Folkloric Names of Common Herbs

Folkloric Names of Common Herbs

Older, folkloric names for herbs, flowers, and trees were often symbolic and intentionally cryptic. Here is a list to refer to when perusing older herbal texts, compendiums, and grimoires.

  • Adam and Eve: Lungwort
  • Adder’s Mouth: Stitch Wort
  • Adder’s Tongue: Dogstooth Violet
  • Albanum: Frankincense
  • Ass’ Ear: Comfrey
  • Bear’s Ear: Auricula
  • Bear’s Foot: Stinking Hellebore
  • Beehive: Snail Plant
  • Beggar’s Tick: Cuckhold
  • Bird’s Eye: False Hellebore
  • Bird’s Tongue: European Ash
  • Bloody Fingers: Foxglove
  • Bull’s Eyes: Marsh Marigold
  • Bull’s Foot: Coltsfoot
  • Calf’s Snout: Toadflax
  • Candlemas Maiden: Snowdrop
  • Candlewick Plant: Mullein
  • Catgut: Hoary Pea
  • Cat’s Eye Star: Scabious
  • Cat’s Foot: Canada Snake Root
  • Cat’s Foot/Paw: Ground Ivy
  • Cat’s Milk Wartwort
  • Chicken Toe: Crawley Root
  • Cock’s Comb: Yellow Rattle
  • Cow’s Tail: Canada Fleabane
  • Crow Foot: Cranesbill
  • Crown for a King: Wormwood
  • Devil’s Milk: Wartwort
  • Dew of the Sea: Rosemary
  • Dog’s Tongue: Hound’s Tongue
  • Donkey’s Eyes: Cowage Plant
  • Dove’s Foot: Cranesbill
  • Dragon’s Claw: Crowley Root
  • Dragon’s Eye: Nephalium Loganum
  • Dragonwort: Bistort
  • Duck’s Foot: American Mandrake
  • Dwale: Deadly Nightshade
  • Earth Smoke: Fumitory
  • Elfwort: Elecampane
  • Enchanter’s Plant: Vervain
  • Eye of the Star: Horehound
  • Fairy Fingers/Gloves: Foxglove
  • Five Finger Grass: Cinquefoil
  • Flesh and Blood: Tormentil
  • Foal’s Foot: Coltsfoot
  • Fox Tail: Club Moss
  • Frog’s Foot: Bulbous Buttercup
  • Garden Heliotrope: Valerian
  • Goat’s Beard: Vegetable Oyster
  • Goat’s Foot: Ash Weed
  • Golden Star: Avens
  • Hare’s Foot: Clover
  • Hedgehogs: Medicago Intertexta
  • Honey Lotus: Melilot
  • Horse Tail: Scouring Rush
  • Horse Tongue: Hart’s Tongue
  • Hound’s Tongue: Vanilla Leaf
  • Joy of the Mountains: Marjoram
  • Khus Khus: Vetivert
  • Lamb’s Tongue: Ribwort Plantain
  • Little Dragon: Tarragon
  • Lizard’s Tail: Breast Weed
  • Lizard’s Tongue: Sauroglossum
  • Love-In-Idleness: Pansy
  • Love Parsley: Lovage
  • Loveroot: Orris Root
  • Low John: Galangal
  • Maiden’s Ruin/Lad’s Love: Southernwood
  • Master of the Woods: Woodruff
  • Masterwort: Angelica
  • May Lily: Lily of the Valley
  • Mistress of the Night: Shepherd’s Purse
  • Moonlight on the Grove: Jasmine
  • Mother’s Heart: Tuberose
  • Mouse Ear: Mouse Blood Wort
  • Mouse Tail: Common Stonecrop
  • Mugwort: French Lily
  • Old Man’s Beard: Fringe Tree
  • Ox Tongue: Bugloss
  • Password: Primrose
  • Queen of the Meadow: Meadowsweet
  • Rabbit’s Foot: Field Clover
  • Ram’s Head: American Valerian
  • Rat’s Tail: Cat Tail
  • Ruddes: Marigold
  • Seven Year’s Love: Yarrow
  • Shepherd’s Heart: Shepherd’s Purse
  • Sleep Wort: Lettuce
  • Snake Head: Balmony
  • Snake Milk:Blooming Spurge
  • Snake’s Tongue, Adder’s Tongue: Fern
  • Sorcerer’s Violet: Periwinkle
  • Squirrel Ear: White Plantain
  • Stag Horn Club Moss
  • Starflower: Borage
  • Star of the Earth: Avens
  • Starweed: Chickweed
  • Starwort: Aster
  • Stinking Goose Foot: Chenopodium
  • Swine Snout: Dandelion
  • Thousand Seal: Yarrow
  • Thunder Plant: Houseleek
  • Toad: Toadflax
  • Unicorn Horn: True Unicorn Root
  • Wax Dolls: Fumitory
  • Witch Aspirin: White Willow Bark
  • Witch Bells: Foxglove
  • Witch Brier: Brier Hips
  • Witch Grass: Dog Grass
  • Witch Herb: Mugwort
  • Witch Wood: Rowan
  • Wolf’s Claw: Lycopodium
  • Wolf’s Foot: Bugle Weed

Ref: Magical Folkhealing by D.J. Conway

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