Herbs FAQs

If a relative wants to share, begin with one plant they connect with home, a celebration or a remembered person. Ask open questions: “What did you call it?”, “Who taught you about it?” and “When would you use that saying or custom?” Ask before recording, and agree whether the account is private or may be shared. Note the speaker, date and places they mention, keeping remembered wording separate from your own interpretation. Let them check your summary. Describe it as that person’s account rather than a rule for a whole culture. Recording a remembered preparation does not mean you should recreate it.

Related: A documented remembrance association.

Rosemary has a documented literary association with remembrance: Ophelia names that connection in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. You could draw on it for a personal ancestor remembrance by placing a labelled sprig beside a photograph, or using a drawing of the plant. This is an optional symbolic practice, not evidence that rosemary contacts the dead. A family association with another plant may be more meaningful to you.

Sources: Folger Shakespeare Library: Hamlet, Act 4, scene 5.

In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Daphne becomes a laurel and Apollo adopts the tree as his own, connecting it with his hair, lyre and quiver. That is a specific classical source for the association. If you include a laurel image in a devotional practice, record the story you are drawing on rather than describing every modern bay-leaf spell as ancient Greek practice.

Sources: Ovid: Metamorphoses, Book 1, Daphne and Apollo.

Pliny the Elder’s Natural History describes Druids in Gaul holding mistletoe and its oak host sacred. This is a Roman author’s account, rather than a surviving instruction written by Druids themselves. It gives a source for the association without proving that every ancient or modern Druid practice is identical. If you explore this symbolism, record the author and passage in your grimoire; an illustration can represent the plants without collecting or preparing them.

Related: Reading old plant references.

Sources: Pliny: Druids and mistletoe.

It describes an association within that author’s astrological system. For example, Culpeper assigns rosemary to the Sun in the “Government and virtues” section of his herbal. You can study that as historical herb lore and record the attribution in your grimoire. It is not a scientifically established property of rosemary, and the accompanying historical medical recipes should not be used as present-day safety instructions.

Related guide: How to start a grimoire.

Sources: Nicholas Culpeper: The Complete Herbal, historical text.

One documented connection comes from Greek poetry. In The Lament for Adonis, attributed to Bion, roses arise from Adonis’s blood as Aphrodite mourns him, linking the flower with love and loss. Modern practitioner Anna Franklin describes roses in handfasting decorations and memorial offerings. These are specific examples, not a proven single origin for every modern spell. For your own symbolism, decide whether the rose represents affection, remembrance or a personal association. Neither the story nor the material guarantees a romantic or spiritual result.

Related: Rose hips and petals.

Further reading: Bion: The Lament for Adonis · Anna Franklin: Rose Magic.

A rowan cross is a small charm made from rowan wood, often bound with red thread or ribbon. The Pitt Rivers Museum records crosses and loops used at doorways and fireplaces to ward off feared witchcraft and misfortune; its examples entered the collection in the late nineteenth century. The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic also holds a red-bound example. These objects document a protective belief, rather than proof that rowan prevents harm. If you adopt the symbol today, describe your personal meaning without presenting it as a universal Pagan custom.

Related: Protective symbols and apotropaic marks. Further reading: Pitt Rivers Museum: Rowan crosses and loops · Museum of Witchcraft and Magic: Rowan cross.

Some Irish folklore treats hawthorn as a fairy tree and its blossom as unlucky indoors, as the National Museum of Ireland records. That is evidence of a belief, not evidence that the plant causes misfortune. Customs varied: a Schools’ Collection account from Labasheeda, County Clare, describes bringing hawthorn branches into the home on May Eve. Record the place and source rather than calling hawthorn universally lucky or unlucky. A drawing or photograph on a personal altar lets you explore its meaning without collecting the plant.

Related: May bushes and personal seasonal observance.

Further reading: National Museum of Ireland: Hawthorn folklore · Dúchas: Bringing in the May, Labasheeda.

