sedative properties.
“Made into an ointment it is a sovereign remedy for old head-aches, as also frenzies, it clears the skin, and causes a lovely colour.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Sage - binomial Salvia officinalis - Common name Sage - family Lamiaceae
Sage is a member of the mint family and is useful for more than just cleansing your home of negative energies. A boiled decoction of Sage, for example, can be kept in the fridge and taken by the teaspoon to alleviate hot flashes caused by menopause. Drinking hot Sage tea has been said to alleviate the delirium of fevers, help with hoarseness and cough, and calm the nervous system.
Nicholas Culpeper says that Sage taken with Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) “procures women’s courses [menses], and stays them coming down too fast”.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Hedge Mustard - binomial Sisymbrium officinale - common name Singer’s Plant - family Brassicaceae
In the time of Louis XIV, the French deemed Hedge Mustard as the “Singer’s Plant” for its effectiveness in remedying loss of voice. A strong infusion of the entire plant was taken for pretty much all diseases of the throat back then. Nicholas Culpeper points out how the plant is “singularly good in all the diseases of the chest and lungs” and that Hedge Mustard and Honey boiled down into a syrup is good for easing coughs, wheezing, and general shortness of breath.
Of the seeds, Culpeper writes that they are: “singularly good for the sciatica, and in joint-aches, ulcers, and cankers in the mouth, throat, or behind the ears, and no less for the hardness and swelling of the testicles, or of women’s breasts”.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Purple Honeysuckle - binomial Lonicera caprifolium - common name Goat Leaf - family Caprifoliaceae
There’s more than 100 species of Honeysuckles that are used in supporting wellness and healing. Some are used as a mucous or skin tonic, while others are used for their seeds as a diuretic. Fun fact: Sweet Honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolium) blooms at night and can only be pollinated by Hawk Moths because the nectar in the tubes of the flowers is down too deep for other insects to reach.
“It is fitting a conserve made of the flowers should be kept in every gentlewoman's house; I know no better cure for the asthma than this besides it takes away the evil of the spleen: provokes urine, procures speedy delivery of women in travail, relieves cramps, convulsions, and palsies, and whatsoever griefs come of cold or obstructed perspiration; if you make use of it as an ointment, it will clear the skin of morphew, freckles, and sunburnings, or whatever else discolours it, and then the maids will love it. Authors say, the flowers are of more effect than the leaves, and that is true: but they say the seeds are the least effectual of all. But there is a vital spirit in every seed to beget its like; there is a greater heat in the seed than any other part of the plant; and heat is the mother of action.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Cassidony - binomial Lavandula stoechas - common name French Lavender - family Lamiaceae
French Lavender has been used across the ages in a wide variety of ways. In the Middle Ages it was one of the ingredients of “Four Thieves' Vinegar” and known for its antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, and antifungal properties. In Spanish churches and houses, it was spread out on the floor for hosting festive celebrations. In England it was tossed in bonfires on St. John’s Day to ward off evil spirits. In France, they put the flowers upside down in a closed bottle and sat it outside in the sun to extract the oil for dressing wounds. And the ancient Romans used French Lavender to perfume their bath water. As a health support, according to Nicholas Culpeper, it was used for headaches, cramps, convulsions, regulating menstruation, and expelling after-birth.
“Lavender is of a special good use for all the griefs and pains of the head and brain that proceed of a cold cause, as the apoplexy, falling-sickness, the dropsy, or sluggish malady, cramps, convulsions, palsies, and often faintings.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Field Basil - binomial Clinopodium vulgare - common name Wild Basil - family Lamiaceae
Wild Basil is another mint family member with multiple beneficial uses. However, this species of Basil is not the same as the ones we are commonly used to seeing in gardens. This species of Basil’s benefits range from promoting wellness and reducing the risk of disease, to functioning as an aromatic food flavouring in the kitchen. This particular species is used for the treatment of warts, wounds, diabetes, stomach ulcers, skin irritations, and for potentially shrinking cancerous tumours. It’s one of the herbs recognized under the Medicinal Plants Act in Bulgaria for its medicinal properties. Nothing was found from Nicholas Culpeper on this particular type of Basil, though he was not fond of Basil in general back then and deemed it, “not fit to be taken inwardly”.
