Old-World Names for Herbs and Plants

Thanks to Shakespeare, we're all familiar with phrases like "Eye of Newt" and "Toe of Frog," as well as "Lizard's Leg"
and "Tongue of Dog." No doubt some country folk in the Middle Ages thought these names were literal, given that
witches were given a bad rap by the Catholic Church at the time. In fact, in addition to midwifing babies, having
knowledge of herbs and plants (either magically or medicinally) often was reason enough to accuse a woman of
being a "witch." Though, more to the point, the woman in question was often a widow with land the church or a high
noble desired; and the "witch" accusation just a means to obtain an end - her land.
Than again, phrases such as those mentioned above could have been and probably were used to name the plant by
using a descriptor that would be easy to remember, and easy to teach to others. There are many plants that start with
"Eye of..." because on the plant is a darker (or lighter) rounded shape - many times in the middle of the leaf - which
looks somewhat like an eye. Other plants were given names descriptive of their uses; still others, for something they
generally resembled.
This is just my opinion, but I can't help but believe that use of these names also kept the "secrets" from those who
didn't believe, as well as from those who would rush headlong into trying something before they had the knowledge
and skill to do so effectively (and safely).
Old Herbal Name Herb/Plant Name

Adders Fork Adders tongue

Adders Tongue Dogstooth Violet

Ass's Foot or Bull's Foot Coltsfoot

Bat Flower Tacca

Bat's Wings Holly

Bat's Wool Moss

Bear's Foot Lady's Mantle

Beggar's Buttons Burdock

Beggar's Tick Cockhold

Bird's Eye Germander Speedwell

Bird's Foot Fenugreek

Black Maidenhair Black Spleenwort

Black Sampson Echinacea

Black Snake Root Black Cohosh

Blind Eyes Poppy

Blood Elder Sap or another tree sap

Blood from a Head Lupine

Blood from a Shoulder Bear's Breeches

Blood of Ares Purslane

Blood of Kronos Cedar

Blood of Hephaistos Wormwood

Blood of Hestia Chamomile

Blood of a Goose Mulberry Tree's Milk

Blood of a Titan Wild Lettuce

Blood of an Eye Tamarisk Gall

Blood Leather Reindeer Moss/Rock Tripe/Caribou Lichen

Bloodroot Tormentil

Bloodwort Yarrow

Bloody Butcher Valerian

Bloody Finger Foxglove

Bone of an Ibis Buckthorn

Brains Congealed Gum from a Cherry Tree

Bread and Cheese Tree Hawthorne. Whitethorn, Hazels

Broom Gorse

Bull's Blood or Seed of Horus Horehound

Bull's Foot Coltsfoot

Burning Bush Fraxinella, White Dittany

Butcher's Broom Irish Tops

Buttons Tansy

Calf's Snout Snapdragon

Candelmas Maiden Snowdrop

Capon's Tail Valerian

Cat's Foot Canada Snake Root and/or Ground Ivy

Cheeses Marsh Mallow

Cherry Pie Heliotrope

Chocolate Flower Wild Geranium

Church Steeples Agrimony

Clear-Eye Clary Sage

Click Goosegrass

Clot Great Mullein

Corpse Candles Mullein

Corpse Plant Indian Pipe

Courtesy Summer Wind

Crocodile Dung Black Earth

Crow Corn Ague Root

Crow Foot Wild Geranium

Crowdy Kit Figwort

Crown for a King Wormwood

Cuckoo's Bread Common Plantain

Cucumber Tree Magnolia

Cuddy's Lungs Great Mullein

Dead Man Ash Mandrake root poppet

Death Angel Agaric

Death Flower Yarrow

Devil's Apple Datura

Devils Dung Asafoetida

Devil's Eye Henbane, Periwinkle

Devil's Flower Bachelor's Buttons