One documented use is as a protective charm. Southwark’s Cuming Collection holds an acorn-shaped brass pendant collected in West London, dated 1850–1916, and recorded as a safeguard against lightning. Its catalogue links this belief to the oak being regarded as a thunder god’s home. That is a particular recorded association, rather than the meaning of every oak or acorn tradition. Treat it as folklore: an acorn or acorn-shaped charm is not lightning protection. For personal spellwork, be clear which recorded or personal meaning you are using.

Related: Amulets and talismans. Further reading: Southwark Heritage: Acorn-shaped protective charm.

For your own symbolic practice, you can choose a moon phase if it helps mark the occasion. Keep that choice separate from the plant’s growing needs: the RHS gives different harvesting guidance for different herbs. Do not cut a struggling plant or collect in unsafe conditions to meet a ritual timetable. You can mark the date in your journal and harvest later, when the particular plant is ready.

Sources: RHS: Herbs, growing and harvesting.

For a personal symbolic practice, you can keep the same association or deliberately give the dried material a different meaning. Drying changes the plant material; it does not tell you what your ritual must mean. For example, you might use a fresh leaf to represent growth and a dried leaf to remember a previous season. Those are your interpretations, not universal herbal correspondences. The RHS documents fresh and dried uses for several familiar herbs.

Sources: RHS: Herbs, growing and harvesting.

You can choose that connection in your own practice, but they are different plant parts: hips are the fruits that follow rose flowers. A petal might suggest blossoming, while a drawing of a hip might suggest a later stage of the plant’s year. Describe those as personal meanings unless you have a source for a named tradition. A shared plant name does not make the parts physically interchangeable in a recipe.

Sources: RHS: Roses show off their hips.

Choose a plant suited to the light and space you actually have, then learn its ordinary care needs. Make a dated note of new leaves, flowers and seasonal changes; add a separate sentence about what those observations mean to you. The RHS container-herb guide can help with growing conditions. Tending the plant can be the whole activity: there is no need to harvest it, make a blend or assign it a traditional meaning you have not researched.

Related guide: How to start a grimoire.

Sources: RHS: Growing herbs in containers.

Do not assume they are the same plant. Culinary bay is Laurus nobilis; common cherry-laurel hedges are Prunus laurocerasus, and Portugal laurel is another Prunus species. The RHS distinguishes them and warns about hazardous compounds in evergreen Prunus. Do not pick, crush, burn or taste unfamiliar hedge leaves to try to identify them. For a personal symbolic working, a drawing of a bay leaf avoids that uncertainty.

Sources: RHS: Evergreen prunus.

Leaving them growing is a useful option: observe, sketch or photograph a plant without taking it. Before any collection, check identification, site rules, plant protection and any required permission. The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland’s code explains responsible collecting and habitat care. A ritual purpose does not remove those responsibilities. If you are unsure about the plant or the rules, leave it in place and use your notes instead.

Sources: Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland: Wild plant code of conduct.

Treat its answer as a starting suggestion. RHS botanist Jordan Bilsborrow cautions that an app’s identification should be treated as guidance rather than a certainty. Keep the proposed name provisional until a knowledgeable identifier has checked the plant’s distinguishing features. An app label alone is not a reason to collect, taste, burn or apply an unfamiliar plant to skin. For your grimoire, separate the suggested identification from a confirmed one; botanical identity and whether a material suits your intended use are separate checks.

Related: Responsible wild-plant choices · Historical references and safe handling.

Source: RHS: AI and plant identification.

No. Historical use does not establish present-day safety, and some plants can harm through contact as well as ingestion. Study an old text as evidence of what its author wrote, then check modern botanical safety information independently. Do not recreate a preparation simply to make your practice feel authentic. A photograph, drawing or written plant name lets you explore its symbolism without handling the actual material.

Sources: RHS: Potentially harmful garden plants.

Only use a product specifically intended and labelled for use in the bath, following its directions and precautions. Herbs or salts sold for ritual, incense or craft use are not automatically bath products, and “anointing oil” does not establish skin suitability. Check the ingredients and any allergy warnings; if the intended use is unclear, ask the maker before using it. Do not add neat essential oils or improvise a dilution: water and ordinary salts do not safely disperse essential oils. A plain bath with a spoken or written intention needs no added ritual ingredients.

