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.

 

1. A great ingredient in spells powered by the moon is Titan’s Blood. More commonly known as Lettuce.
2. 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…
3. Larkspur will protect you from swords. But only swords, so if someone’s shooting at you I’m afraid you’re out of luck.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Mustard was assumed to help clear the mind. Presumably, because it burns all thoughts out of existence.
7. The Passion Flower counterintuitively gets rid of any passion you might be feeling.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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!