In ancient times spells written by witches contained items such as “eye of newt” and “white mans foot”, these were simply names given to herbs and plants and not real eyes and feet! Here is a list of magical and ancient folklore names for herbs.
The magical and ancient folklore name is in bold; the common name is in normal everyday modern name. For spell ingredients please check variations of the name, for example: Goose Blood = Blood Of A Goose, Dog = hound, Donkey = Ass = Mule, Pig = Swine etc.
Adders Tongue or Tongue of Adder/Snake
Dogstooth Violet or Adder’s Tongue Fern
Ass’s Foot
Coltsfoot
Bear’s Foot
Hellbore
Beehive
Snail Plant
Beggar’s Tick
Cockhold
Bird’s Eye
Speedwell
Blood
Elder sap – or you can use blood oil (a magical blood natural alternative)
Bloody Fingers
Foxglove
Blood from a Head
Lupine
Blood of a Goose
A Mulberry Tree’s Milk
Blood of Ares
Purslane
Blood of Hephaistos
Wormwood
Bone of an Ibis
Buckthorn
Bread and Cheese
Hawthorn
Bull’s Eyes
Marigold
Bull’s Foot
Coltsfoot
Burning Bush
White Dittany
Candlemas Maiden
Snowdrop
Candlewick Plan
Mullein
Calf’s Snout
Toadflax
Cat Gut
Hoary Pea
Cat’s Eye
Star Scabious
Cat’s Foot
Snake Root
Cat’s Milk
Wartwort
Cat’s Paw
Ground Ivy
Chicken Toe
Crawley Root
Cock’s Comb
Yellow Rattle
Crow’s Foot
Cranesbill
Crown for a King
Wormwood
Dew of the Sea
Rosemary
Devil’s Milk
Wartwort
Devil’s Scourge
St Johns Wort
Demon’s Scourge
St Johns Wort
Demon’s Curse
St Johns Wort
Donkey’s Eyes
Cowage Plant
Dove’s Foot
Wild Geranium
Dragon’s Claw
Crawley Root
Dragon’s Eye
Nephalium Loganum
Dragon Wort
Bistort
Dwale
Deadly Nightshade/Belladonna
Duck’s Foot
Mandrake
Eagle
Wild Garlic
Earth Smoke
Fumitory
Elf Wort
Elecampane
Enchanter’s Plant
Vervain
Eye of the Star
Horehound
Englishman’s Foot
Common Plantain
Erba Santa Maria
Spearmint
Everlasting Friendship
Goosegrass
Eye of Christ
Speedwell
Eye of the Day
Daisy
Eye of the Star
Horehound
Eye Root
Goldenseal, Eyebright
Eyes
Aster, Daisy, Eyebright
Fairy Fingers
Foxglove
Fairy Gloves
Foxglove
Fairy Smoke
Indian Pipe
Fat from a Head
Spurge
Felon Herb
Mugwort
Five Finger Grass
Cinquefoil
Flesh and Blood
Tormentil
Foal’s Foot
Coltsfoot
Frog’s Foot
Bulbous Buttercup
From the Loins
Camomile
Goat’s Beard
Vegetable Oyster
Goat’s Foot
Ash Weed
Golden Star
Avens
Grace Of God
St Johns Wort
Hare’s Foot
Clover
Hedgehogs
Medicago Intertexta
Hawk’s Heart
Heart of Wormwood
Honey Lotus
Melilot
Horse Tail
Scouring Rush
Horse Tongue
Heart’s Tongue ( Scolopendrium Vulgare )
Joy of the Mountain
Marjoram
Lamb’s Tongue
Ribwort Plantain
Little Dragon
Tarragon
Lion’s Hair
Leaves Of The Taproot or Tongue of Turnip
Lizard’s Tail
Breast Weed
Lizard’s Tongue
Sauroglossum
Love-In-Idleness
Pansy
Love Man
Goosegrass
Love Parsley
Lovage
Love Root
Orris Root
Lad’s Love
Southernwood
Maiden’s / Mother’s Ruin
Southernwood or you can also add a dash of Gin
Man’s Bile
Turnip Sap
Man’s Health
Ginseng
Master of the Woods
Woodruff
Masterwort
Angelica
May Lily
Lily of the Valley
May Rose
Hawthorn Blossom
May
Hawthorn
Maypops
Passion Flower
Mistress of the Night
Tuberose
Mother’s Heart
Shepherd’s Purse
Mutton Chops
Goosegrass
Nose Bleed
Yarrow
Old Man’s Beard
Fringe Tree
Old Man’s Flannel
Great Mullein
Old Man’s Pepper
Yarrow
Old Maid’s Nightcap
Geranium
Oliver
Olive
Ox Tongue
Bugloss
Pig’s Tail
Leopard’s Bane
Pig’s Snout
Dandelion
Password
Primrose
Queen of the Meadow
Meadowsweet
Rabbit’s Foot
Field Clover
Ram’s Head
Valerian
Seven Year’s Love
Yarrow
Shepherd’s Heart
Shepherds Purse
Sleep Wort
Lettuce
Snake Head
Balmony
Snake Milk
Blooming Spurge
Snake’s Tongue
Adder’s Tongue Fern
Sorcerer’s Violet
Periwinkle
Stag Horn
Club Moss
Star Flower
Borage
Star of the Earth
Avens
Starweed
Chickweed
Starwort
Aster
Swine Snout
Dandelion
Tears of a Hamadryas Baboon
Dill Juice
Thousand Seal
Yarrow
Thunder Plant
Houseleek
Titan’s Blood
Lettuce
Toad
Toadflax
Toe Of Frog
Bulbous Buttercup
Tongue of Dog
Houndstongue
Torches
Mullein
Unicorn Horn
Helonias Dioica
Unicorn Root
Ague Root
Wax Dolls
Fumitory
Weasel Snout
Dead/Dumb Nettles or Yellow Archangel
Weed
Ox-Eye Daisy
White Man’s Foot
Plantain
White Wood
White Cinnamon
White Ox-Eye
Daisy
Witches Aspirin
While Willow Bark
Witches Bells
Foxglove
Witches Briar
Brier Hips
Witch Herb
Mugwort or St Johns Wort (depending on type of spell)
Witch Wood
Rowan
Wolf Claw
Club Moss
Wolf Foot
Bugle Weed
Wolf’s Bane
Arnica
Wolf’s Milk
Euphorbia
Just wanted to say thank you for speaking out on behalf of Witches. I got so tired of explaining the difference between a Witch and Wicca that I just stopped practicing. There was a time when my friends would come to me for advice ( from the cards) or help in difficult times ( a little spell usually consisting of a long bath and some meditation) but 10 years ago I moved half way across the country to a very christian area where my work is better kept to myself. Tonight I was feeling a little alone and came across your web site. Just reading some of your posts has brightened my day.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart
Carey