Sources: OPSS: Consumer cosmetics · Tisserand Institute: Bath safety.

Orris is an iris material, rather than the root of a violet. The Society of Scent describes the rhizome of Iris pallida being dried and matured for its fragrance, which can have violet-like notes. The scent does not identify it as a violet plant. When buying, distinguish the dried botanical material from an extracted orris butter: Givaudan makes its butter by distilling rhizomes. Keep the plant name and preparation together when recording an ingredient from a spell book.

Related: Roots and rhizomes.

Sources: The Society of Scent: Orris root · Givaudan: Orris pallida butter.

No. Chinese star anise is Illicium verum, a tree; anise is Pimpinella anisum, a plant in the parsley family. Kew explicitly distinguishes them. The familiar woody star is a fruit made up of seed-bearing sections, rather than one oversized anise seed. Keep the two names separate when researching correspondences: an entry about anise does not automatically document star anise. If your source only says “anise”, look for its botanical name or other identifying context before deciding what it means.

Related: Checking supermarket herbs.

Sources: Kew: Chinese star anise.

No. The British Lichen Society identifies the perfume material called oak moss as the lichen Evernia prunastri. Its habitat account includes tree bark and other surfaces, so the name does not mean a piece of oak or guarantee an oak-tree origin. If a ritual list names oakmoss, record the lichen’s identity separately from oak leaves, bark or acorns. For a commercial product, check whether you are buying identified lichen material, an extract or an oakmoss-scented blend.

Related: An oak-and-acorn folklore example.

Sources: British Lichen Society: Evernia prunastri.

Rosmarinus officinalis is the older name you will often find in herb books and on labels; Kew now places rosemary under Salvia rosmarinus. These names refer to the same plant, rather than two different ritual ingredients. In a grimoire, keep the name used by your source and add the current name beside it. That makes older references easier to follow without changing what the author actually wrote. Rosemary belonging to Salvia does not make it interchangeable with every plant called sage.

No. Roman chamomile is Chamaemelum nobile, a perennial, while German chamomile is Matricaria chamomilla, an annual. The RHS treats them as distinct plants even though both carry the chamomile name. When following a plant reference, record which one it means. If you are choosing a living plant for an altar-side growing project, their different life cycles matter more than a generic chamomile label. A shared common name does not establish the same composition or suitability for a preparation.

Not reliably. The RHS identifies mugwort as Artemisia vulgaris and common wormwood as Artemisia absinthium. They belong to the same genus but are different species, and informal names can overlap. Keep them as separate entries when studying plant lore rather than merging everything written about Artemisia. If a source gives only a common name, leave its identity marked as uncertain until you can establish what the author meant; do not try to settle it by tasting or burning a sample.

No. Pot marigold is Calendula officinalis, whereas French marigold is Tagetes patula. Both names appear in gardening references, so marigold alone leaves room for confusion. Look for a botanical name, illustration and geographical context in the source before attaching its lore to a plant. Record which flower the source means rather than assuming that all marigolds share one traditional meaning.

Give them separate entries. Lemon balm is Melissa officinalis, a hardy herbaceous perennial; lemon verbena is Aloysia citrodora, a woody sub-shrub that may need winter protection in northern Britain. Their lemony fragrance does not make them the same plant. If you grow either as part of your practice, record its own care needs and seasonal changes. You can compare what the scent means to you while keeping the botanical records distinct.

FairWild assesses wild collection against ecological, social and business requirements. Its standard considers plant populations and habitats alongside collectors’ rights, fair arrangements and responsible trade. It is therefore more specific than an unexplained claim that something is ethically sourced. Check which ingredient and supply chain a certification claim actually covers, rather than assuming it applies to every product sold by a business. Certification concerns sourcing; it does not establish a material’s ritual effects or suitability for a particular use.

