Warm and spicy for cooking's bite
Herb for health of nerves and heart
Golden color of Buddhist's cloth
Prosperity and protection is art.

​Turmeric is a member of the ginger family that has been cultivated for food and medicine for at least 4000 years in southern Asia.  It is one of the common spices in wide spread use in India, China, and Indonesia.  If you have had curry, you have had turmeric.  It is a beautiful herb that colors and flavors rice, broth, and cheese.  I use turmeric in my home made sausage.

This brilliant orange rhizome is a natural dye plant.  It is used to color Buddhist's robes and the wedding clothes in India.  It will color any porous material.  That is great if you want to dye baskets or hard boiled eggs.  It is not so good for your hands and counter tops.

Turmeric is a staple herb of Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine.  It is used as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.  It is used to help with pain from arthritis and joint injuries.  It is heart healthy and brain healthy.  Turmeric protects the nervous system and the liver.  If you want a health tonic for the winter time blahs, Rosemary Gladstar's Fire Cider is an old time favorite use of turmeric.

This is also a magical herb for protection, purification, and health.  In India, it is used as a part of the marriage  ceremony to protect the marriage.  It is believed that wearing cloth dyed with turmeric will protect the person from both illness and evil.  Scatter a bit around your sacred space to protect it from energetic intrusion.  Scatter dried turmeric in front of the door and windows to keep negative influences out of your home.

Turmeric is used in spells and spell jars for strength, vitality, and healing.  If you make an ink from turmeric, it can be used to write spells for healing, joy, prosperity, and protection.

The source for this article is Turmeric Plant Profile.  You can download plant profiles at:
https://the-phoenixs-nest.beehiiv.com/p/turmeric-plant-profile
​
For a community in support of food and Herb resiliency, join us at Delectable Tiny Gardens at
https://www.skool.com/delectable-tiny-gardens-4555/about?ref=7cfc2411ec7243189b60edc4b3ff7ce9

Valued crop for thousands of years
Protecting sailors on the ships
Good medicine for heart and brain
Magical protection down the steps

The humble onion might be one of the most valuable vegetables that we grow.  I can't imagine cooking without onions.  And they are easy to grow.  This healthy and flavorful vegetable has been grown for thousands of years and is now grown around the world.  There are actually several species of allium that are called onion besides the bulbing onion that most people are accustomed to.

Onions are such a nutritional and health powerhouse that they were packed on ships to prevent scurvy in the sailors.  The onion is one of the vegetables that supports whole body health.  It supports a healthy immune system and cardio-vascular health.It supports a healthy nervous system and brain function.  It is good for digestion.  Onion is anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant.  At one time, onions were considered to be good medicine.

Like most of the allium genus, onions have been used magically for thousands of years.  They were worshiped in ancient Egypt.  They were planted around the house for protection.  Onion is a symbol of protection, exorcism, healing, money, lust, and prophecy.  From China to Egypt, from England to New England, the onion is believed to have mystical powers.

One of the primary uses is for protection.  When you place onion in the window, it will guard against the entry of evil.  Cut an onion in half and place it in the home to absorb negativity.  Onion blossoms can be dried and carried for protection or they can be burned to banish bad habits.

Onion has long been used as healing magic. If you rub a cut onion on the affected part of the body and visualize the disease going into the body, it is supposed to heal you.  Make sure you burn the onion afterwards.  In New England, if you hang onion over the doorway, It will protect you from infection.  Oh, and if you rub warts with a cut onion and throw it over your right shoulder, it is supposed to cure the wart.  Be sure to walk away and don't look back.  Use onion n healing spells and rituals.

Onion under the bed induces prophetic dreams.  Eating onions promotes lust.  To purify magical tools, rub them with fresh onions.  Use onions in banishing spells to get rid of unwanted house guests.

Whether you want flavor, nutrition, health, or magic, onion is a good choice.  They are easy to grow and easy to use.

