Main / PlantAmpHerbProperties
Plant & Herb Properties
Many of these plants, herbs and spices have various special qualities associated with them. These different qualities will be useful in devising special formulae for potions, inks, etc.
| Plant And/Or Special Part | Uses And/Or Powers |
| abcess root (sweat root, false jacob's ladder) | respiratory disorders, causes copious sweating |
| acacia (Gum Arabic) | tissue repair, emolient, soothing, used to coat surface of throat, stomach, etc. |
| aconite (monkshood, wolfsbane, friar's cap., etc.) | POISON, sedative, acts on the heart, drives off werewolves, and, with Belladonna, an ingredient in Witch's flying ointments |
| acorn | tissue hardening |
| adder's tongue | emetic, emollient, used as a poultice on scrofulous sores, swellings and tumors |
| adrue | anti-vomiting, (especially for morning sickness), sedative, warming |
| agar-agar (jelly) | anti-inflammation, nutrient, used as a thickening |
| agaric (Larch Agaric) fungus | astringent, used to inhibit perspiration, especially 'night sweats' and as a skin tightener/toner (see also fly agaric) |
| agrimony (cocklebur, stickwort) | muscle toner, diuretic, specific for liver complaints, including jaundice |
| alder | anti-inflammation, tonic, alterative, antiseptic, berries can be mildly anthelmintic, cathartic |
| alkanet root | emollient, antiseptic, wormer, red dye |
| all-heal (woundwort) | alterative, antibacterial, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, hypotensive, stomachic, styptic, tonic, vermifuge and vulnerary. Also a potherb used in salads, soups, etc. |
| almond milk/powder | nutrient/emollient, aids digestion and relieves heartburn |
| aloe (bitter aloe) | bites, burns, laxative (purgative), tonic/insect repellent |
| amaranth (red cockscomb, love lies-bleeding) | astringent, anti-hemorrhagic |
| ammoniacum (Persian Gum) | stimulant, respiratory aid, specific for chronic bronchitis, anti-spasmodic |
| angelica | colds, coughs, pleurisy, wind, colic, rheumatism and diseases of the urinary organs. Also used in flavouring candy, liqueurs, and other beverages. |
| anise | antacid, digestion, coughing, eases griping from purgatives, colic |
| arbutus, trailing (mayflower) | astringent, bladder infection |
| areca nut (betel nut) | astringent, tape wormer |
| arenaria rubra (sandwort) | diuretic, urinary diseases, cystitis |
| arnica | caution external use only unless prescribed by experienced herbalist. used in salves for sprains, bruises, and wounds |
| arrach (goosefoot) | sedative, specific for hysteria and nervous troubles connected with women's ailments, emmenagogue and anti-spasmodic |
| artichoke juice | jaundice curative |
| asafetida (gum asafetida, devil's dung, food of the gods) | aphrodisiac, brain and nervous stimulant, tonic, used for athsmatic bronchitis, colic and an ingredient in laxatives. Tastes vile, though a preparation is used by some as a condiment |
| asarabacca (hazelwort, wild nard) | emetic, purgative |
| ash (bark and leaves of) | laxative, anti-inflammatory, fever |
| asparagus juice/root | diuretic, heart problems/anti-oxalic acid |
| avens (colewort, herb bennet) | Astringent, Styptic, febrifuge, sudorific, stomachic, antiseptic, tonic and aromatic, used to flavour beer |
| bael | dysentery and diarrhoea, tonic, anti-inflammatory, ulcers |
| balm (sweet balm) | calms nerves, fevers. John Hussey, of Sydenham, who lived to the age of 116, breakfasted for fifty years on Balm tea sweetened with honey, and herb teas were the usual breakfasts of Llewelyn Prince of Glamorgan, who died in his 108th year. Carmelite water, of which Balm was the chief ingredient, was drunk daily by the Emperor Charles V. |
| balm (balm of gilead, balsam of gilead) | diseases of the urinary tracts, and along with other balsams, stimulant, tonic, diuretic, and antiscorbutic |
| balmony (bitter herb, snake head) | nutrient, organ stimulant (general) |
| baneberry | POISON Antispasmodic |
| barberry | Tonic, purgative, antiseptic, used in all cases of jaundice, general debility and biliousness, and for diarrhoea |
| barley | tissue builder and strengthener, liver ailments, nutrient (recuperative) |
| basil | nervous disorders |
| bay leaf (bay laurel) | Antioxidative, Analgesic and anti-inflammatory, Anticonvulsant (antiepileptic) |
| beetroot | organic cleanser |
| belladonna (deadly nightshade, dwale, black cherry root) | POISON Narcotic, diuretic, sedative, antispasmodic, mydriatic, dilates pupils, anti-opiate, poison/lycanthropy cure |