“It expels both birth and after-birth; and as it helps the deficiency of Venus in one kind, so it spoils all her actions in another. I dare write no more of it”. - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Mandrake - binomial Mandragora officinarum - common name Mandrake - family Solanaceae - POISONOUS
(not to be confused with American Mandrake or Mayapple)
In mediaeval times, it was believed Mandrake had magical powers associated with dark spirits and could only be harvested by moonlight. They tied one end of a cord around the plant and the other around the neck of a dog so the plant could be pulled out without human hands touching it. Mandrake root was mostly used to magically manifest love and fertility. However, they apparently did take it internally for inducing sleep and treating rheumatism and convulsions. As the famous philosopher and physician Paracelsus once said: “All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison”. So unless you know exactly how much Mandrake is too much Mandrake, it’s best not to ingest this plant at all. Nicholas Culpeper doesn’t say much about the plant aside from it being dangerous and only to be used in cooling ointments.
“Mandragoræ. Of Mandrakes. A root dangerous for its coldness, being cold in the fourth degree: the root is dangerous”. - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Hulwort - binomial Teucrium polium - common name Felty Germander - family Lamiaceae - POTENTIALLY POISONOUS
Felty Germander was used in ancient Greece for many ailments. It was known as “the herb of the Virgin Mary” and its common name in Greek is Panayóhorto. It is said to be beneficial to treat stomach and gastrointestinal issues, aid in weight loss, reduce fevers, and improve oral hygiene. Though it does have the potential for causing liver toxicity and lead to fatality if overused. Hesiod recommended that people carry Felty Germander with them as a remedy against snake bites. Nicholas Culpeper wrote only about Common Germander, which is native to North America and therefore not likely the species mentioned in the Argonautica.
Sources:
Dittany - binomial Origanum dictamnus - common name Dittany of Crete - family Lamiaceae
This is another herb used in ancient times for aiding in women’s reproductive health and yet another member of the Lamiaceae family. It’s said to bring on menstruation, ease the pain of labour, hasten delivery, bring forth the placenta, and expel the foetus after miscarriage. Nicholas Culpeper mentioned that the herb also draws out the poison of weapons. Dittany is dedicated to the Greek Goddess Artemis, who healed arrow wounds with it. Also, the Cretan Goddess of childbirth Eileithyia wore a wreath of Dittany on her head, symbolising her abilities to facilitate difficult births. Eileithyia is an epithet shared by both Artemis and Hekate and it means “nurse of childbirth”.
“The very smell of it drives away venomous beasts, so deadly an enemy it is to poison; it is an admirable remedy against wounds and gunshot, wounds made with poisoned weapons.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Saffron - binomial Crocus sativus - common name Saffron Crocus - family Iridaceae
In Greek mythology, Crocus was said to be a friend/lover of Hermes, the Olympic God who accidentally hit Crocus in the head with a discus and killed him. Drops of blood fell from the youth’s head onto the soil and formed the Saffron flower. In ancient times Saffron was used as: a carminative for combating flatulence, a diaphoretic for inducing sweating, and an emmenagogue for stimulating blood flow from the uterus. It was said to also help with breathing difficulties, jaundice, pestilence, and other epidemical diseases. In modern times, research shows it may be effective in treating children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Aside from its supportive benefits, it’s used as a dye for clothing and is extremely useful for dying a Saffron veil (Krokopeplos) like the one Hekate wears in the Orphic Hymns.
“I call Einodian Hecate, lovely dame, of earthly, wat'ry, and celestial frame,
Sepulchral, in a saffron veil array'd, leas'd with dark ghosts that wander thro' the shade.” - Orphic Hymn to Musaeus
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
The Hymns of Orpheus. Translated by Taylor, Thomas (1792) University of Pennsylvania Press
Nose-Smart - binomial Nasturtium officinale - common name Watercress - family Brassicaceae
According to Nicholas Culpeper, Watercress stimulates menses, and that certainly aligns with the pattern of Hekate’s plants in this list. He also said it’s known for alleviating headaches, breaking down kidney stones, and cleansing the blood. In modern times, Watercress is said to improve thyroid function, bone health and eyesight, and it may even help fight cancer and chronic diseases. It’s also said that Watercress promotes healthy pregnancy, but Culpeper says it stimulates menses, so I’d be wary of this conflicting information. Nevertheless, Watercress is very nutritious and a good appetite stimulant that can be added to salads.