It describes the preparation of the material: it has been cut into smaller pieces and sifted to remove fine particles and dust. It is different from a whole leaf or a finely ground powder. For a display or craft, check the stated piece size and photograph as well as the weight; suppliers’ cuts can differ. The term describes texture and processing, so keep the botanical name and plant part alongside it when comparing products.

Related: Read about different plant parts.

No. Aerial parts means the above-ground portion of a plant, excluding its roots. It can include stems, leaves and flowers rather than leaves alone. If a project needs a particular part, such as intact petals, ask what the packet actually contains before ordering. Record the part supplied as well as the plant name, and keep that description when moving the material into a labelled storage container.

No. A rhizome is a stem, often growing underground, rather than a root. The RHS uses bamboo as one example of plants that spread through underground rhizomes. Dried or chopped material can hide these structural differences, so retain the supplier’s full description rather than shortening every underground part to “root”. When comparing materials for a collection or craft, check both the species and the named part.

Related: Read about keeping botanical identities separate.

It usually identifies a cultivar: a named cultivated selection, written after the botanical name. The RHS uses single quotation marks for cultivar names and distinguishes them from trade names used to market plants. Copy the complete label into your herb journal, including the quoted name, instead of keeping only “mint” or “lavender”. This can help you find the same selection again. A cultivar name is an identity detail, not a statement about ritual properties.

Related: Read about botanical names and synonyms.

A simple plant press uses two firm boards, absorbent paper, corrugated card and straps or weights. For the finished reference sheet, choose good-quality paper, preferably acid-free, and leave space for a label. The RHS recommends recording the plant name, collection date and place, plus details that drying may change, such as fresh colour. Start with a correctly identified plant you already grow and may handle, or use photographs if you do not want to collect material.

Related: Read about starting with one living herb.

Choose a growing pot with drainage holes. A decorative outer pot can hold that inner pot, but check that excess water can be removed rather than leaving the roots standing in it. The RHS identifies drainage holes as essential for container growing. Match the compost and watering to the particular herb as well: an attractive container does not change its growing needs. For an altar-side plant, protect the furniture underneath while keeping the plant accessible for ordinary care.

It means gradually getting an indoor-raised plant used to outdoor conditions before leaving it outside. The RHS advises a staged transition, generally over two to three weeks, rather than moving straight from a warm windowsill into exposed weather. Choose sheltered conditions and follow guidance for the particular herb and your local weather. Hardening off does not turn a frost-sensitive plant into a hardy one, so it is separate from checking whether that herb can remain outdoors through winter.

They describe the plant’s life cycle. Annuals complete theirs in one growing season; biennials usually grow in the first season, then flower and set seed in the second. Perennials can live for several years. This helps you plan whether a pot is a short-term growing project or a longer commitment. It does not tell you everything about winter care: check hardiness separately. A plant reaching the end of its natural life cycle is not evidence that your symbolic practice went wrong.

Related: Roman and German chamomile.

It is a guide to the cold conditions a plant is likely to withstand. The current RHS scale runs from H1a to H7, with higher numbers generally indicating greater cold tolerance. Read the description for the exact rating and consider your growing conditions; it is a guide, not a promise that every plant will survive every winter. Keep the rating with the plant’s label, alongside its light and moisture requirements, when deciding where to keep a living herb.

Pricking out means moving young seedlings from a shared tray into more room to grow. A small dibber or pencil can help lift them with their roots supported. The RHS advises handling a seedling gently by a leaf, rather than gripping its delicate stem, and looking for true leaves before this stage. Follow the seed packet’s guidance for the herb you are growing; some are better sown where they will remain. Label the new pots so the seedlings do not become mixed up.

No. Read the instructions for that particular seed rather than using one depth for the whole herb collection. The packet should guide sowing depth and spacing; these are different measurements. A small ruler or marked dibber can help you follow them. Label each pot or row with the plant name and sowing date, and keep the packet for the later thinning and planting-out instructions. This gives your growing journal a practical record alongside any personal seasonal meaning.

Related: Harvest timing and moon phases.

