| Wolfsbane! No doubt you're all familiar with the "ancient Gypsy poem" that typically occurs in 1930's schlock horror movies (usually starring Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi for maximal sinisterness ): Even a man who is pure in heart And says his prayers by night May become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms And the moon is full and bright. Well, it's actually not ancient at all; it was made up by some kitsch horror-scriptwriter. The truth about Wolfsbane is actually a lot more intriguing! After a period of research, I finally managed to dig something up - the following is taken from "Herb Craft - A Guide to the Shamanic and Ritual Use of Herbs" by Susan Lavender and Anna Franklin (Capall Bann books 1996, ISBN 1-898307-57-9) Botanical name: Aconitum napellus/Aconitum anthora Other names: Wolfsbane, Monkshood, Helmet-flower, Old Wife's Hood, The Queen Mother of Poisons, Chariot of Venus, Storm Hat, King's Coach, Friar's Cap, Aconite, Friar's Cowl, Dumbledore's Delight, Cupid's Car. Planetary ruler: Saturn Correspondences: Element - Water. Gender - female. Associated deities: Cerberus, Hecate, Medea, St. Dunstan. Natural history: Aconite is a hardy perennial which grows to a height of 2-3 ft. Native throughout Europe, including Britain, it can be found growing wild in shady places such as stream courses, ditches, or in highland meadows. The fleshy tap-root puts out new daughter roots annually. The erect stem is covered with soft down, the leaves are dark green and glossy above, whitish green beneath. The purple or blue flowers are borne in June and July. Folk History: Wolfsbane was used to poison enemy water supplies during times of war in ancient Europe and Asia. Hunters used its sap to poison spears, arrowheads & trap baits, as well. In ancient Greece, legend had it that the plant originated from the slobber dripping from the fangs of Cerberus, the three-headed dog Heracles was supposed to have brought back to earth with him from the underworld. Propagation: Aconite can be grown from seed collected in the wild. This will take up to three years to flower. Alternatively it can be propagated by dividing the roots in the autumn. The small daughter roots can be removed and planted out between December and January. Gathering: The roots should be harvested for storage in the early autumn. They should be washed, trimmed, and dried, then stored in an airtight container, clearly marked. The leaves and flowers should be harvested just before the flowers bloom in July. The seeds are ripe at the end of August. Lore: The derivation of aconite's name is a matter of some dispute. Some think that the generic name is derived from the Greek 'Akontion' meaning 'Dart', referring to the fact that this plant once provided poison for the arrows of some tribes. Others believe it comes from the word 'akone' which means 'cliffy' or 'rocky', one of the plant's favourite habitats. Another possibility is that the name commemorates the hill Aconitus in Pontica, where Herakles fought with Cerberus, guardian of the Underworld. The specific name 'napellus' means 'little turnip', and refers to the shape of the root. There are many legendary accounts of aconite being used as a poison. In Greek myth Medea is said to have used aconite to take revenge on Theseus after he deserted her, poisoning his cup. Alexander the Great was the target of a plot where he was to be poisoned by kissing a woman who had saturated herself with a lethal dose taken in small quantities over a long period. However the plot was foiled by Aristotle. Pope Adrian VI was murdered with it and the prophet Mohammed is said to have narrowly escaped death by giving away a piece of meat which had been poisoned with aconite. The deaths of Claudius and his son Britannicus are both attributed to aconite. Monkshood is believed to have been a popular poison amongst the medieval clergy whose career advancement usually depended on the timely death of a superior. Aconite was also believed to be one of the constituents of the potion goven to the old and infirm on the island of Ceos. This was to facilitate their departure from the world where they were no longer useful. It was often used as a ritual cup at the time of death, and dispensed for euthanasia. It was also used in incenses at the time of burial, and planted on the grave. Aconite is widely associated with witchcraft, medieval witches were reputed to have used chips of flint coated in the plant extract to throw at intended victims. The victims would probably not notice anything at the time, except a scratch, but would shortly become ill and die. These darts were known as 'elf-bolts'. Magical uses: Aconite is a traditional ingredient of the 'flying ointment', though this is as likely to kill you as take you flying. The dose needed to achieve the hallucinogenic effect falls within the lethal limit. Some irresponsible and ignorant books suggest its' use by preparing a tincture and dipping a cigarette into it as a smoke, or even preparing an infusion and drinking it. These people have obviously never tried it, or they wouldn't be around to write such nonsense. Aconite has many connections with the underworld and death for obvious reasons. The leaves may be carefully used in incenses for funeral rites, but again, this is not recommended and there are other funeral herbs available that will not send you to the same place as the deceased. The leaves may be used to invoke Hecate in an incense, but this is not recommended. Aconite has a dark and fearful reputation and has nearly always been used for malevolent magic. There are safer and more suitable herbs that can be used for any of the above purposes. WARNING: THIS PLANT IS HIGHLY POISONOUS AND NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE GARDEN ESPECIALLY IF THE GARDEN IS USED BY CHILDREN OR PETS. ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY AFTER HANDLING THE PLANT AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT GLOVES BE WORN AT ALL TIMES. The poison at first stimulates, then paralyses the central and peripheral nervous system, It causes a burning sensation on the tongue, vomiting, stomach pains, and diarrhoea, leading to paralysis and finally death. Aconite was grown in monastery gardens where it was used in the treatment of rheumatism in the form of an external oil rub. The common name of monkshood comes from the resemblance of the flowers to monk's cowls. In christian lore it was dedicated to St. Dunstan, the archbishop of Canterbury who was said to have held the devil's nose in red hot pincers until he promised never to tempt him again. The saint, born in Glastonbury in 924AD, dreamt one night of a huge tree whose branches stretched all over Britain. The branches were covered with monk's cowls. He saw this as a vision of Britain of the future, totally christian and presumably dominated by the clergy. It was used in the 13th and 14th century as a poison bait for wolves, possibly where it gets its' name 'wolfsbane', although this may be because arrows used in wolf hunting were tipped with it. It is also said to 'cure' werewolves. Aconite is widely associated with witchcraft, medieval witches were reputed to have used chips of flint coated in the plant extract to throw at intended victims. The victims would probably not notice anything at the time, except a scratch, but would shortly become ill and die. These darts were known as 'elf-bolts'. Magical uses: Aconite is a traditional ingredient of the 'flying ointment', though this is as likely to kill you as take you flying. The dose needed to achieve the hallucinogenic effect falls within the lethal limit. Some irresponsible and ignorant books suggest its' use by preparing a tincture and dipping a cigarette into it as a smoke, or even preparing an infusion and drinking it. These people have obviously never tried it, or they wouldn't be around to write such nonsense. Aconite has many connections with the underworld and death for obvious reasons. The leaves may be carefully used in incenses for funeral rites, but again, this is not recommended and there are other funeral herbs available that will not send you to the same place as the deceased. The leaves may be used to invoke Hecate in an incense, but this is not recommended. Aconite has a dark and fearful reputation and has nearly always been used for malevolent magic. There are safer and more suitable herbs that can be used for any of the above purposes. WARNING: THIS PLANT IS HIGHLY POISONOUS AND NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE GARDEN ESPECIALLY IF THE GARDEN IS USED BY CHILDREN OR PETS. ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY AFTER HANDLING THE PLANT AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT GLOVES BE WORN AT ALL TIMES. The poison at first stimulates, then paralyses the central and peripheral nervous system, It causes a burning sensation on the tongue, vomiting, stomach pains, and diarrhoea, leading to paralysis and finally death. |