Witchy Herbs for Healing: Ancient Plant Magic for Body and Spirit

The Healing Witch

The witch was a healer before she was ever feared. Her hut may have stood at the edge of the woods, but her remedies were at the heart of village life. She worked with what she had—roots pulled from riverbanks, flowers gathered at dawn, seeds whispered over in the moonlight.

Below are the plants most beloved by witches, folk healers, and cunning women throughout history— known to mend not just the body, but the spirit, the heart, and sometimes even fate.

✦ 1. Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

Golden, generous, and glowing like the sun itself.

Folklore: In medieval Europe, calendula was woven into garlands to ward off illness and melancholy. Known as “Bride of the Sun.”
Healing Uses: Skin healing, infection, lymph flow.
Magical Properties: Joy, solar magic, upliftment, heart healing.

Witch Tip: Steep petals into oil or add to bath rituals for light and clarity.

✦ 2. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

A battlefield herb and shield for the soul.

Folklore: Achilles used it to treat war wounds. Hung over cradles or thresholds to guard the innocent.
Healing Uses: Cuts, bruises, fevers, energetic leaks.
Magical Properties: Protection, courage, psychic boundary.

Witch Tip: Place in a charm bag for strength or burn in rituals of severance.

✦ 3. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Gentle balm of bees and broken hearts.

Folklore: Sacred to Artemis and Diana. Used in monastic gardens to soothe melancholy and nervous disorders.
Healing Uses: Anxiety, grief, sleep troubles, viral infections.
Magical Properties: Calm, joy, emotional restoration, love.

Witch Tip: Blend with lavender in tea or anoint the chest with balm during full moon rites.

✦ 4. Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

The bone-mender and oath-binder.

Folklore: In Slavic and Germanic folk traditions, comfrey was used to “knit” not just flesh, but spiritual contracts.
Healing Uses: Sprains, bruises, broken bones (external use only).
Magical Properties: Binding, restoration, stability.

Witch Tip: Infuse in oil for healing salves; do not use on deep wounds.

✦ 5. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

A witch’s ally for strength and second sight.

Folklore: Hung above doors in Italy to protect from evil. Romans believed fennel brought clarity to the mind.
Healing Uses: Digestive aid, respiratory support, clarity.
Magical Properties: Purification, inner power, psychic vision.

Witch Tip: Burn seeds with bay for insight during divination rituals.

✦ 6. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

The wish-maker and soul cleanser.

Folklore: Children blew dandelion clocks to divine time and fate. Roots were used for cleansing the liver and the spirit.
Healing Uses: Detoxification, digestion, liver health.
Magical Properties: Manifestation, transformation, resilience.

Witch Tip: Brew root tea during waning moons to release what no longer serves.

✦ 7. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)

A humble daisy with protective teeth.

Folklore: Carried to prevent fevers and accidents. In the Balkans, a feverfew crown was worn by the ill.
Healing Uses: Migraines, inflammation, immune support.
Magical Properties: Warding, physical protection, rebirth.

Witch Tip: Plant near the door or carry in a pouch when traveling.

✦ 8. Plantain (Plantago major)

Green armor for skin and soul.

Folklore: One of the Anglo-Saxon Nine Sacred Herbs. Called upon in healing chants and laid on wounds by cunning folk.
Healing Uses: Cuts, stings, infections, poison removal.
Magical Properties: Grounding, wound sealing, anti-venom.

Witch Tip: Chew and apply as a spit poultice in emergencies.

✦ 9. Mint (Mentha spp.)

The sharp scent of clarity and communion.

Folklore: In ancient Greece, mint was rubbed on altars to call the spirits. In folk magic, used to break curses and cool tempers.
Healing Uses: Digestion, headaches, respiratory ease.
Magical Properties: Psychic opening, healing breath, protection.

Witch Tip: Place under pillows for vivid dreams and spirit visits.

✦ 10. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

A warrior’s herb and dreamwalker’s guide.

Folklore: Romans bathed in thyme before battle. In the British Isles, thyme was burned to commune with fae or the dead.
Healing Uses: Antimicrobial, respiratory, nervous system.
Magical Properties: Courage, purification, ancestral connection.

Witch Tip: Burn in bundles or brew in baths before rituals.

✦ 11. Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Wisdom keeper of the garden.

Folklore: In southern Europe, sage was a sacred plant of longevity and clarity. “Why should a man die while sage grows in his garden?”
Healing Uses: Sore throats, hot flashes, inflammation.
Magical Properties: Protection, cleansing, sacred speech.

Witch Tip: Use in healing charms and rites to clear heavy energy before herbal work.

✦ 12. Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Royal herb of body and spell.

Folklore: In India, basil was sacred to Lakshmi. In Europe, used to soothe heartbreak and bring wealth.
Healing Uses: Infections, digestion, inflammation.
Magical Properties: Abundance, love, purification.

Witch Tip: Steep into a tea or tuck fresh basil under your pillow for heart-healing dreams.

✦ 13. Elder (Sambucus nigra)

Tree of witches, ward of the wise.

Folklore: Said to house the Elder Mother spirit—ask permission before harvesting. Branches were hung over doors to protect against sickness and spells.
Healing Uses: Immune support, fever, colds (flowers and berries).
Magical Properties: Protection, spirit work, fae magic.

Witch Tip: Use the flowers in healing teas and the berries in syrups. Never use raw leaves or bark internally—they are toxic.

✦ 14. Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

A lullaby in bloom.

Folklore: Witches carried lavender for peace and second sight. In love spells, it soothed sorrows and opened the heart.
Healing Uses: Anxiety, sleep, nervous tension, burns.
Magical Properties: Peace, clarity, dreamwork.

Witch Tip: Burn in bedtime rituals or add to dream pillows and healing baths.

✦ 15. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

The witch’s eye, the crone’s smoke.

Folklore: Burned to open the third eye, mugwort was used in divination, protection, and womb healing rites across Europe and Asia.
Healing Uses: Menstrual regulation, digestion, dreams.
Magical Properties: Prophecy, shadow work, spirit guidance.

Witch Tip: Make a dream tea or smoke-cleanse your space before trance work.

✦ 16. Sweet Wormwood (Artemisia annua)

Bitter healer, solar purifier.

Folklore: Used to dispel fevers and evil alike. In Balkan and Chinese traditions, burned at doors during plague seasons.
Healing Uses: Malaria, fever, inflammation, parasites.
Magical Properties: Cleansing, solar strength, hex breaking.

Witch Tip: Steep in oil or hang dried bundles by the door to guard health and home.

✦ 17. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

Sunlight for the soul.

Folklore: Known as “ground apple,” chamomile was used in baths, teas, and spells to attract peace, luck, and golden dreams.
Healing Uses: Sleep aid, digestive support, stress relief.
Magical Properties: Luck, calm, dreamwork, child protection.

Witch Tip: Wash floors with chamomile tea to invite peace into the home.

✦ Final Thoughts

These herbs are bridges between spirit and body, story and science. Each one has served witches, midwives, and healers for centuries.

Let your apothecary be your altar. Let your healing be a ritual.

Here are Top Whitchy Herbs for Protection to guide you on your witchy journey.

✦ Keep Growing

Explore Witchy Plants for the Front Door
Learn how to Grow Witchy Herbs Indoors