The Fumbling Forager

I love this time of year, when the days are getting shorter, the leaves are in full color, and we start using phrases like “beyond the veil”. It always gives me a sense of connecting to my ancestors, and that’s exactly what this season is for. Much like how Halloween is pulled from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, modern medicine is pulled from ancient herbalism. In fact, long before medicine became a science, people looked to plants for healing. But they were often more than that. They were used for guidance and even power.

Magical Plants

From the sacred oaks of the Druids to the silvery leaves of mugwort, these plants of old magick were woven into ritual and religion alike. Their stories reveal how closely our ancestors listened to the land and how deeply they believed in nature’s unseen forces. Even today, traces of this “old magick” linger in the language we use, the customs we keep, and the herbs that remain part of daily life.

1. Oak (Quercus spp.)

Lore and Use
The Druids revered oak as the king of trees, symbolizing strength, endurance, and protection. Oak groves served as gathering places for sacred rites, and mistletoe growing on an oak was believed to hold extraordinary power when harvested under the full moon with a golden sickle.

Oak bark, which is rich in tannins, was traditionally used for its astringent and toning qualities. That links its mythic strength to practical applications.

How to Identify
Oaks are sturdy, long-lived trees with deeply ridged bark and lobed leaves that vary by species. Acorns, held in rough caps, are their most distinctive feature.

Where to Find
Common throughout North America, oaks grow in forests, woodlands, and even city parks. The many native species range from the towering white oak of the East to the bur oak of the Midwest and the coastal live oak of the West.

2. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Lore and Use
Known as a traveler’s protector and dream herb, mugwort was said to ward off fatigue and negative spirits. Its silvery-green leaves reflect its lunar connection, which is fitting for a plant tied to intuition and the in-between worlds.

Herbalists still use mugwort today for its aromatic, gently bitter properties.

How to Identify
Mugwort grows up to 3 feet tall with deeply divided leaves that are dark green on top and silvery underneath. Crush a leaf and you’ll notice a sharp, sage-like scent.

Where to Find
Look for mugwort along roadsides, field edges, and disturbed ground. It thrives in sunny, dry conditions and is now naturalized across much of the United States.

3. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Lore and Use
Yarrow has long been tied to courage, protection, and love divination. Ancient warriors carried it into battle to stop bleeding (earning it the name “herbal militaris”) while others used it in charms to dream of their future spouse. It’s a plant that bridges both the physical and symbolic worlds, offering strength and insight alike.

How to Identify
Yarrow’s leaves are feathery and finely divided, resembling soft green lace. The flower heads form dense, flat-topped clusters that are usually white but can also appear in shades of pink or yellow, depending on the variety and region. When crushed, the plant releases a strong, herbal aroma.

Where to Find
Yarrow is native across much of the Northern Hemisphere and grows throughout the United States. It thrives in sunny meadows, open fields, prairies, and roadsides, preferring well-drained soil. Blooming from late spring through fall, it’s one of the most widespread and easily recognized wildflowers in North America.

4. Elder (Sambucus nigra / Sambucus canadensis)

Lore and Use
The elder tree was both revered and feared. In European folklore, it was said to house the Elder Mother, a spirit who protected those who respected her and cursed those who did not. People would whisper a request before cutting its wood.

Despite the cautionary tales, elder remains a valued plant today. Its flowers and berries are still used seasonally for their supportive properties.

How to Identify
Elder is a shrub or small tree with compound leaves, flat clusters of white flowers, and dark purple to black berries that droop when ripe.

Where to Find
Elder grows in moist soil along ditches, streambanks, and woodland edges across most of the United States. In the wild, it prefers rich, damp soil but can also be cultivated in home gardens.

5. Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

Lore and Use
Wormwood’s reputation comes from its role in protective rituals and its inclusion in the infamous drink absinthe. It was burned to banish negative energy and used in brews meant to sharpen the senses.

Its bitterness, long valued in herbal traditions, symbolizes clarity by cutting through confusion and illusion.

How to Identify
A tall, gray-green plant with fine, silvery hairs and a distinctly bitter scent. Its small yellow-green flower heads appear on long, arching stems.