“The leaves bruised, or the juice, is good, to be applied to the face or other parts troubled with freckles, pimples, spots, or the like, at night, and washed away in the morning. The juice mixed with vinegar, and the fore part of the head bathed therewith, is very good for those that are dull and drowsy, or have the lethargy.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Lion-Foot - binomial Leontice leontopetalum - common name Lion’s Foot - family Berberidaceae
The root of Lion’s Foot has been traditionally used as an antidote to Opium overdoses, so it makes sense that it would be in the Sacred Grove where Black Poppies grow. Today, Lion’s Foot roots are used as soap to remove stains from clothing, especially wool. According to Dioscorides’ De materia medica, a decoction of the root helps relieve the pain of snake bites. However, another entry by Dioscorides worth mentioning names Lion’s Foot as the plant known as “Edelweiss” (binomial Leontopodium alpinum). Without any Latin binomial nomenclature listed in the Argonautica, it’s difficult to say which one is correct. Also, plant names change as botanists learn new information. Edelweiss has been traditionally used for fever, diarrhea, bronchitis, and abdominal pain, and is said to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-aging properties.
Nicholas Culpeper doesn’t review either plant, or maybe they’re just listed under entirely different names.
Sources:
Greenbrier - binomial Smilax aspera - common name Rough Bindweed or Sarsaparilla - family Smilacaceae - POTENTIALLY POISONOUS
This is another good example of when healing becomes harmful. As Paracelsus says, “the dose makes the poison”. According to Dioscorides, Smilax was an antidote for poison but modern science warns that too much Smilax (Sarsaparilla) can cause liver problems due to its intense, over-powerful detoxification process. Historically, the leaves and roots were used to make tea that was anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, and anti-parasitic. The root is said to be used as a general body cleanser and is also used in making beer.
Nicholas Culpeper writes that Sarsa-Parilla, or Bind-weed, is “helpful against pains in the head and joints; they provoke sweat and are used familiarly in drying diet drinks”.
In another version of the Greek myth involving Crocus, a beautiful nymph was in love with him but he did not love her back (likely because he was in love with Hermes). Aphrodite took pity on the nymph and transformed her into Smilax (Bindweed) so she could be with Crocus forever after Hermes accidentally killed him and turned him into Saffron. Fun fact: Bindweed is sacred to Dionysos and was worn as garlands in the orgies held for the God.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Camomile - binomial Matricaria chamomilla - common name German Chamomile - family Asteraceae
Though Chamomile is used for a wide variety of benefits, care should be taken when choosing German Chamomile or Roman Chamomile (binomial Chamaemelum nobile). It’s said that Roman Chamomile can cause miscarriages and should not be used when pregnant. Nicholas Culpeper wrote extensively about Chamomile, outlining its numerous benefits for: “All hard swellings, pains or aches, shrinking of the sinews, or cramps, or pains in the joints, or any other part of the body”. He also mentioned it is, “an excellent help to bring down [ease] women’s courses [menses]”. It’s said that bathing in Chamomile can also ease body aches and pains. Drinking hot Chamomile tea can help reduce cold symptoms and induce relaxation and sleep. When brewing Chamomile as a tea, it’s usually best prepared in a covered cup to trap the steam from escaping so you’re not wasting the beneficial essence of the entire flower.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Black Poppy - binomial Papaver somniferum - common name Opium Poppy - family Papaveraceae - POTENTIALLY POISONOUS
Milk of the Poppy (Opium) is harvested from the heads before they ripen. It was used in antiquity to ease headaches and menstrual cramps but is poisonous in the wrong dose. Nicholas Culpeper writes that Poppies were used for easing pain and women’s menses but doesn’t state which species of Poppy he’s referring to or which part of the plant was used. Poppy Seeds, for example, don't naturally contain Opium and are used for wellness support such as pain relief, insomnia, infertility, digestive issues, and heart disease. That being said, if the seeds do come in contact with Opium during harvesting, small amounts of the drug may show up in a urine test.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Alcua/Alcea - binomial Alcea rosea - common name Hollyhock - family Malvaceae