The primary source for this article is the Bunching Onion Plant Profile found in The Phoenix's Nest.
https://the-phoenixs-nest.beehiiv.com/

Mint is an herb that almost everyone thinks that they know.  In reality, most people think on one, maybe two species of mint out of over 200 species.  It is most often seen as a flavoring for candies and desserts.  mint is much more than this.  The peppermint and spearmint that most of us use in cooking are members of the Mentha genus which has species that can be found around the world.  All mints are considered to be medicinal.  Most are edible.  However, a handful have toxic effects so just because it has a square stems does not mean that it is save to forage.

Most mints and peppermint especially are valuable herbs to keep on hand.  They are delicious as a tea, a flavoring, for desserts, and as a sauce to serve with meats.  Adding a bit of mint to vegetable dishes lends a brightness to the meal.  As a tea, it is used to help with respiratory issues and settle an upset stomach.  As a rub, it can help to relieve congestion.  It is often used in ointments for sore joints and muscles.  The medicinal uses of peppermint are worth getting familiar with.  Keep a bit on hand for those minor issues that pop up from time to time.

Mint is considered to be a highly energetic plant that is associated with Mercury and Hecate.  It is seen as a symbol of abundance, protection, and psychic power.  Both the Egyptians and the Romans used mint to help clarify the mind and aid in focus.  In many ancient cultures, mint was scattered across the floor to bring an uplifting and bright mood to a space.

Mint is an excellent herb to attract good luck, abundance, and prosperity.  If you place a few of these green leaves where you keep money, it will attract money to flow into your life.  It can be used in wealth spells and rituals as well.

Scattering mint around your spaces or washing with mint tea can help to chase out negative energy and protect your space.  Hang some mint in the window to give the space some protection.  If you grow mint in or around your home, it is believed to attract good energy.  I would put it in a container because it likes to escape from where it is supposed to grow.

Mint is used in a number of rituals.  A poppet stuffed with is said to heal.  Drinking mint tea might awaken your psychic awareness.  Mint under the pillow might help you get a good night's sleep.  Mint under the pillow might encourage psychic dreams.

However you choose to use mint, understand that this article is for information only and is not to be taken as medical advice.  Always consult with your medical professional for medical advice.
​
The primary source for this article is the Mint Plant Profile at The Phoenix's Nest
​

Easy plant for garden and pot
Beautiful aroma in the trail
Little leaf for flavor and medicine
Strength for the body, courage for the trial
Fumes to purify your space
Thyme in the home for prosperity's tale

Thyme is a group of species that mostly originated in the Mediterranean regions.  This group includes the culinary thyme that most people love to cook with.  It also includes several species that are hardier than common thyme and make beautiful and fragrant plants that are used to carpet paths and accent gardens.  These small plants are easy to grow under a wide range of conditions.  Many of them tolerate light foot traffic.  They are a beautiful companion plant in the garden.  Thyme loves growing in containers.

This is one of the herbs that I love to grow in containers for 4 seasons harvest for food and its medicinal properties.  Whether you use a handful in the soup or make a tea, thyme is a tonic for the digestion, heart, and lungs.  It has a tendency to lift the mood.  Thyme and honey is an old school remedy for colds and sore throats.  This can help you recover from illness as well. Thyme is one of the ingredients in Manitu's Answer.

Thyme is a magical herb of the sacred feminine.   Drinking thyme tea is said to impart strength and courage.  The tea may also encourage your psychic abilities and open your third eye.  Use thyme tea to wash your scrying tools to increase their effectiveness.

Thyme is a purifying herb that has long been used to purify and bless spaces.  Burn thyme to clear the space of negative influences and to purify  the space.  Grow thyme in your window to keep the negative energy out and invite positive energy in.

This is a beautiful and fragrant herb to draw in positivity and good fortune.  Add some to potpourri for happiness, health, and prosperity.  A thyme plant by the door attracts the favor of the fairies.  Place a thyme sachet in your pocket for happiness and intuition.

This article is for information only and is not intended as medical advice.

For more information, check out the full plant profile for thyme.

Shield the home, heal the body
Powerful plant from humble beginnings
With the faith of a seed mountains move
From tiny steps, all great things are born

Mustard is a member of the brassica family that is closely related to cabbage, broccoli, and kale.  The domesticated form of this plant was probably developed 5,000 years ago in the Himalayan mountains of India.  From there, it spread into the Mediterranean, North Africa, and then to Europe before being brought to North America by European colonists.

