History: Used since ancient times as poison on arrows to hunt wolves, also believed effective against werewolves. In Europe and Asia soldiers dropped it into water supplies along the route of their enemies, and witches were said to mix it with belladonna to make a flying ointment.
History: Grows in Egypt and the Near East, has been used throughout history for the healing properties of its sap. Valued as a beauty aid as well. Non- edible.
History: Medieval peasants used it to ward off evil spirits and witches by making necklaces of the leaves, and drinking its juices was supposed to protect against poisons. Amerinds used it in poultices to reduce swelling, and it was drunk in teas as a tonic to build strength.
History: Its licorice flavor was so highly prized throughout history that the Romans used this herb to pay taxes, and in 1305 Edward I of England levied an import tax on it. Non-edible.
History: In medieval Europe it was used as an antiseptic medicine as well as a scent and dye in candle wax. Non-edible.
History: The name derives from the herb's reputed association with basilisks, poisonous mythological monsters. By association, then, basil was commonly believed to be able to cure poison.
History: Bay trees were believed to offer protection from lightning. The leaves were used for everything from snakebites to abortions. The Greeks believed that the death of one of these trees signaled disaster.
History: In the Middle Ages it was believed to be the favorite herb of the devil, said to be an ingredient in witches' orgies, and also used for flying potions and to kill their enemies.
History: Also called bee balm, the plant was first used by American Indians to make a sedative tea. At the time of the Boston Tea Party this beverage was preferred over the hated imported tea. Non-edible.
History: Egyptians thought that it was a magical herb, with many different uses including as a guard against harm. It was planted in churchyards in medieval Europe, and people wore amulets made from it.
History: Native to North America, the Amerinds used the juice of this herb to cure burns, and its tea was thought to cure fevers. Non-edible.
History: Borage was used as an additive to wine - both Romans and Celts thought it instilled courage, and the Welsh called it "llawenlys", the herb of gladness.
History: It was used as a decorative plant by the Romans. In the Middle Ages it was believed you could see faeries if you took a decoction of the herb, and during the American Civil War it was used to stop bleeding and promote the healing of wounds. The Victorians believed marigold infusions would relieve sore feet. Non-edible.
History: It was used in ancient Egypt as a cure for agues, and as a strewing herb in medieval Europe. Has at times been used as a blonde hair rinse, and has been made into tea throughout time. Brewed strongly, it is a cure for insomnia. Non-edible.
History: Aside from the mild stimulant caffeine, coffee beans have been used in folk remedies to cure snakebite, flu, atropine poisoning, jaundice, and malaria.
History: Was used to stop heavy bleeding and mend broken bones, also heals burns, according to the Greeks. Creates a brown dye for wool. Non-edible.
History: One of the most plentiful poisons known, it was used by Romans in wine to poison each other. Slaves would administer minuscule doses to themselves to keep them too sick to work. In Egypt and Israel it was believed to cure fevers.
History: A common roadside weed, it was used by medieval peasants to prevent scurvy, and was also used to treat burns. A syrup made from dock and vinegar was considered a cure-all. Non-edible.
History: The elderberry provided the wood for Christ's cross, and was the home of the goddess Freya. As with many deity-associated herbs, it was believed to ward off witches. For centuries it was added to cheap port to make it look and taste more expensive, but it has cyanide-like byproducts. It has been used to treat a variety of ailments.
History: Crushed eucalyptus leaves were used by the Australian aborigines as an antiseptic, for cleaning wounds. The highly flammable leaves were also burnt in campfires as insect repellants. When Europeans arrived in Australia, they soon recognised another use: The pungent oil distilled from the leaves was inhaled for headcolds, to clear the nasal passages. They also discovered that although the koalas seemed to subsist on the leaves alone, they were toxic for all other creatures.
History: Used in England and Greece to heal vision problems. Non-edible.
History: Fennel seeds were used to sweeten the breath and suppress hunger, and as a general curative. It was one of the nine sacred herbs during the Middle Ages. Fennel is also believed to be useful in treating eye complaints and strengthening the eyes, and is said to provide strength, courage, and longevity.