| benne (sesam, sesame) | respiratory disorders, eye infections, promote menstruation |
| benzoin (gum benzoin) | expectorant, stimulant, anti-septic, wounds and sores |
| berberis | fevers |
| beth root (Lamb's quarters) | antiseptic, astringent and tonic expectorant, being used principally in haemorrhages, to promote parturition, and externally, usually in the form of a poultice, as a local irritant in skin diseases, or to restrain gangrene |
| bilberry (huckleberry, hurtleberry, whortleberry) | anti-thirst, dropsy, typhoid, glaucoma, specific for eyes in general |
| birch (white birch) | intestines and stomach, venereal diseases, skin conditions, pain relieving |
| birthwort | circulatory stimulant, aromatic stimulant in rheumatism and gout and for removing obstructions, etc., after childbirth |
| bistort (adderwort) | one of the strongest astringent medicines in the vegetable kingdom and highly styptic |
| bittersweet (felonwort, scarlet berry, woody nightshade) | caution can be poison to small children. feeble narcotic properties, chronic bronchial catarrh, asthma and whooping cough, chronic rheumatism and for jaundice |
| blackberry (dewberry) | astringent, tonic, dysentary |
| black currant | diuretic, diaphoretic, febrifuge, antiseptic, blood purifier |
| black willow (pussy willow) bark | astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, pain reliever |
| blueberry | see bilberry |
| blue flag (flag lily, poison flag, water flag, water lily) | diuretic, cathartic, blood purifier (vs. poison), wound healing, venereal disease, much more |
| blue mallow (common mallow) | coughs, colds. see more effective Marsh Mallow |
| boneset (thoughtwort) | Stimulant, febrifuge and laxative. It acts slowly and persistently, and its greatest power is manifested upon the stomach, liver, bowels and uterus |
| borage | coughs, lung infections |
| box leaves | tonic, blood purifier |
| bryony | paralysis, bruises |
| bugle | gastrointestinal disorders, hemorrhaging |
| burdock | laxative, tuberculosis, more |
| butterbur | fevers, urinary complaints |
| cabbage juice | ulcer and stomach treatment |
| calotopis (mudar bark) | skin leprosy, elephantiasis, more |
| camphor (gum camphor) | bruises, sprains, chills, fevers, cardiac stimulant |
| caraway | antacid, aids digestion |
| cardamom | indigestion and flatulence. Carminative, stimulant, aromatic, but rarely used alone; chiefly useful as an adjuvant or corrective |
| carrot juice and seeds | tonic for improved health |
| castor oil bush | purgative, cathartic |
| catnip | colds, fevers, anti-spasmodic, hysteria |
| cayenne | stimulant |
| celery | liver functions, tonic, stimulant |
| chamomile | nervous conditions, ear and tooth aches |
| chaulmoogra oil | fevers, sedative, skin eruptions |
| cherry gum | respiratory infections/food substitute |
| chervil | diuretic, expectorant, digestive aid, and skin freshener, most widely known as a remedy for high blood pressure |
| chives | colds, general diseases/evil eye |
| cinnamon | disinfectant, nausea, preservative |
| cleavers (goosegrass) | fevers, circulation, blood purifier, wounds, liver disease |
| clover | tonic |
| cloves | anesthetic, circulation, germicide disinfectant |
| comfrey root (knitbone, boneset) | caution not recommended for continual internal use as it has been shown to have some potentially carcinogenic properties. highly esteemed for all pulmonary complaints, consumption and bleeding of the lungs, internal haemorrhage. Externally, sprains, swellings and bruises, and as a poultice, for severe cuts, to promote suppuration of boils and abscesses, and gangrenous and ill-conditioned ulcers (heals 'inside out'). also greatly speeds healing of fractures |
| coriander | tonic |
| couchgrass | bladder and urinary infections |
| cucumber | inflammation |
| cumin seed | stimulant |
| dandelion | diuretic, purgative, tonic, blood purifier, used by herbalists for stomach cancers |
| digitalis (dead men's bells, fairy bells, fairy cap, fairy fingers, foxglove, etc.) | heart stimulant, tonic, kidney treatment (poison) |
| dill | carminative, nausea |
| ergot (rye smut) | hemorrhaging, venereal diseases, hallucinagenic |
| eyebright | astringent, eye infections |
| fennel | digestion, weight control, muscle tone, reflexes, vision, anti-flatulent, colic |
| fenugreek | stimulant |
| fig | demulcent |
| figwort (scrofula plant, throatwort) | abcesses, wounds, pain killer |
| fireweed | astringent, anti-spasmodic |
