The spectacular iris flower comes in almost every color of the rainbow. For that reason, she is named after the Iris, the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow.

The goddess Iris was considered to be the messenger between the sea and sky. Thaumus the Wonderous, her father, was associated with the sea, and her mother, Elektra the Amber, was a nymph of the clouds. The goddess is credited with carrying water from the sea to fill the clouds, and she carried messages between the gods and goddesses in the heavens, particularly Hera, to the people on earth. She had golden wings, and it is said iris flowers spring up every time her feet touch the earth. Eiris, another word very similar to iris, means messenger. She represents both. 

Deep purple iris are often planted on the graves of women. Seeing the the flowers, Iris would accompany the women’s souls  from earth to heaven. 

The colors of the iris send messages based on the language of flowers (scroll down to find color symbolism in the violet and rose blog posts) and her petals and sepals are also symbolic. The three petals, or standards, of the iris reach upward and represent wisdom, faith and courage. The three sepals, pointing downward, symbolize faith, hope and love. 

The Iris was highly prized in Egypt, in particular by King Thutmose III,  considered by many to be the greatest ruler of ancient Egypt. He was an enthusiastic gardener, and when Egypt conquered Syria, he found them growing in abundance. He brought them back to Egypt and they came to be associated with the renewal of life. He was said to have coveted the iris the way some people coveted gold. 

Some of the most popular iris are bearded, dwarf, Japanese, Siberian, Louisiana and Dutch. Do you have a favorite? I hope you’ll enjoy the many types and colors of iris this spring. 

Magnolia grandifolia

Gender - Feminine
Planet - Venus
Element - Earth

“Blossoms on our magnolia ignite the morning with their murderous five days’ white.”
~ Robert Lowell, poet, from Man and Wife

When I lived in Lake Walker, in  Baltimore, my next door neighbor Bob was always kind enough to let me take a few blossoms to sketch. I haven’t found a source of magnolias in Newville, but if you have any you’d be willing to share, I’d be delighted! Some of my favorite memories in Baltimore were sketching on my front porch.

My fascination with the magnolia has always been its extraordinary beauty and eloquence, so short lived. Nature teaches us lessons, and my lesson from the magnolia is to live life to the fullest, as it is fleeting. Thankfully, we have more than five days! Aren’t we fortunate to have decades to bloom?

The first documentation of the magnolia’s discovery was in the West Indies and the flower was named after Pierre Magnol, the innovative botanist who devised a naming system for plant classifications, a century before Linnaeus. At that time, there was thought to be only one species. There are currently estimated to be two or three hundred varieties.The Magnolia grandiflora is the large, showy pink that most of us think of first. Buddhist monks favored the pure white Magnolia denudata, the Yulan magnolia, as a symbol of purity. The blossoms come in white, pink, magenta, purple, yellow and green. Do you have a favorite?

Since life on earth began, there have been five mass extinctions, ice ages, mountain formations, continental drifts and other changes in climate that have eliminated most plants and animals from those early years. Magnolia is one of the very few survivors. It arrived ninety-five million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period, estimated to be almost twenty-seven million years before Tyrannosaurus rex.  Magnolias were here long before bees and were pollinated by a flightless beetle. Their petals are strong and durable to avoid damage from the beetles. This contributes to their strength and longevity. They are exemplary survivors: titans of resilience and adaptability. 

Herbalists define herbs as ‘any plant that is useful’. The magnolia’s beauty is useful enough for me, but they have other functions. They are edible, and the petals, if gathered as they first begin to bloom, can be eaten raw in salads. Their flavor is described as spicy, similar to a ginger and cardamon blend. I haven’t tried them yet, but I’ll let you know when I do! They are also dried and ground to flavor pastries and rice. The buds can be pickled or broiled. The entire flower can be dried and used for tea, to flavor miso, or they can be deep fried and dipped in sauces. The intensity of the flavor is related to their color. The light blossoms are mild and the darker ones are spicier. 

They have medicinal benefits as well. The bark and buds have been used to treat headaches, asthma, inflammation, depression, stress, fever, and digestive problems. Magnolias have also been used to improve heart health and treat stroke. 

This is just a brief overview of the magnolia’s many attributes. As always, I encourage you to continue to research and explore if this plant captures your interest!

​Send me an e-mail, [email protected], or answer in the comments below if you have stories or information you’d like to share! 

" If you need help releasing sadness from the past to enable you to find future happiness, 
the snowdrop will be useful."