​This spicy plant is grown in home gardens primarily for its young foliage which is harvested for greens, but it can also be grown for its flowers and seeds as well.  The young leaves are a nutritional boost in salads, soups, stews, and other dishes.  The seeds are used as a spice and carry most of the medicinal value.

Mustard is a warming and stimulating herb that is used for its ability to drive blood to inflamed areas, stimulate digestion, and stimulate the immune system.  It is used to treat coughs, colds, and congestion.  It also acts as a diuretic, helping to flush toxins out of the system.

Mustard is a highly energetic and symbolic plant.  Most of the worlds traditions have a version of the mustard seed parable.  "If you have but the faith of a mustard seed" is a statement of hope and faith, and the primary symbolic significance of mustard.  It is a gentle reminder that all great accomplishments begin as tiny seeds of hope, faith, and action.

Mustard is a very protective plant.  Its primary action is as a repellent of evil, negativity, and ill intent.  Then, after the evil is chased out, good luck and abundance is able to come back into the space.  When you carry mustard seeds, it is supposed to protect you from illness and evil.

So, if you have a little bit of space, grow a bit of mustard.  It might just protect you from that next challenging thing that heads your way.  At the very least, you will have a nutritious salad to eat.

This article is for information only and is not intended as medical advice.  Always consult with your medical provider for medical advice.

Source for this article
Mustard Plant Profile by Manitu Okahas
​https://the-phoenixs-nest.beehiiv.com/p/mustard

Most ancient tree of agriculture
Generations of character in gnarled beauty
Support the heart, Support the brain
And sacred oil for ceremony
Carry the herbs, anoint the blessing
Peace, wisdom, and prosperity

The olive is an ancient agricultural crop with its origins lost in time.  There is evidence of cultivation that dates back at least 8000 years and oil production for at least 6000 years.  Not only is this an ancient agricultural crop, the trees themselves can be ancient, with some of them living over 2000 years.  Over time, these beautiful trees develop the gnarled character of a wise old man.  Through most of the recorded history, most of the olives were grown for the production of oil.  This is true today as well with 90% of the olives being used for olive oil.

Olive oil is one of the healthiest oils on the planet.  It is supportive of heart health, brain health, and digestive health.  The olive tree and olive oil are medicinal and the olive oil is an exceptional carrier oil for herbs for medicine, flavor, and fragrance.  Unfortunately, olive trees have fairly specific growing conditions that most places can't easily replicate.  That leaves the rest of us buying olive oil, compensating, or learning how to grow olives in containers.  Which ever route you choose, olives and olive oil have exceptional cultural and energetic power.

Olive oil and wood have been seen as suitable for sacred and ritual purposes throughout recorded history.  Olive oil was used in ancient Egypt and ancient Greece for ceremony, offerings, and anointing.  Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have found sacred uses for olive oil.  Pagan and shamanic spiritual traditions also use olive oil and leaves in ritual and ceremony.  Olive oil was used to anoint ancient athletes and the leaves were used to honor great athletes, wisdom keepers, and States people.  An olive branch or tree as a gift is said to bring peace and harmony.  Olive branches in negotiations is believed to bring peace and harmony to those negotiations.

As a symbol of peace and an energetic embodiment of peace, this herb is useful in bringing peace and harmony into a household or a space.  If you steep olive leaves in rain water for 3 days, you can use that water to clean and bless your house.  Put leaves in the corners of each room to keep the household peaceful and harmonious.  Or you can scatter the leaves in a space to spread peace and harmony.  Olive branches are said to create a divine connection and a sacred space for healing and peace to take hold.

Olive is a protective herb for spaces and people.  An olive branch hung over the door guards the home from lightning and keeps all evil from entering the home.  If you hang an olive branch from the chimney, it will also protect the home from lightning and evil.  If you want to protect your ritual tools, yourself, and the space, scatter some olive leaves and anoint yourself, your candles, and tools with olive oil.  If you want to give a little extra protection, use the olive oil to draw a pentagram on the candle, tools and yourself.

