How we used plants to protect ourselves from evil

Elder, with its fragrant flowers and black berries, was said to reveal witches. 

The wild-growing St John’s wort was believed to drive away both witches and evil spirits. And rowan was thought to protect against all kinds of supernatural creatures.

For thousands of years, fear of evil has led people to turn to nature for protection. 

The transition from autumn to winter far north brings a sense of mystery and unease.

“We move from a season of harvest to a dark, cold, and lifeless period in nature. Of course this creates a sense of mystique,” says botanist Malene Østreng Nygård at the University of Agder’s Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden.

She has studied the role of plants in older folklore.

Plants were used to keep witches away

In the 19th century, several European folklorists began systematically recording oral stories and traditions about plant use, including their supernatural and healing properties.

How far back these superstitions go is unclear. Nygård also finds different interpretations of the same plants depending on culture and region.

Dangers, in any case, lurked everywhere. Elves, spirits, the devil, and witches could all take up residence in plants.

“They were evil by nature and could harm humans, or take offence and seek revenge if people did not show respect for nature. That's why, for example, crop damage was also believed to be caused by witchcraft or evil spirits,” she says.

But plants could also protect people against sorcery. 

An old medicinal plant could cleanse the home

Different types of trees could come in handy when trying to keep evil at bay.

“Hazel is a common example and has deep roots in Celtic tradition. In Ireland, hazel twigs were hung in crosses over barns and stables to protect animals from witches and disease. And when travelling, people would carry hazel to protect themselves,” says Nygård.

Juniper protected against witches and could prevent unwanted things from entering the home. It also has strong roots in Norwegian folklore and tradition.

“Juniper is actually an old medicinal plant, used as far back as ancient Egypt. It's fragrant and was used to cleanse homes before celebrations, or people would burn juniper to drive out evil spirits. And it does in fact have antibacterial properties, so it’s not entirely coincidental,” explains the botanist.

Witchcraft herbs

Plants that, according to folklore, had inherent magical powers or were associated with the supernatural were called witchcraft herbs.

“They were often supposed to be picked at a specific time or season, and in a particular way, to preserve or strengthen their powers,” says Nygård.

One of the oldest witchcraft herbs is mandrake, which grows around the Mediterranean. According to legend, it was alive and would emit a deadly scream when pulled from the ground.

Author J.K. Rowling was also inspired by old myths about mandrakes. In Harry Potter, the students at the witchcraft school have to wear earmuffs when pulling up screaming mandrakes.

Made witches fly

Another witchcraft herb is henbane, a highly poisonous plant with dirty yellow flowers and a strong, unpleasant smell.

“According to superstition, witches would anoint themselves with an ointment containing henbane and other ingredients to gain the ability to fly. The plant is very poisonous and can induce a kind of euphoric or floating sensation, as well as hallucinations,” says Nygård.

If such descriptions emerged during interrogations, they could be used as evidence that a woman was a real witch – which, in the worst cases, could send her to the stake.

“The ironic thing is that henbane is now used in travel sickness tablets,” says Nygård.

Used in modern medicine

The botanist is not surprised by the many myths tied to different plants, given their shapes, colours, and appearances. Several witchcraft herbs have been shown to have real medicinal effects.

“Many of them contain toxins. When their use led to changes in the behaviour of the person exposed to the plant, it's easy to see why people in the past believed the plant had magical properties or contained something evil,” says the botanist.

One example is foxglove, which in many countries, including Norway, has long been associated with witches and witchcraft.

“It was feared as the witches’ plant and is also called ‘dead man’s bells’. According to legend, it could warn of the imminent death of someone close. In Norway, it was long believed that if you picked a foxglove, a fox would come and take a lamb from the flock that same summer,” says Nygård.

The entire plant is poisonous. The toxic substances have medicinal properties at the right dosage. Today it is used as heart medicine.

“But it took time to get there. Although herbalists of the past were aware of foxglove’s potential healing properties, they feared being associated with witchcraft and distanced themselves from it. It was not until the 18th century that the toxins in foxglove were shown to have medicinal effects,” she says.

Recipes for remedies and witchcraft spells

If you feel inspired and would like to explore the magical powers of plants further, you can find many examples in the so called ‘black books’.

Black books are old handwritten volumes of witchcraft and contain recipes for remedies against various ailments, often based on herbs and wild plants. Most Norwegian examples are from the 17th and 18th centuries, but older versions also exist.

These books also include special rituals or formulas to be recited to supposedly make the remedies more potent. They contain powerful spells that could invoke supernatural effects.

“It’s more folk medicine and old wives’ remedies than witchcraft. But it’s probably the closest thing today to what we think of as a ‘witch’s formula’,” says Nygård.

References:

Baker, M. 'Discovering The Folklore of Plants (3rd ed.)', Shire Classics, 2011.

Høeg, O.A. 'Planter og tradisjon. Floraen i levende tale og tradisjon i Norge 1925-1973', Norges sopp- og nyttevekstforbund, 2021.

Kujawska, M. & Svanberg, I. From medicinal plant to noxious weed: Bryonia alba L. (Cucurbitaceae) in northern and eastern Europe, Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, vol. 15, 2019. DOI: 10.1186/s13002-019-0303-6

Laws, B. 'Femti planter som endret historiens gang', Cappelen Damm, 2023.

Ullrich et al. 'Scopolamine: a journey from the field to clinics', Phytochemistry Reviews, vol. 16, 2017. DOI: 10.1007/s11101-016-9477-x (Abstract)

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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

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