Mint can spread strongly through its roots and crowd neighbouring plants. The RHS recommends a separate pot rather than mixing it into a container of Mediterranean herbs. Their care can differ too: mint prefers more moisture than herbs such as rosemary and thyme. You can still arrange separate pots together for a green-witch display, while watering and tending each plant individually. Choose the layout for access and plant care as well as appearance.

Not necessarily. Garden compost is mainly a soil improver made from decomposed organic material; bagged seed and potting composts are growing media prepared for particular jobs. When buying for a living herb, choose the type suited to sowing seeds or growing that plant in a container. Look for an explicit peat-free label if that is what you want: words such as natural or organic do not establish that a bag contains no peat. Keep the growing instructions with the bag.

Bolting means a plant is moving into flowering and seed production earlier than wanted for a leafy crop. Coriander is a familiar example: the RHS explains that hot, dry conditions can make it flower sooner, after which it produces fewer new leaves. Check guidance for the particular herb before pruning. If your aim is to observe its whole life cycle, you may choose to record the flowers and seeds instead.

A plug is a young plant grown in a small individual cell, with roots and compost held together. It may have been raised from seed or a cutting. Plug sizes vary, so check the supplier’s stage and growing-on instructions rather than assuming it is a mature potted herb. Small plugs often need an intermediate pot and protected growing conditions first. The RHS guide explains how to handle the rooted plug as a unit, keeping disturbance to the roots low.

Keep the original packet and follow any storage or sowing directions for that species. For dry seeds that can be stored, a labelled packet in a sealed container in a cool, dry place helps keep moisture out. The RHS notes that seed longevity varies and some seeds are best sown promptly, so there is no single shelf life for every herb. Record when you obtained them and keep different batches separate. This is seed storage for growing, not advice for using seeds as ritual ingredients.

Look for a sturdy plant with healthy new growth, rather than choosing solely by height or the number of flowers. Check both sides of the leaves and the stems for damage or obvious pests. Ask the seller to help inspect the roots if needed; the RHS advises avoiding a severely congested root ball with little compost visible. Read the plant label before buying so you know its light and space needs. A good starting specimen makes ordinary plant care easier.

Those words describe ritual choices, rather than a physical preparation that every herb needs. Scott Cunningham, for example, describes enchantment as declaring magical intent. For a personal symbolic working, you could state why you chose a herb, write that purpose down, or leave out a separate charging step. If following a specific tradition, learn what the step means there. None of these choices verifies a supernatural effect or changes the material’s safe intended use.

Yes, you can choose a correctly identified culinary herb for a personal symbolic project; it does not have to come from a specialist shop. Practitioner Ileana Abrev describes using supermarket supplies in her own work. Start with what you need rather than buying a large collection. Check the exact herb, plant part and whether the packet contains a mixture. A food label does not establish suitability for incense, skin application or another preparation: those uses need their own appropriate products and instructions.

Try a small germination test before filling a whole seed tray. Put ten seeds on a damp paper towel in a labelled, closed container, then follow the seed packet’s germination conditions and expected timing. Check regularly and count how many sprout: seven out of ten gives a 70% result for that sample. Check whether the species needs a special treatment before interpreting a failed test. Sprouting does not guarantee that every seedling will grow strongly, so keep observing them afterwards.

Further reading: Illinois Extension: Testing seed germination.

It means giving seeds a period of moist, cold conditions to help end dormancy before germination. It is not simply another name for keeping a dry seed packet cool. Some species need this treatment and others do not. Follow the instructions for that plant’s temperature, moisture and duration rather than chilling every herb seed alike. Record the start date and check the seeds as directed; the treatment can add weeks or months to a growing plan.

Further reading: Illinois Extension: Seed stratification.

For some herbs, yes. A cutting is a piece of a living plant encouraged to make roots and become a separate plant. The right method and season depend on the herb: the RHS recommends semi-ripe rosemary cuttings in late summer, for example. Check a species-specific propagation guide before cutting, including which growth to select and how to root it. This uses living growing material, not dried herbs from a packet. Keep the new plant labelled while it establishes.