Devil's Guts Dodder

Devil's Milk Celandine

Devil's Nettle Yarrow

Devil's Oatmeal Parsley

Devil's Plaything Yarrow

Dew of the Sea Rosemary

Dog Fennel Anthemis

Dog Grass Agropyrum

Dog's Mouth Snap Dragon

Dog`s Tail Cynosurus

Dog's Tongue Conoglossum Officinale

Dog`s Tooth Violet Erythronium

Dove's Foot Wild Geranium

Dragon Wort Bistort

Dragon Bushes Toadflax

Dragon's Blood Calamus

Dragon's Scales Bistort Leaves

Duck's Foot May Apple

Eagle Wild Garlic

Ear of an Ass Comfrey

Ear of a Goat St. John's Wort

Earth Smoke Fumitory

Elf leaf Lavender, Rosemary

Elf's Wort (Elfwort) Elecampane

Enchanter's Plant Vervain

Englishman's Foot Common Plantain

Erba Santa Maria Spearmint

Everlasting Friendship Goosegrass

Eye of the Day Common Daisy

Eye of Newt Wild Mustard Seed

Eye of the Star Horehound

Eye Root Goldenseal

Eyes Aster, Daisy, Eyebright

Fairies Eggs Molukka

Fairie's Finger Foxglove

Fairies Horses Ragwort

Fairy Bells Sorrel, Wood

Fairy Cup Cowslip

Fairy Smoke Indian Pipe

Fat from a Head Spurge

Felon Herb Mugwort

Filwort Centory or Feverwort

Five Fingers Cinquefoil

Flesh and Blood Tormentil

Fox's Clote Burdock

Frog bit Hydrocharis

Frog fruit Phyla

Frog Orchid Coeloglossum

Frog's Foot Bulbous Buttercup

Frog`s Lettuce Groenlandia

From the Belly Earth-apple

From the Foot Houseleek

From the Loins Chamomile

Gazel's Hooves Quickset, Albespyne

Goat's Foot Ash Weed

Goat's Leaf Honeysuckle

God's Hair Hart's Tongue Fern

Golden Star Avens

Gosling Wing Goosegrass

Graveyard Dust Mullein

Great Ox-eye Ox-eye Daisy

Hag's Taper Great Mullein

Hagthorn Hawthorn

Hairs of a Baboon Dill Seed

Hair Maidenhair Fern

Hair of Venus Maidenhair Fern

Hare's Beard Great Mullein

Hare's Foot Avens

Hawk's Heart Heart of Wormwood

Heart Walnut

Heart of Osmund Royal Fern

Herb of Grace Vervain

Hind's Tongue Hart's Tongue Fern

Holy Herb Yerba Santa

Holy Rope Hemp Agrimony

Hook and Arm Yerba Santa

Horse Hoof Coltsfoot

Horse Tongue Hart's Tongue Fern

Hundred Eyes Periwinkle

Indian Dye Goldenseal

Innocence Bluets

Jacob's Staff Great Mullein

Jew's Ear Fungus on Elder or Elm

John's Bread Carob

Joy of the Mountain Marjoram

Jupiter's Foot Houseleek

Jupiter's Staff Great Mullein

King's Crown Black Haw

Knight's Milfoil Yarrow

Kronos' Blood Cedar

Jacob's Staff Great Mullein

Jew's Ear Fungus on Elder or Elm

John's Bread Carob

Joy of the Mountain Marjoram

Jupiter's Foot Houseleek

Jupiter's Staff Great Mullein

King's Crown Black Haw

Knight's Milfoil Yarrow

Kronos' Blood Cedar

Lad's Love Southernwood

Lady's Glove Foxglove aka Witches' Gloves

Lady's Mantle Nine Hooks

Lady's Meat May Flower blossom

Lady's Slipper American Valerian

Lady's Tresses Spira Root

Lamb's Ears Betony

Lion's Ear Motherwort

Lion's Hairs Turnip leaves

Lion's Tooth Dandelion aka Priest's Crown

Lizard's Tail Breast Weed

Little Dragon Tarragon

Love in Idleness Pansy

Love Leaves Burdock

Love Lies Bleeding Amaranth or Anemone

Love Man Goosegrass

Love Parsley Lovage

Love Root Orris Root

Man's Bile Turnip Sap

Man's Health Ginseng

Maiden's Hair Maidenhair Fern

Maiden's Ruin Southernwood

Master of the Woods Woodruff

May Black Haw

May Lily Lily of the Valley

May Rose Black Haw

Maypops Passion Flower

Mistress of the Night Tuberose

