#henbane

So… what's it gonna be? A fair fight? Or are you finally going to learn?

Poisonous plants (1855).

Coloured engravings with watercolour by J. Johnstone. Published by Blackie & Son (Glasgow).

Ranunculus alpestris (Alpine white crow-foot).

Agaricus muscarius (Fly blown mushroom, poisonous).

Digitalis purpurea (Purple fox glove).

Helleborus niger (Black hellebore or Christmas rose).

Conium maculatum (Common hemlock).

Hyoscyamus niger (Black henbane).

Lactuca virosa (Strong scented or poisonous lettuce).

Colchicum autumnale (Autumnal meadow saffron).

🍄 🐸 🌷 🥀 🐌 // poison garden // gouache on hot press paper

everything pictured in this piece is a poison: henbane in blue, belladonna in green, amanita muscaria in red, rosy bonnet in pink, lily of the valley, strawberry poison dart frogs, hickory tussock moth & caterpillar, ladybug. not the snails, though! they're just hanging.

Botanical sketch of hyoscyamus reticulatus (red henbane) from "Icones Plantarum Asiaticarum" by W. Griffith, 1854.

Below: wild red henbane, native to the Middle East / Western Asia.

New in The Spiral House at Portland Button Works!

These wearable botanical charms are harvested from the Spiral House garden or ethically foraged with care. They are pressed, dried, and bound into pinback buttons, and while they are set on archival paper, they are real botanicals and will naturally evolve over time and with light exposure. Because each charm is made from botanicals and unique, yours will differ from the charms pictured. Available in 1.25” or 2.25” sizes.

Each charm comes packaged in a cello bag with a backer board containing the name of the plant, its magical uses, planetary associations, and elemental energies. These beautiful charms are lovely talismans with plant allies you can take with you, these would also make great gifts.

Our magical correspondences reference the works of Culpeper, Grieves, Shulke, Cunningham, Beyerl, and Harrington.