Where to Find
Often cultivated in herb gardens but also found growing wild along roadsides or in old homestead sites. Prefers dry, well-drained soil and full sun.

6. Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum)

Lore and Use
No list of the plants of old magick is complete without mandrake. Mandrake’s human-shaped root was believed to scream when pulled from the ground, and anyone who heard it would perish. To avoid this fate, medieval lore said one should tie the root to a dog and let the animal pull it up instead. The earliest known references to this legend appear in ancient writings by the Jewish historian Josephus and later in medieval herbals that blended medicine with superstition.

Though native to the Mediterranean, its legend spread widely. In North America, the mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is sometimes called “American mandrake,” though it’s unrelated.

How to Identify
True mandrake has thick, forked roots, large basal leaves, and pale greenish-white flowers that give way to yellow berries. American mayapple has umbrella-like leaves and grows in colonies.

Where to Find
True mandrake does not grow wild in North America, but mayapple is common in rich woodlands throughout the eastern and central United States.

7. Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger)

Lore and Use
Henbane’s dark reputation comes from its use in old “flying ointments,” said to send witches on spirit journeys. In reality, its toxic alkaloids cause hallucinations and delirium, earning it a permanent place among the dangerous plants of old magic.

How to Identify
Henbane has sticky, hairy leaves, pale yellow flowers veined with purple, and a foul odor when crushed.

Where to Find
Native to Europe but naturalized in parts of North America, henbane sometimes appears near old farmsteads or disturbed soil. Handle with caution and never ingest. It’s a good fit for a list of plants of old magick, but one that should never be used for medication.

Reflection

The plants once used in spellcraft and ceremony often held real medicinal value. Their power was both symbolic and physical; Sometimes healing, sometimes harmful, but always respected.

Today, the “old magick” of these plants lies not in superstition, but in remembering that they were once teachers. They guided people to observe, listen, and live in rhythm with the natural world.

Witch’s Brew: Spiced Elderberry Cider

A warming autumn drink that nods to old magick and modern wellness alike. Elder was once known as a tree of both protection and transformation. Folklore warned never to cut it without permission from the Elder Mother, yet its flowers and berries were prized for keeping illness at bay. This simple spiced cider is comforting, aromatic, and just a little mysterious.

Ingredients

• 4 cups apple cider (fresh-pressed or unfiltered)
• ¼ cup dried elderberries or 2 tablespoons elderberry syrup
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 small orange, sliced (optional: stud slices with additional cloves)
• 1 tablespoon honey (adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ¼ teaspoon ground)
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Optional: a sprig of rosemary or a few juniper berries for added “forest” flavor

Instructions

1. Simmer the base. Combine cider, elderberries, cinnamon, cloves, orange, ginger, and nutmeg in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Steep for depth. Reduce heat and let simmer 20–25 minutes. The liquid will darken as the elderberries release color and flavor.
3. Strain and sweeten. Remove from heat, strain, and stir in honey while warm.
4. Serve and enjoy. Pour into mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick. For an adult version, add a splash of spiced rum or brandy once slightly cooled.

The Lore Behind the Brew

Elder was believed to guard homes from evil spirits and to protect travelers. To drink elderberry cider in autumn is to honor both sides of that legend, the caution and the comfort, the myth and the medicine.

References

• Druidry.org. (n.d.). Oak tree: Tree lore. The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids. https://druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-tree-lore/oak
• Druidry.org. (n.d.). Elder: Tree lore. The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids. https://druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-tree-lore/elder
• Ekiert, H., Pajor, J., Klin, P., Rzepiela, A., Świątek, Ł., Tomczyk, M., & Szopa, A. (2020). Significance of Artemisia vulgaris L. (common mugwort) in the history of medicine and its possible contemporary applications substantiated by phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Plants, 9(9), 1192. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091192
• Trees for Life. (n.d.). Oak mythology and folklore. https://treesforlife.org.uk/into-the-forest/trees-plants-animals/trees/oak/oak-mythology-and-folklore/
• Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal. Penguin Random House.