Olives, olive trees, and olive oil have brought abundance and wealth to those who grow the trees.  You can capture this essential energy in your own workings and life by using olive with intention.  Wear olive leaves or carry an olive leaf in your pocket or wallet to bring good luck and wealth.  Use olive oil to create a money oil by steeping basil, mint, and cinnamon in a jar of olive oil.  Let this steep for 2 weeks, then strain the oil.  Use this oil to anoint candles, your wallet, and your tools to draw in wealth, abundance, and good luck.

Olive is an energy of fidelity and fertility in relationships and marriage.  If a male eats olives, it is supposed to ensure fertility and lust.  If a woman wears a wreath of olive leaves, it is said to ensure her fertility.  Olives in the home is said to promote fidelity in the relationship.

olive oil is one of the premium carrier oils for aromatic herbs for healing and ceremony.  The leaves, oil, flowers, and wood are all useful for healing ceremonies, spells, and rituals.  The olive is said to bring wisdom and thoughtfulness in your dealings.

Meditating on, or considering the olive tree in your contemplations carries with it a number of lessons.  As a symbol of peace and a teacher of integrity and responsibility, the spirit  of the olive insists that we own our decisions and take responsibility for our own lives.  It brings an inner knowledge and acknowledgement that leaves nothing left to hide.  When you can do this, it allows a greater lived integrity within yourself and a greater sense of peace.  It encourages authenticity, cleansing, and choices that serve us in a more healthy way.

The source for this article is Olive Plant Profile by Manitu Okahas.

Pie plant of the cottage garden
Bringing love and fidelity
Protect the family from evil and illness
With a plant of luck and prosperity

Rhubarb is a long lived perennial vegetable that is used like a fruit.  This was a staple in the cottage garden not too long ago.  It was cherished for its beauty, productivity, and its care free growth.  Even though it is a fairly large plant at 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide, it produces more food or "fruit"  for its space than most fruits.  Grown for its tart stalks, this plant is primarily cooked into desserts.

This is a long lived plant that originated in southern Siberia and was used by the Chinese for the medicinal value of its roots.  From China, it was spread into Europe.  The European colonists transported it to the Americas.  It did take a while for the Europeans to discover how to use it, but eventually it became popular and was shared neighbor to neighbor, homestead to homestead.

When consumed in moderation, this is a healthy food that promotes good digestion, tissue formation, and healthy skin and nerves.  It is a good source of vitamins K, C, and A.  It is a good source of fiber and some minerals.  Be careful though, only the stalks are edible.  The leaves are toxic.  However, the leaves can be used to make dye, and to clean pots and pans.  The leaves can also be used to make an insecticide.

While rhubarb isn't used a lot for energetic purposes, it is a symbol of protection, fidelity, and abundance.  If you carry a bit of rhubarb with you, it is said to protect you from infection and stomach upset.  It can also protect the house from negative energies and spirits.  It is a plant of fidelity.  Finally, this plant is used in spells that bring good luck and prosperity.

My favorite way to use rhubarb is to eat it as a sauce.  Adding a bit of intention makes even better.

The source for this article is
​https://the-phoenixs-nest.beehiiv.com/p/rhubarb-the-pie-plant

Ancient medicine, flowing with the wind
Cleanse the home, Cleanse the spirit
Determined discipline of heart,mind, and vision
A new beginning tea to lift your spirit

Lemon grass is two tropical species of fragrant grasses that originated in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Vietnam, and Indonesia.  West India lemon grass and East India lemon grass are used interchangeably  for cooking and medicine.  West India lemon grass is better for cooking.  East India lemon grass is better for the production of essential oil.  Another species that is closely related is the citronella grass used to make citronella oil and candles.

Lemon grass is a favorite staple herb in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia.  Here it is used in a number of ways to flavor a wide range of dishes.  It is also used to make wonderful teas.  Most of the time, if you have brewed a "lemon" tea bag, you have brewed lemon grass tea.  It has a nice citrus flavor without the bitter tones of lemon peel.