History: Used as a fodder crop throughout the ancient Mediterranean and Near East, the Egyptians also used it in poultices. Non-edible.
History: According to folklore, feverfew planted around a house will prevent disease. The tea was, not suprisingly, a cure for fevers, and brewed strongly it was a sedative.
History: Flax has been important to every civilization from the Egyptians onwards for its paper- and cloth-making uses. Homer mentions it, as does an Icelandic saga. In Teuton mythology flax was under the protection of the goddess Hulda, and in the Middle Ages the flowers protected people from sorcery. Flax seeds are highly toxic if ingested.
History: Was eaten as a vegetable in medieval Europe, also believed to ward off vampires. Egyptians swore oaths on it, and Romans used it to strengthen them in battle. It is believed to cure hemlock poison, and has been used at times as a disinfectant.
History: During the Middle Ages these flowers were scattered on the floors of houses to drive out evil. They blessed animals with it. Sorcerers were reputed to use this herb to make themselves invisible.
History: Hop was a kitchen herb to the Romans but has been used in beermaking since the eighth and ninth centuries in Germany, and perhaps because of this association was believed (erroneously) to cure all manner of ailments.
History: This herb takes its name from the Egyptian god Horus. The Greeks believed it cured rabid dogs, and in folk legend horehound can break magic spells. Non-edible.
History: Hyssop is mentioned in the Bible, and named literally the "holy herb" by the Greeks. It was used to clean sacred buildings, and more prosaically as a food preservative.
History: Used as a numbing potion for sacrificial victims, and by the Thuggees in India to incapacitate their victims. Causes a flying sensation when inhaled - it is said the Pythia at Delphi inhaled this smoke when delivering oracles.
History: Planted by doorways, it is reputed to keep out witches, because the pungent aroma drives away evil. It was widely used in folk spellcasting, and in Amerind cultures to cure. Non-edible.
History: Used in both medieval Europe and China to ward off evil spirits. Portuguese sailors of the 1830s brought it to France, where it was believed to cure blindness. Non-edible.
History: It was used in Greece and Rome as a curative in poultices.
History: Used mostly ineffectually against the plague, but Romans believed it gave stamina. The Greeks wove parsley into crowns for the victors at sporting games, and in an old French remedy for swelling, it was packed in poultices with pounded snails.
History: Throughout history it has been associated with wisdom, and sage tea was thought to be a general curative. Non-edible.
History: Sea-weed is thought to contain verticillata, a natural herbal substance which provides energy, strengthening cells and protecting the immune system.
History: This plant seems to bleed when crushed, so Romans and Greeks used it to cure wounds. On the Isle of Wight it was said that if you stepped on the plant at twilight, you might be carried off on a magic fairy horse and not returned until daylight. Non-edible.
History: In the world wars it was used as an antiseptic in poultices. Thyme tea is believed to cure fevers.
History: Witches used this in flying ointments along with wolfsbane, but it was paradoxically believed to drive away witches.
History: Marco Polo and Kublai Khan discovered the uses of this herb in China. By the 13th century it was used in Europe as an antiseptic in poultices. Also used by Amerinds for the same purpose.
History: Used mainly as a tranquilizer, though it, as most herbs, was erroneously believed to cure the plague. Non-edible.
History: Egyptians thought it originated from the tears Isis shed for the dead god Osiris. It was sacred to the Romans, and associated with the crucifixion as the herb pressed to Christ's wounds to stop the bleeding. Vervain was also sacred to the Persians and the druids.
History: Long associated with mourning, willowbark was prescribed for pain and inflammation by the ancient Greeks. Amerinds used it to cure fevers, and it is the organic source of the now-synthetic aspirin. Non-edible.
History: The fermented leaves of this herb were what produced the blue dye Picts colored themselves with, and is also a styptic for wounds. Non-edible.
History: During the Middle Ages it was often used in herbal medicine.
History: Achilles used it to treat comrades during the Trojan War, and remained part of battle paraphernalia through the American Civil War. It was one of the magical herbs packed into the Saxon amulets that were wards against just about everything. Non-edible.
