So I have quite a few reviews up my sleeve that I can’t publish as I spend most summer full time in a mask due to pollen, and speaking I am not the easiest to understand, so my vlogs are out the window. To that end, I thought I’d do a fun little blog about Potion Ingredients.
What with the Golden Phoenix being in development I’ve been doing a lot of research on plants and what they mean and do in traditional witchcraft, so in the spirit of that here are some fun things I found out.
- A great ingredient in spells powered by the moon is Titan’s Blood. More commonly known as Lettuce.
- When Carrots are not being used to make your eyesight better in the dark they’re being used to incite passion. Nothing gets me hotter than Carrots after all…
- Larkspur will protect you from swords. But only swords, so if someone’s shooting at you I’m afraid you’re out of luck.
- Lobelia is used as a sedative. I have to wonder if Tolkien knew that when he created Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Knowing the power of his awesome brain I imagine he did.
- Traditionally Myrtle will only grow if planted by a woman. It’s no surprise then, that the only use for Myrtle is a love potion. If you can guarantee one thing about tradition it’s that women will get tied to swooning, princessing, getting captured and love potions.
- Mustard was assumed to help clear the mind. Presumably, because it burns all thoughts out of existence.
- The Passion Flower counterintuitively gets rid of any passion you might be feeling.
- I loved one description I found for Black Nightshade – ‘To open the veil that separates life and death’ – I can’t help thinking. Sure, open the veil, before it kicks you through it because that’s a pretty nasty poison.
- Dogbane has nothing to do with dogs. Want to control a dog? You need Broom. Want to become a dog? You need Blackthorn. Dogbane is for enhancing your creativity. Obviously.
- Lemon is a fabulous thing, used by healers to call spirit helpers or to protect the home from evil, it’s essence can increase concentration or purify your blood. Alternatively; if that’s too much effort put a few drops of the juice in your hair to make it look a bit brighter.
Hope you find these little facts as amusing as I did!