This easy to grow herb has been used as a medicinal tea for thousands of years to support the body and remedy a host of issues.  It is supportive of digestive tract, soothing the stomach, indigestion, bloating, and other intestinal issues.  It is used to support the cardio-vascular system and heart health.  It has been used to calm the nerves and cleanse the body of toxins.  It is one of the herbs that is used for women's health issues.  While it is generally considered safe in small amounts, it can be strong medicine, so consult your medical professional before using lemon grass in large amounts.

The fragrant oils and antimicrobial properties of lemon grass make it useful in the home as well.  Growing it in and around your spaces where people gather, can act as a mosquito repellent.  Or, you can burn lemon grass on the fire to chase the moose-quitos away.  It is one ingredient that is used in a home made insect repellent tea that works as long as the pressures aren't too high.  Lemon grass tea is a good sanitizing cleanser for the surfaces of your home.  Or you can make a linseed oil and lemongrass furniture polish to give your woodwork a fresh shine.

Lemon grass has a long history of use as an energetic and spiritual plant as well.  It is a plant of clarity, purpose, and self mastery.  It can aid you in developing the discipline and determination to reach your highest potential.  When your path gets challenging, this herb can help you stick to your commitments and purpose with a calm resolve and resilience.

Lemon grass is an herb of building community and positive connections.  It likes to facilitate honest communication, openness, and fairness in dealings.  It is an herb of forgiveness and positive interactions.  Burning a lemon grass incense might just be the aid you need to come to the fair resolution of a conflict.

Lemon grass is believed to promote the development of psychic abilities.  It acts as a connection to ancient wisdom and inner knowing.  A bit of lemon grass tea or lemon grass incense might help you draw on your intuition and creative genius of inspiration.

One of the ancient uses for lemon grass is to purify or cleanse people and spaces.  You can create a lemon grass wash for a bath or house cleaning to clear negative and undesirable energies, influences, and spirits.  A lemon grass incense chases out those stagnant and negative energies and invites in positive energy.

I love lemon grass and I have grown it several times.  It is a beautiful herb to work with and grow.  If you don't want to grow your own, you can usually find it at your nearest Asian grocery store.

To get your copy of the full lemon grass plant profile, click on the button and subscribe to The Phoenix's Nest
​

Ancient medicine from the Sun
Tonic broth when winters rage
Soothe the child, soothe the heart
Medicine for women in every age

Calendula, or pot marigold, is a member of the aster family that originated in the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe.  This beautiful herb has been grown for thousands of years as an edible and medicinal plant.  The bright yellow blooms and aromatic foliage make this valuable companion plant in the garden.  It both attracts pollinators to the garden and protects your vegetables from pests.  A bright yellow dye is created from the flowers that is used to color food, basketry, and fiber.

Calendula is a highly nutritious herb in the kitchen.  All above ground parts of this flower are edible and can be used in a number of ways in the kitchen from salads to soups.  The petals are even used as a saffron substitute.  The petals make a delicious tea that is a nutritional tonic and a gentle medicine. It soothes the digestive tract, supports the liver, and the cardio-vascular system.  It stimulates the immune system and is anti-infammatory.  It is one of the herbs that is used to support women's health.  Calendula oils and salves are some of the oldest methods of wound care and skin care.

On an energetic level, calendula is an herb of the sun.  According to one legend, the nymphs of the forest were all in love with Apollo.  The resulting fights and arguments irritated Artemis so much that she turned them all into the calendula flowers.  According to this legend, this is why calendula opens when it is kisses by the sun and closes when the sun goes down.  It is a flower of beginnings and endings.  It is both the past and the present.  It is the sun captured in a plant that holds its greatest strength when it is picked during the heat of the day.  It helps you face your fears and act with courage and determination.  It helps you find the magic in life.

Calendula is an herb of prophecy.  It may even help you predict rain.  Adding calendula to your pillow helps you see through illusion to see the truth.  It promotes prophetic dreams and psychic power.  It might help you see the face of the thief that robbed you.  Placing this herb in your pillow is also said to make your dreams of love come true.