| fluellin | astringent, tissue strengthener |
| garden burnet | Astringent and tonic, diarrhoea, dysentery, leucorrhoea |
| garlic | coughs, colds, blood purifier, de¬toxifier, kills parasites/wards off vampires |
| gelsemium (wild woodbine) | sedative, nerve tonic, fevers, more |
| gentian (bitter root, felwort) | tonic, fevers, anti-venom |
| geranium (sweet geranium) | alkalizer |
| ginger | stimulant, colds, cramps |
| ginseng | glandular stimulant, vision, dizzi¬ness, headaches, weakness |
| goat's rue | diuretic, wormer (vermifuge) |
| grape juice | blood fortifier |
| hartstongue | cough, liver, spleen, bladder |
| hawthorn | heart, arteries |
| hedge mustard | throat, lungs |
| hellebore | heart tonic (rootlets are poison) |
| honeysuckle | liver, spleen, respiratory disorders |
| horehound, white | coughs, pulmonary diseases, anti¬-venom |
| horehound, black | stimulant, wormer, hemorrhaging |
| horseradish | tonic, antiseptic, wormer |
| hyssop | respiratory ailments, jaundice, blood purifier, tonic, cuts and wounds, more |
| ipecac | dysentery, mouth Infections, more |
| irish moss | coughs, scalds, burns |
| jambul seed | blood purifier, diabetes |
| jewel weed (balsam weed, pale touch-me-not) | diuretic, kidneys, skin growths, fungus, infections, liver |
| juniper berry | aphrodisiac, stimulant, disinfect¬ant, venereal disease, more |
| jurubera | anemia |
| kelp (seawrack) | thyroid, heart, arteries, much more |
| larkspur (knight's spur) | external parasites |
| leek | same as chives |
| Lily-of-the-valley | heart tonic |
| lotus | ? |
| lucerne (alfalfa) | strength |
| lycopodium (common club moss, fox tail, lamb's tail) | wounds, lungs, kidneys, more |
| mace | stimulant |
| marigold | fevers, varicosities, eyes, heart |
| marjoram | meloncholia, dizziness, brain dis¬orders, toothaches |
| masterwort | stimulates organs, anti-spasmodic, more |
| mistletoe | convulsions, hysteria, narcotic, tonic, typhoid fever, heart |
| muira-puama | aphrodisiac |
| mustard | emetic, counter-irritant, colds, fevers |
| nutmeg | nausea, vomiting, diarrhea |
| nux vomica (poison nut) | stimulant, debility tonic |
| onion | poultice, colds (as chives) |
| oregano | germicide, pain killer |
| paprika | stimulant, poultice |
| parsley | blood purifier |
| parsnip | fevers |
| peach seed | fevers, blood tonic |
| pepper, black | sprains, neuritis |
| peppermint | anti-spasmodicstimulating, stomachic and carminative, mostly used for flatulence and colic, Oil of Peppermint allays sickness and nausea |
| pitcher plant | small pox preventative and cure, stomach, liver, kidneys |
| plantain (ripple grass, waybread) | minor wounds, stings, rashes |
| pomegranate | nerve sedative, wormer |
| poppy (white) | Opium. Hypnotic, sedative, astringent, expectorant, diaphoretic, antispasmodic |
| pumpkin seed | virility, organ tonic |
| quince | eye disease, dysentery, skin disorders |
| radish | blood purifier, liver |
| raspberry | fevers, tonic |
| rhubarb | astringent, cathartic |
| rose | colds, fevers |
| rosemary | germicide, muscle tonic/drives off evil spirits |
| saffron | scarlet fever, measles, respiratory infections |
| sage | tonic, wounds |
| sarsaparilla (china root, spikenard) | system balance, blood purifier, venereal disease, many more |
| scopolis | nerve and muscle sedative, pain killer, coughs |
| scullcap (madweed) | nervous disorders, rabies |
| senna | purgative |
| spearmint | chiefly used for culinary purposes. stimulant, carminative and antispasmodic, but its effects are less powerful than peppermint and therefor better suited for children. |
| strawberry | vision, swelling and inflammation |
| summer savory | blood purifier, palsy |
| tamarind | infection, gangrene |
| tansy | tonic, narcotic, wormer |
| tarragon | appears to contain preventative substances for cancer and possibly some viruses. also effective for eliminating intestinal worms in children, menstrual cramps, stomach cramps, digestive problems, fatigue, nerves, and to promote the appetite |
| tea | poison antidote, anti-diarheal |
| thyme | antiseptic, blood purifer |
| turmeric | useful to treat liver conditions such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, and jaundice, restrains the growth of various types of cancer, reduces pain and disability, external antibiotic, digestive bitter and a carminative. (more) |
| turnip | mouth disease, throat |
| watercress | blood tonic (anemia) |
| white bryony (mandragora) | cathartic, respiratory diseases, heart, kidneys |
