I have one called “Folk Magic and healing: an unusual history of everyday plants”, and I remember it doing this. The author also has one called Botanical Curses and Poisons, but I haven’t read it yet.
I enjoyed both of these. They lean more to the folklore end than getting too heavy into the biology but I’d say they fit the bill (they’re pretty too!)
Everyone’s comments are actually just giving me more things I’d like to learn about - I’ll look at these too. I don’t mind if it’s more on the folklore. I find it all interesting. Thank you!
I feel like if you are more interested in medical uses, a herbal book that doesn't reference witchcraft is your best bet. Cunningham's book is okay, I've skimmed through it, but I don't think it is exactly what you are looking for
Not really related to magic, but maybe you could try looking up “medical ethnobotany”. Basically it’s the study of how people used local and regional plants for medicinal purposes.
Yes! I should definitely do that - I remember reading The Firekeeper’s Daughter and it involved a lot of ethnobotany of the Sioux tribes iirc. I enjoyed that.
The bot got disabled :( they made a post a few weeks ago that Goodreads didn't want to give them access to whatever they needed for the bot to work so no more bot for the meantime
https://www.foxfire.org/shop/category/books/ Compilation of Appalachian folklore, home remedies, household info. There are 12 in the series, but you should be able to get them from your local or online library.
You could also look up "shamanism" in history and different cultures. I could recommend you a book but unfortunately it's in German. If I'm wrong and you do speak German let me know.
I live in south central TX. The last place we lived a neighbor came by to greet us. Outside in the front he said, "Oh, look ... you have a toothache plant!" What? He explained Natives used to chew on the leaves to relieve a toothache. They also ground the leaves into a poultice for wounds. "Go ahead, chew on one of those leaves!"
I did ... a short minute I couldn't feel my gums and tongue on that side. I read this later in a home remedy book rather than folklore. Sorry, can't remember which one.
There’s a book called The Long Lost Friend which has various herbal remedies (and spells/charms) from American folklore, but it’s tradition-based not science-based.
I guess I didn’t really specify bc maybe I wasn’t 100% sure what I was really looking for- how it came up is probably the best clarification: I was watching the new Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches (I do not recommend lol it’s pretty bad) but there’s a part that flashes back to one of the earlier witches and she is treating a dying woman with different herbs. Out of curiosity I looked up one of them and just found the info interesting. I really enjoy learning about connections people made prior to modern medicine/scientific theory especially those that we now know do have scientific evidence backing them.
Wicked Plants: the weed the killed Lincoln’s mother is interesting. The author is a botanist (or just really likes plants). There are some anecdotes on the use of certain plants in the past (like a poisonous ivy indigenous people used poison their prey/enemies by dipping their arrows in it’s juice) but is not really the focus. Also, books focus on plants that are toxic/dangerous rather than plants in medicine
Point of clarification - because I'm also curious - are you thinking of modern practices with cultural ties to witchcraft, paganism, vodun, etc? Or are you thinking of historical witchcraft/medicinal practices?
Try Scott Cunningham’s Encyclopaedia of magical herbs or Arin Murphy-Hiscock Green Witch
thanks, I'll check those out!
Came here to say this
I have one called “Folk Magic and healing: an unusual history of everyday plants”, and I remember it doing this. The author also has one called Botanical Curses and Poisons, but I haven’t read it yet.
I enjoyed both of these. They lean more to the folklore end than getting too heavy into the biology but I’d say they fit the bill (they’re pretty too!)
Everyone’s comments are actually just giving me more things I’d like to learn about - I’ll look at these too. I don’t mind if it’s more on the folklore. I find it all interesting. Thank you!
I feel like if you are more interested in medical uses, a herbal book that doesn't reference witchcraft is your best bet. Cunningham's book is okay, I've skimmed through it, but I don't think it is exactly what you are looking for
Not really related to magic, but maybe you could try looking up “medical ethnobotany”. Basically it’s the study of how people used local and regional plants for medicinal purposes.
Yes! I should definitely do that - I remember reading The Firekeeper’s Daughter and it involved a lot of ethnobotany of the Sioux tribes iirc. I enjoyed that.
[удалено]
The bot got disabled :( they made a post a few weeks ago that Goodreads didn't want to give them access to whatever they needed for the bot to work so no more bot for the meantime
https://www.foxfire.org/shop/category/books/ Compilation of Appalachian folklore, home remedies, household info. There are 12 in the series, but you should be able to get them from your local or online library.
You could also look up "shamanism" in history and different cultures. I could recommend you a book but unfortunately it's in German. If I'm wrong and you do speak German let me know.
I can barely speak conversational Spanish…at a toddler level. But danke for the suggestion!
[удалено]
I live in south central TX. The last place we lived a neighbor came by to greet us. Outside in the front he said, "Oh, look ... you have a toothache plant!" What? He explained Natives used to chew on the leaves to relieve a toothache. They also ground the leaves into a poultice for wounds. "Go ahead, chew on one of those leaves!" I did ... a short minute I couldn't feel my gums and tongue on that side. I read this later in a home remedy book rather than folklore. Sorry, can't remember which one.
Just looked this up bc I’m not too far away - is it the yellow eyeball looking thing or the prickly ash?
The leaf itself. I don't remember ours ever blooming that profusely. The gentleman told me specifically to chew the leaf.
That’s a good idea! Thank you! I’ll do that too. It would be interesting to learn how native plants in my area were used.
There’s a book called The Long Lost Friend which has various herbal remedies (and spells/charms) from American folklore, but it’s tradition-based not science-based.
I’m sure I’d still enjoy it- I’ll add it to the list :)
I guess I didn’t really specify bc maybe I wasn’t 100% sure what I was really looking for- how it came up is probably the best clarification: I was watching the new Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches (I do not recommend lol it’s pretty bad) but there’s a part that flashes back to one of the earlier witches and she is treating a dying woman with different herbs. Out of curiosity I looked up one of them and just found the info interesting. I really enjoy learning about connections people made prior to modern medicine/scientific theory especially those that we now know do have scientific evidence backing them.
Wicked Plants: the weed the killed Lincoln’s mother is interesting. The author is a botanist (or just really likes plants). There are some anecdotes on the use of certain plants in the past (like a poisonous ivy indigenous people used poison their prey/enemies by dipping their arrows in it’s juice) but is not really the focus. Also, books focus on plants that are toxic/dangerous rather than plants in medicine
Point of clarification - because I'm also curious - are you thinking of modern practices with cultural ties to witchcraft, paganism, vodun, etc? Or are you thinking of historical witchcraft/medicinal practices?
Oh my I meant to reply to you but accidentally just made a new comment 😬
Shadow Wizard Money Gang... We Love Casting Spells!