A Witch's Garden: Yarrow

Disclaimer

This is NOT a page about Wiccans or neo-pagans, and I do not advocate the belief that Wiccans are Satan-worshippers and/or baby-killers. I am well aware that they are not. This is a starting point for historical research into the great witch craze of 1100-1700 AD. And please, don't ask me for spells.

Yarrow

Yarrow is also known by Holy Herb, Milfoil, Nosebleed, Gearwe, Sanguinary, Thousand Leaf, Old Man's Pepper, Soldiers' Woundwort, Staunch Grass, Carpenters' Weed, Bloodwort, Old Man's Mustard, Bad Man's Plaything, Devil's Plaything, Devil's Nettle, Militaris, and Meleflower.

Yarrow experienced widespread use as a love charm when it was picked in a certain manner while reciting the correct words. If it was worn in a little bag about the neck, it was thought to bring the bearer success as well as magical knowledge. It is "very famous as one of the herbs of the 'Lancashire Witches', [in] which one admitted to using [it] to cure distemper and in divination (Miller - Yarrow).

As a Ward

An herb considered potent against faeries (Britannica Online - Fairy).

Lost?

A Witch's Garden is copyright 1997-1998 to Shantell Powell.
The preceding botanic illustration is from The Virtual Garden Search Engine, part of the Time Life Electronic Encyclopedia.