Armed with these thirteen herbs, you will easily be able to handle most situations that arise, from

dis-ease to magickal needs. Following in the tradition of permaculture, each herb has been selected for its multi-faceted uses. They can all be grown easily; and many of them can be used in cooking. The Thirteen Herbs 1 !omfrey "ymphytum officinale Alternate names# knitbone, knitback, black wort, consound, consolida, bruisewort, slippery root, wallwort, boneset, miracle herb, healing herb, gum plant, ass ear, yalluc $"a%on The botanical name, "ymphytum, means &grown together&. The name comfrey might be from the 'atin confer(a &knitting together&. Habitat and )rowth# *ember of the Forget-me-not and +orage co(ens, +oraginacea. !omfrey has deep tap roots like huge carrots. This allows it to li(e in most soils, as it will seek out the water and nutrients needed. ,eep water is preferred as it is fairly common throughout -ngland and is nati(e to -urope and parts of Asia. Try to plant in a wet spot, a low spot, or a place with a high water table if possible. "he also likes partial shade. *agickal Attributes# All parts used. Healing. .rotecti(e in the lo(ing ways of a mother. /sed for money spells, especially because of its prolific nature and deep emerald green leaf color. /sed for safety during tra(el and has many &grounding& 0ualities, especially of the root. !omfrey is associated with the feminine, "aturn, and 1ater. .hysical Attributes# 2oots and 'ea(es used. !omfrey contains a nitrogenous crystalline substance known as allantoin $from 3.4 to 3.5 percent . This substance has the ability to promote cell growth. As you can see from the alternate names, healing is comfrey6s strongest talent. Allantoin is prescribed in medicines to aid in knitting bones back together, or accelerated healing of deep cuts and puncture wounds. 7t is also used in ointments for skin problems and psoriasis. This substance has come under attack in recent years. There is some 0uestionable e(idence that it may cause cancer or li(er damage if taken internally o(er an e%tended period of time. The F,A announced ,ecember 1889 that it may ha(e &serious ad(erse reactions& 1hether you belie(e that this is a conspiracy by the American *edical Association to again take power away from 6normal6 people and natural healers, and put in into the hands of o(er paid physicians, :2 whether you belie(e that it is better to be safe than sorry, it is best to ne(er use any herb o(er a long period of time. -(erything must be kept in balance, and herbal remedies are no e%ception. This could also mean taking regular breaks from any herbal supplements or teas and if you prefer, use poultices and washes of comfrey instead. These are 0uite effecti(e for healing. !omfrey also contains large amounts of a mucilage $especially the root , similar to marshmallow. 7t will thicken potions, and is soothing when applied to inflammations and sore throats. This mucilage also makes it easy to use the herb in compresses, as the paste sticks together. !omfrey also contains tannins and starch. 7t is highly nutritious and is used as fodder for li(estock $it contains ;9< protein .

*y chickens lo(e it, especially the flowers. 7t is an instant cure for soft shells and makes egg yolks deep yellow-orange. This color reflects healthy chickens and increased (itamin content in the eggs. *y rabbits lo(e the lea(es, and it has helped them with bowel problems, sore or bleeding nipples from lactating, and reduces their consumption of highly processed, e%pensi(e, non-organic rabbit pellets. $no, 7 don6t kill the bunnies and chicks for food, see the chicken page for info on that = )erman !hamomile *atricaria chamomilla or 2oman !hamomile Anthemis nobilis !hoose either &)erman& or &2oman& by looking o(er the information for each. Alternate names for )erman !hamomile# 1ild chamomile, camomile, Hungarian chamomile Alternate names for 2oman !hamomile# *aythen $"a%on , 1hig .lant, *an>anilla $"panish for a little apple , ?amai melon $)reek for on the ground, and an apple , camomyle, ground apple, Heermannchen $)erman, they also regarded it commonly as &Alles >u (ertraut& meaning completely trustworthy. chamaimelon Habitat and )rowth# This sun lo(ing flower needs fertile and well drained soil. The best locations for both (arieties in my garden ha(e eastern or south-eastern e%posure to the sun and part shade in the afternoon. "he seems to en@oy greeting the sun e(ery morning by lifting her petals up to catch his rays. *agickal attributes# "cott !unningham lists this herb as masculine, and there is a tradition for this. -arly Teutonic tribes dedicated it to their sun-)od as did the -gyptians. Howe(er, because of the energy of the plant, and because of its medicinal uses, it seems to be feminine in some ways. -ither way, there is a good balance here between masculine and feminine energies. Truly with chamomile, earth meets sun and sky. .hysical attributes# Aou may find it interesting that true essential oil of chamomile is blueB 7f you are purchasing essential oils and are presented with yellow chamomile oil, it is either diluted with a carrier oil, has o%idi>ed and aged to yellow, or is an artificial interloper. *ore to

come... ; 2ed 2aspberry 2ubus idaeus Alternate names# Hindberry, Hindbeer $"a%on , Hindbur $)erman Habitat and )rowth# 7n the wild, they like to grow in ditches or waste areas such as fence rows. Think of an area that would recei(e at least C-4 hours of sunlight each day and would not dry out (ery fre0uently. 2aspberries come in all (arieties now so check with your local nursery or a dependable mail order catalogy to find one that would like to li(e where you do. They are beautiful and easy to grow, especially if pruned and mulched well. *agickal attributes# .rotecti(e in a 6mothering6 way. .hysical attributes# )reat for diarrhea, general nutrition, pregnant and lactating women. :ften recommended for pregnant women because it is said to make the process of childbirth easier and to strengthen the uterus. 7t is a good $and pro(en antispasmodic and eases painful menstration. A strong tea will soothe cold symptoms. This rest of this section may take some time to complete. For now, here are the rest of the herbs that will be e%plained in detail as soon as possible. C Fennel Foeniculum (ulgare 'a(endar 9 'a(endula officinale or (era $-nglish 'a(ender spica and latifolia $"pike 'a(ender stoechas $French 'a(ender 4 )arlic Allium sati(um and others D 1ormwood Artemisia absinthium 5 2ose 2osa gallica if a(ailable, resources to come, or other 2oses 8 !atnip 13 2osemary 11 !apsicum species, especially habanero, cayenne, purira, @alapeno,

etc. 1= )inger Eingiber officinalis 1; .eppermint &Add-ons& Additional *aterials 2ecommended for the )eneral .ractitioner# 'emon +alm, +ee +alm, -lderberry, "agebrush, horseradish Additional *aterials 2ecommended for the Healer# .apa(er somniferum where a(ailableFlegal, -chinacea, Thyme, Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis, "age, !ranberry, 1hite 1illow +ark, !annabis "ati(a or 7ndica $or hybrids where a(ailableFlegal, -ucalyptus -ucalyptus globulus Additional *aterials 2ecommended for the 'o(e *agick 1orker# Tonka +ean, Apple "eeds, Ganilla +ean, .atchouli, ,ragon6s +lood, 2ose Additional *aterials 2ecommended for the Fre0uent *agick /ser or for 1itches /nder Attack# )alangal 2oot, *onk6s Hood, *andrake