Further reading: RHS: Herbs, propagating.

For a herb suited to division, it means separating a rooted clump into smaller plants, rather than just trimming its leaves. Start with a healthy plant showing strong growth. Remove it from its pot, gently tease it into rooted sections and pot each section separately. Water after potting and give the divisions a light, suitable place to establish before moving them on. Check the particular herb’s timing and method first; not every plant can be divided this way.

Further reading: RHS: How to divide potted herbs.

Not necessarily. A seedling from a named cultivar may differ from its parent, so saving seed is not always a way to keep the same selected characteristics. Iowa State explains that many cultivars need vegetative propagation, such as cuttings, to reproduce them true to type. Check the recommended method for your particular plant. In your growing notes, distinguish seed collected from that cultivar from a confirmed plant of the cultivar itself.

Further reading: Iowa State: Cultivars and varieties.

Not always. Check the actual daylight reaching the plant, not just how bright the room looks. Iowa State advises around eight hours of direct light for most indoor herbs. A sunny window may work better than a shelf farther into the room, and winter light can be limiting. Match the position to the herb’s needs; if necessary, use suitable plant lighting rather than expecting ordinary room lighting to be enough.

Further reading: Iowa State: Growing Herbs Indoors.

Check the compost rather than watering automatically by the calendar. Let it dry somewhat between waterings, following the particular herb’s care instructions; do not treat this as advice to dry every pot out completely. An oversized pot can stay wet too long. Use a container with drainage and record what you find when checking, not just watering dates.

Further reading: Iowa State: Growing Herbs Indoors.

Choose a correctly identified plant that is suitable for handling and air-drying. Remove lower leaves, gather the stems and hang them upside down in low light with good air movement. The RHS gives two to three weeks as a typical drying period, but wetter material can take longer. Check for mould and remove affected stems. Keep the finished display away from damp rooms and direct sunshine. This is a decorative method, not proof that the material is suitable for food, bathing or incense.

Further reading: RHS: How to dry flowers and foliage.

Variegated foliage has areas of different colours, such as green with cream or yellow. Some variegated plants produce shoots that return to a plainer form, a change called reversion. The RHS notes that these green shoots may grow more vigorously and overtake the variegated growth. Compare the change with the cultivar’s description and seek plant-specific advice before pruning. The label describes an appearance, not a guarantee that every new leaf will have an identical pattern.

Further reading: RHS: Reversion.

No. Evergreen means that a plant keeps most of its foliage through the year, not that each individual leaf lasts indefinitely. Deciduous plants shed their leaves seasonally and produce new ones for the next growing season. These descriptions help you anticipate how a living display may change. They do not replace the separate hardiness information: retaining leaves is not the same claim as tolerating every winter condition. Keep both details with the plant’s care notes.

Further reading: RHS: Gardening glossary.

For outdoor planting, the RHS describes full sun as more than six hours of direct sunshine a day at midsummer. It describes partial shade as three to six hours. Dappled shade is filtered or broken light, such as beneath an open tree canopy. Check the actual position over the day rather than judging from one sunny moment. These are outdoor site descriptions, not a timetable for leaving an indoor plant beside a lamp or window.

Further reading: RHS: Shade gardening.

F1 identifies the first generation from a particular cross between selected parent lines. Seed producers recreate that cross to obtain the intended combination of characteristics. Open-pollinated seed comes from plants allowed to pollinate freely within the growing group instead of that particular controlled cross. These terms describe breeding and seed production, not the age of the packet. Compare the named plant’s size, appearance and growing requirements as well, rather than treating either label as automatically best.

Further reading: RHS: F1 hybrids.

It means treating a hard seed coat so that it no longer prevents germination. It is a different requirement from a period of moist cold, although some seeds need both treatments. Do not scarify every herb seed: first check the exact species and the supplier’s method. The term alone does not specify a tool, treatment strength or duration. Record any required preparation before planning a sowing date, and ask for clarification if the packet gives no workable instructions.

Further reading: Iowa State: Growing perennials from seed.