Mother's Heart Shepheard's Purse

Mouse's Ear Hawk Weed

Mouse's Tail Common Stonecrop

Mutton Chops Goosegrass

Newt`s Tail Saururus

Nose Bleed Yarrow

Old-Maid's-Nightcap Wild Geranium

Old Man Mugwort

Old Man's Flannel Great Mullein

Old Man's Pepper Yarrow

Old Woman Wormwood

Oliver Olive

Organ Tea Pennyroyal

Paddock Pipes Horsetail

Pantagruelian Marijuana

Password Primrose

Peter's Staff Great Mullein

Pig's Tail /td> Leopard's Bane

Poor Man's Treacle Garlic

Poor Man Weatherglass Pimpernel

Priest's Crown Dandelion leaves

Pucha-pat Patchouli

Queen of the Meadow Meadowsweet

Queen of the Meadow Root Gravelroot

Queen of the Night Vanilla Cactus

Queen's Delight Silverleaf

Queen's Root Stilengia

Rabbit's Foot Field Clover

Ram's Head American Valerian

Red Cockscomb Amaranth

Ring-o-Bells Bluebells

Robin-Run-in-the-Grass Goosegrass

Scaldhead Blackberry

See Bright Clary Sage

Semen of Ammon Houseleek

Semen of Ares Clover

Semen of Helios White Hellebore

Semen of Herakles Mustard-rocket

Semen of Hermes Dill

Semen of Hephaistos Fleabane

Seed of Horus Horehound

Serpent's Tongue Adder's Tongue

Seven Barks Hydrangea

Seven Year's Love Yarrow

Shameface Wild Geranium

Shepherd's Heart Shepherd's Purse

Silver Bells Black Haw

Skin of a Man Fern

Skul Skullcap Mushroom

Snake's Blood Hematite Stone

Snake's Friend Indian Paintbrush

Snake's Head Balmony

Snake's Milk Blooming Splurge

Snake's Tongue Adder's Tongue Fern

Snake/ Snakeweed Bistort

Snow Drop Bulbous Violet

Soapwort Comfrey or Daisy

Sorcerer's Violet Periwinkle

Sparrow's Tongue Knotweed

Spider Lily Spiderwort

Squirrel's Ear White Plantain

St. John's Herb Hemp Agrimony (This is not St. John's Wort)

St. John's Plant Mugwort

Stag's Horn Club Moss

Star Flower Borage

Star of the Earth Avens

Starweed Chickweed

Sweethearts Goosegrass

Swine's Snout Dandelion Leaves

Tanner's Bark Common Oak

Tarragon Mugwort

Tartar Root Ginseng

Tears of a Baboon Dill Juice

Titan's Blood Wild Lettuce

Thor's Helper /td> Rowan

Thousand Weed Yarrow

Thunder Plant House Leek

Toad Toadflax

Toe Of Frog Bulbous Buttercup Leaves

Tongue of dog Hound's Tongue

Tooth or Teeth Pinecone(s)

Torches Great Mullein

Tree of Heaven Chinese Sumach

Unicorn's Horn False Unicorn

Unicorn Root Ague Root

Wax Dolls Fumitory

Weazel Snout Yellow Dead Nettles/Yellow Archangel

Weed Ox-Eye Daisy

White Ox-eye Daisy

White Man's Foot Common Plantain

White Wood White Cinnamon

Witch Bells Foxglove

Witch Herb Mugwort

Witch's Asprin White Willow/Willow Bark

Witch's Brier Brier Hips

Witch's Hair Dodder

Witch's Thimble Datura

Witchbane Rowan

Wolf Claw Club Moss

Wolf Foot Bugle Weed

Wolf's Hat Wolfsbane

Wolf's Milk Euphorbia

Worms Gnarled, thin roots of a local tree

Animal Herb

Blue Jay Bay Laurel

Cat Catnip

Dog Couch Grass

Eagle Wild Garlic

Frog Cinquefoil

Hawk Hawkweed

Lamb Lettuce

Lizard Calumniate

Nightingale Hops

Rat Valerian

Toad Sage

Weasel Rue

Woodpecker Peony
When a specific part of an herb needed to be used, they were referred to usually as a body part. Below is a handy
table of these notes.
Old Name for Part Actual Part of the Herb Used

Eye Inner part of a blossom

Paw, Foot, Leg, Wing, or Toe Leaf

Guts Roots and stalk

Privates Seed

Hair Dried, stringy herbs

Tail Stem

Head Flower

Tongue Petal

Heart A bud or seed