Element: Water
Gender: Feminine
Planet - Venus

Poisonous

Gender: Masculine
Element: Air
Planet: Sun

All my life ,I’ve heard that if you were caught, and kissed, under the mistletoe, you’d fall in love, even if you didn’t like the person at all before the kiss. From that time forward, you would love each other eternally. Let me know if it worked for you! It hasn’t been my experience, thankfully! I think it sounds a bit like a curse!
Are you familiar with the original legend of mistletoe? There is no reference to a romantic association. 
In the Norse version of mistletoe’s symbolism, Balder, the God of light and peace, was adored by his mother Frigg. He was said to be the most handsome of the gods, and was knowledgeable in the use of herbs and runes. She loved him dearly, and in order to protect him, she cast a spell that he could never be injured by any of the elements: water, air, fire or earth.  
Loki, known as the trickster god, was jealous of Balder, and was determined to destroy him. He made an arrow of mistletoe, as it was not from any of the four elements, and gave it to Hodur who was blind. As Hodur was playing with the arrow, Loki steered his arm to aim at Balder, killing him instantly.
Frigg, who had never cried in her life, was heart sick and wept constantly. Her tears became the white berries on the mistletoe. She couldn’t be consoled, and finally, the gods couldn’t bear her sadness any longer so they used their powers to give Balder back his life.
Frigg was overjoyed and declared mistletoe a symbol of peace. It was to be hung high, and a kiss of maternal love or friendship was to be exchanged by all who passed beneath it.
The only reference to a romantic kiss under mistletoe appeared in a poem in the late 1700s. The new reference gained popularity and replaced the original association.

Plants that remain green and vibrant in the bitter cold winter months, when all of the surrounding plant life is dormant, have always fascinated people. The Pinaceae family, which includes cedar, fir, pine and spruce, was hung on doors to protect families long before it was considered decorative. The plants were thought to have magical powers, and symbolized endurance and eternal life. The evergreens replaced the black chicken that had previously been used for protection.

At one time, in many different cultures, black chickens were revered for their powers of protection. In some areas, witches, feared all year long and not just at Halloween, were honor bound to count every feather before they entered a home.  They usually lost count, gave up, and found an unprotected home to enter. But there were disadvantages of using a hen. Even in the chill of winter, the chicken began to exude unpleasant odors, and wild animals were lured in, making the home owners uncomfortable. 

Fortunately, the idea of the magical evergreens, with their calming colors and numerous needles, caught on, and hanging evergreen branches on doors for the witches to count replaced the "poulet noir"! Other evergreens, such as holly, ivy, juniper, and mistletoe were added for their symbolism, as well as decorative berries in red, blue and white, and gorgeous variations in leaf shapes and shades of green. 

My first evergreen post will highlight the fir. It is estimated that there are about fifty species of fir in the world, including balsam, Fraser, and white. The Santa Lucia, or bristlecone fir, is thought to be the rarest tree in North America, and possibly the world! They are known for lifting their branches high and their cones are at the top of the tree. The fir’s needles  are soft, flat, and singularly attached. Their needles stay attached longer than spruces or pines. This is one of the reasons they are considered the ideal Christmas tree. There are more. 

When Christianity arrived in northern Europe, and the legend of the Christmas tree became known, three angels, Faith, Hope and Charity were sent from the heavens to find the perfect tree!
The perfect tree was to be as 

• Great as Faith
• High as Hope 
• Sweet as Charity, and it was required to
• have a cross on every bough. 

The search ended when they found the fir tree!
They lighted it with stars and it became the first Christmas Tree!

Aww, come on now!  You didn’t really think witches were scouring the forest to gather the eye of a newt or the toe of a frog, did you? I’ll admit, there was a time when I used to guard my dog in case the witches needed an extra dog tongue. Fortunately, I found out about the secret herbal codes!

Folk names were used for herbs long before Shakespeare came along It was a bit like the copyright protections we have today.  “Witches” were actually healers who were protecting their recipes and secret ingredients from those who had no  understanding of nature, plants, and their magical powers. Secret code names were created to protect the identity of the ingredients, as well as  give mystery to the herbal  cures. Many plants are still called by their folk names today!

Some names can be determined by the part of the plant associated with particular body part: for example, seeds were associated with eyes.  If Shakespeare had said mustard seed instead of “eye of newt”, a certain mystery would have been lacking. The toe of a frog was a leaf of cinquefoil, holly leaves were the wool of the bat, and hound's tongue was the tongue of the dog. Thankfully!

Even though his descriptions were visually stirring, they were not appreciated by the herbal healers of  the  time. His using their code names made them furious  and they  put a curse  on not only Shakespeare, but  anyone  who  dared  use the word ‘Macbeth’. Uttering the word in a theater is considered bad luck, to this day. Even witches who have dedicated their lives to healing can become enraged and vengeful if their secrets are exposed!  Hopefully,  I won’t  regret writing this article.   I  think I’ll  go gather some agrimony, for protection, just  in case!

COMMENTS
ALICE SCHLOTHAUER ( [email protected] )

For 15 years I lived at the corner of Blymire Hollow Road and Shangrila Road. In that part of York County the story of Mr. Blymire and Mr. Rehmeyer and the Hex Murders in 1928 was told and retold. This time of the year, we would sit on our front porch and watch the hayrides come up Blymire Hollow Road with loads of very frightened people aboard. A book called Hex was written about the incident and you can read all about it on the internet. It is full of hexery and witchcraft. Pretty fascinating!

Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
​Element: Fire

I’ve had a few requests about lavender wands so I’m reposting how to make them. They last for years and making them is therapeutic! 

Wrap the ribbon diagonally down the stem, secure at the base of the stem with a couple of knots, then cut the ribbon. ​