There is no plant called Alcua found anywhere on the internet or in the works of Culpeper or Dioscorides. One can only assume it’s a misspelling or an error in translation. Also, as stated before, plant names and categories have changed over the years. After researching the works of Culpeper and Dioscorides extensively, it becomes apparent that the plant mentioned in the Argonautica is quite possibly Alcea, one of over 80 species of plants in the Malvaceae family known as “Hollyhocks” native to Europe and Asia. Dioscorides and Culpeper both agree Alcea helps with dysentery and hernias but write nothing further of the plant. In modern times, Hollyhock is believed to help relieve dry skin, inflammation, and bleeding gums. A refreshing tea can be made with the flowers to help with gastrointestinal issues and prevent urinary tract infections. As with a lot of the plants found in Hekate’s Sacred Grove, Hollyhock also helps with menstruation; in this case it can relieve cramps.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
All-Heal - binomial Prunella vulgaris - common name Woundwort - family Lamiaceae
Prunella Vulgaris has a rich history in both myth and healing. It was said to be a “Holy Herb” gifted from Gods to cure all ailments, hence the name “All-Heal”. It’s also called “Hercules’s Woundwort” because Hercules was said to be the first to learn about the plant from Chiron. Lastly, it was rumoured that Witches kept the plant in their garden to drive away demons. Today it’s used as a general preventative for ailments that tend to come around in the winter like coughs and colds.
“It kills the worms, helps the gout, cramp, and convulsions, provokes urine, and helps all joint-aches. It helps all cold griefs of the head, the vertigo, falling-sickness, the lethargy, the wind cholic, obstructions of the liver and spleen, stone in the kidneys and bladder. It provokes the terms, expels the dead birth.” - Nicholas Culpeper
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
White Hellebore - binomial Veratrum album - common name European Hellebore - family Melanthiaceae - POISONOUS
Once used as arrow poison and as an insecticide, this is yet another plant that will help with menstruation, however, it’s very poisonous. Culpeper and Dioscorides both say that White Hellebore was boiled and kneaded together with polenta, honey, and meat to kill mice and rats. Physicians once used it for treating cerebral afflictions like epilepsy but it’s known today as a violent poison that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
Aconite - binomial Aconitum lycoctonum - common name Wolfsbane - family Ranunculaceae - POISONOUS
(there’s 342 species Aconitum)
Dioscorides says Aconite is placed in raw meat and left to be eaten by wolves in order to bring death upon them. Culpeper mentions remedies for the poison of Aconite but doesn’t give information for the plant itself. There are many myths surrounding this highly poisonous plant. Aconite was believed to be created by Hekate using the foaming slobber of the three-headed hell-hound, Cerberus. Then, in Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Athena uses Aconite to transform Arachne into a spider. Aconite was said to also be used by Medea to poison the hero Thesus. Traditionally, it’s listed as one of the main ingredients in witches’ flying ointments. However, it’s said that women are especially vulnerable to this poison and death occurs on the same day a female is touched by it. The ancient Roman senator Calpurnius Bestia was accused of killing his wives while they slept by applying Aconite ointment to their vulvas. It’s no wonder Pliny the Elder (23-79 CE) named it, 'woman's murder'.
Sources:
Oak - binomial Quercus robur - common name English Oak - family Fagaceae
Last but not least in the Grove, is the mighty Oak tree. Different parts of the Oak tree have been used for centuries in traditional healing to help with ailments such as diarrhea, gastric ulcers, asthma, hemorrhoids, and flesh wounds. The Oak tree is said to have astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and even anticancer properties. Tea made from Oak bark may help with fevers, colds, coughs, bronchitis, digestion, and appetite stimulation. A compress made with the bark applied directly to the skin may reduce inflammation and in bath water it’s used to treat skin, genital, and anal inflammation or irritation.
Nicholas Culpeper mentions various uses for the bark, acorns, and buds. He says: a decoction of the bark stops vomiting and regulates women’s menstruation flow, the acorns and bark brewed in milk resists the strength of poisonous herbs, and distilled water boiled with Oak buds before they turn into leaves reduces fevers. Oak trees are indeed one of nature’s most underestimated gifts.
Sources:
The Complete Herbal: Illustrated Original Edition by Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
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