Verbena officinalis or Herb Venus,the old spice Vervain and Its Enchantment Use:From Black Magic to Christin Legend.

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Plant and its Description:Verbena officinalis.

Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image Verbenaceae, perennial herb, plant high 30-120 cm. Stem square, festivals and a hard hair on branch. Leaves of Health; oval leaves, ovate to inverted long egg lanceolate, long 2-8 cm, width 1-5 cm, the base leaves usually have rough serrated edge and missing engraved; leaf stems mostly three deep cleft, the edge Lobe there serrated, two were hard hair.Spica top health and grow from armpit,slim and weak, up to 25 cm long; spent small, early-intensive, the results alienated each flower with 1 bracts, thick hairs; tubular calyx,membrane, five Prism, with five teeth; Corolla lavender to blue,corolla tube straight or curved, tip 5 crack, long circular segment; stamens 4, was born in corolla tube in the middle, filament short. Fruit-round, about 2 mm, E packets in places, mature after four crack. Flowering period from June to August, the fruit period from July to September.

 Common Vervain is found growing by roadsides and in sunny pastures. It is a perennial bearing many small, pale-lilac flowers. The leaves are opposite, and cut into toothed lobes. The plant has no perfume, and is slightly bitter and astringent in taste. The name Vervain is derived from the Celtic ferfaen, from fer (to drive away) and faen (a stone), as the plant was much used for affections of the bladder, especially calculus. Another derivation is given by some authors from Herba veneris, because of the aphrodisiac qualities attributed to it by the Ancients. Priests used it for sacrifices, and hence the name Herba Sacra. The name Verbena was the classical Roman name for 'altar-plants' in general, and for this species in particular. The druids included it in their lustral water, and magicians and sorcerers employed it largely. It was used in various rites and incantations, and by ambassadors in making leagues. Bruised, it was worn round the neck as a charm against headaches, and also against snake and other venomous bites as well as for general good luck. It was thought to be good for the sight. Its virtues in all these directions may be due to the legend of its discovery on the Mount of Calvary, where it staunched the wounds of the crucified Saviour. Hence, it is crossed and blessed with a commemorative verse when it is gathered. It must be picked before flowering, and dried promptly.

 This Old World native was a favorite of the Druids, who gathered vervain when the Dog Star, Sirius, was on the rise, in the dark of the Moon. The Druids utilized vervain in divination, consecration, and ritual cleansing of sacred spaces. They made a magical drink called the Cauldron of Cerridwen (a shapeshifter) that some say included rowan berries, sea water, lesser celandine, flixweed, and vervain, which brought the drinker creative energy for bardic song and prophecy; a drink made from vervain is still said to help poets in their work. Vervain is still used to make a drink for intiating into Druidic paths. It is pleasant smelling and can be drunk as a tea or burned as an incense. In its connection with the Underworld, it can be added to a cup of wine drunk on Samhain to aid contact with the Beloved Dead.

 A perennial herb with a square, erect, stiff stem, loosely branched towards the top and sparsely leafy. The opposite, dull-green leaves are pinnately divided into oblong lobes, often with rounded teeth, the terminal lobe the largest; the upper leaves are smaller and less divided. The small, slightly two-lipped, pale-lilac flowers are arranged in long terminal spikes. The corolla tube is almost twice as long as the calyx. The fruit consists of four reddish-brown nutlets. All parts of the plant are roughly hairy.

 The flowering stems are used medicinally. Their constituents include the glycoside verbenalin and verbenin, tannins, an essential oil, mucilage, saponins and mineral compounds. These substances give Vervain astringent, diuretic, stomachic, tonic, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, vulnerary, mild sedative and hypnotic properties. It is used internally in an infusion for various disorders associated with the stomach, liver and kidneys. It is also excellent for stimulating the metabolism, for treating general nervous exhaustion, insomnia and migraine. Externally Vervain is used in gargles and in compresses and bath preparations for skin disorders. A tincture prepared from the fresh plant is used in homeopathy.
 Vervain herb Extract INCI Name Verbena Officinalis Extract CAS 84961-67-1 EINECS ELINCS No 284-657-0 Blue Vervain Herb extract Verbena hastata photo picture image

 Collection: The herb is collected just before the flowers open, usually in July, and dried quickly

 This glorious "weed" with magnificent violet pinkish blue flowers grows profusely at Middle Path. I have often thought that the flowers and stems would make an excellent addition to flower arrangements. The flower seems to be forever in bloom and lasts for such a long time after picking.

 I have always known Vervain to be the most wonderful herb for treating the nervous system when a person has been under a great deal of stress. The leaves of Vervain are used fresh or dried in tea or made into a tincture.

 Vervain was revered by the Druids and was connected to Cerridwen. The Romans associated it with Venus and Diana and believed it could rekindle lost love. Verbana was also a traditional magick herb during the Middle Ages and is still considered good for dreamwork and inspiring creativity. Some tie this plant to Mercury. It is often incorporated into Midsummer celebrations and protects against negative magick. This plant is most powerful fresh, so growing your own makes sense. Medicinally, it has been used for insomnia (has some Moon in it), as a nerve tonic (here's the Mercury aspect), and is said to relieve those who feel driven by hormones. This perennial plant prospers quite far north (zone 3) but does not like the Deep South. It grows +2 ft/35-80cm tall. Bees love it, and planting herbs for our busy little sisters is always a good idea--a bee-filled garden is a happy garden. Butterflies like this plant too. The flowers are small but many, and blooming lasts a long time.

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Reference:

citations1.Verbena officinalis or Herb Venus,the old spice Vervain and Its Enchantment Use:From Black Magic to Christin Legend.

last edit date:1st,July.2009.