Calendula can be used in spells and rituals for protection for your home and person.  It is said to protect you and your home from negative energy, especially in legal matters.  It can help you set and protect a sacred space.  It is a good herb to use to bring prosperity and good luck.

Calendula is an herb of love.  A crown of calendula is often worn by brides to bring love and happiness.  It is a favorite flower for bouquets and arrangements to decorate the wedding celebration.  An herb mix with calendula is sometimes used to attract a lover and a calendula herb bath might make you more attractive.

Calendula is an important herb for women's health, both medicinally and magically.  It is valuable for menstrual issues and menopause.  However, do not use calendula around spells for pregnancy or fertility.

While calendula is generally considerd to be safe and gentle, there are some important cautions.  Most important, calendula has significant effects on the women's reproductive system.  Do not use calendula when you are pregnant, want to become pregnant, or are breast feeding.  Avoid calendula if you are taking sedatives or medications for high blood pressure.  Always consult your medical practitioner before starting an herbal therapy.

Some of the sources for this article are:
flyingthehedge.com
crystalvaults.com
chestnutherbs.com
20,000 Secrets of Tea by Victoria Zak
Eyewitness Herbs by Lesley Bremness
Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
     by Scott Cunningham

For the full plant profile check out Phoenix's nest here:
​https://the-phoenixs-nest.beehiiv.com/p/calendula-beauty-flavor-and-medicine

Sage for wisdom
Sage for the ages
Sage for the woman
During all the stages

Ah! Beautiful, aromatic, flavor filled sage!  This wonderful kitchen staple is a member of a genus, Salvia, that has somewhere between 700 and 9000 species depending on the source.  Some of this discrepancy may be that plants that were at one time classed as two different geniuses were collapsed into one genus.  There are Salvia species found in many parts of the world, including 20 that are native to the United States.  Many of these species are edible and are also used in spiritual ceremonies.  Culinary sage, Salvia officinalis, is one of the species that originated in the Mediterranean mountains and gradually spread around the world from there.

This is a culinary delight in the kitchen that is used to flavor a huge range of dishes, from poultry and stuffing to soups and stews.  It adds a savory punch to squash and other vegetables and a leaf in your herbal tea gives it a refreshing lift.  A sage herbal tea can also be a powerful cleansing agent and insect repellent in your home.  It is used in some natural deodorant blends.

Common sage is a health promoting and medicinal powerhouse that you can grow in your garden or on your patio, even if you don't have a vegetable garden.  It is a stimulant to the digestive system, liver, kidneys, and immune system.  It supports a healthy nervous system and brain function, preventing or delaying cognitive decline and some forms of dementia.  Sage may also delay or prevent the onset of some chronic diseases and metabolic issues.  Even at the levels that are used in cooking, sage has a positive effect on the body.

Sage is also a powerfully energetic plant.  Sage is the plant of wisdom and longevity.  A cup of sage tea is said to bring long life, calm, clarity, and focus.  And, yes, wisdom.  If you wish wisdom in your endeavors, try putting a sage leaf behind your ear or carry it in your pocket.

Many cultures burn sage as a smudge or an incense.  This smudge is used to cleanse and purify homes and spaces.  It is believed to clear the air of destructive elements.  Smudging is done to set sacred space and purify people and spiritual tools.  It is believed to break up negative energy patterns and set new paths.  The smoke is often used to carry prayers into the spiritual world.

If you want prosperity and good luck, convince a stranger to plant sage amongst your perennial flowers.  Or, cup three fresh sage leaves in your hands.  Set your intentions and imagine the prosperity in your life as a fulfilled wish.  Then place the leaves in your wallet.

While sage is perfectly safe for most people as a culinary herb, exercise a bit of caution using it as a therapeutic herb.  Sage contains thujone, which can cause problems for people who are pregnant, breast feeding, are prone to seizures, and some other health issues.  Always consult your medical practitioner before starting an herbal regimen. 

The primary source for this article is 
Sage Plant Profile by Manitu Okaha
Find the profile here 
​https://the-phoenixs-nest.beehiiv.com/p/sage-for-wisdom