#herbal magic

✧ Balmony (Chelone glabra)

Keywords: Courage, healing, resilience

Uses: Added to charm bags for fortitude and recovery from illness or heartbreak.

Used in early American folk medicine.

✧ Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)

Keywords: Purification, strength, endurance

Uses: Burn needles or resin for cleansing and grounding; great for Yule magic.

Sacred in North American and Northern European folk practice.

✧ Bamboo

Keywords: Flexibility, resilience, prosperity

Uses: Used in prosperity and protection charms; strong symbol of spiritual endurance.

Sacred in many Asian cultures—avoid appropriating specific Buddhist or Taoist rituals.

✧ Banana

Keywords: Fertility, attraction, pleasure

Uses: Used in sensual spells, especially related to fertility and sexual confidence

Used in Afro-Caribbean food and spellwork; symbol of abundance

✧ Banyan Tree

Keywords: Longevity, ancestral connection, divine shelter

Uses: Used for spiritual protection and grounding; meditate under its shade for wisdom.

Sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism—avoid ritual mimicry outside those traditions.

✧ Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)

Keywords: Protection, banishing, truth

Uses: Used to remove curses, expose lies, and keep away unwanted visitors.

Thorny—associated with sharp truth and boundaries.

✧ Barley

Keywords: Abundance, fertility, sacrifice

Uses: Added to prosperity bowls and harvest offerings; represents sustenance.

Ancient grain used in Greek, Norse, and Babylonian rituals.

✧ Basil

Keywords: Prosperity, love, protection, clarity

Uses: Brew into money or attraction baths; sprinkle around the home for luck.

Universal herb of blessing—common in Mediterranean, African, and South Asian folk magics.

✧ Bat’s Head Root (Orchis spp. variation)

Keywords: Shape-shifting, shadow work, power

Uses: Used in commanding, protection, or hex-breaking spells.

Used in hoodoo; roots shaped like animals are powerful curios. Endangered—use ethically.

✧ Bay Leaf (Laurel)

Keywords: Protection, victory, manifestation

Uses: Write intentions on leaves and burn; wear for wisdom or prophecy.

Sacred to Apollo; associated with fire and the Sun.

✧ Beach / Beech Tree

Keywords: Wisdom, tradition, learning

Uses: Used in spells for knowledge, ancestry, and written magic; excellent wand wood.

Celtic Ogham tree; symbolizes continuity and storytelling.

✧ Bearberry (Uva-ursi)

Keywords: Spiritual protection, ancestor veneration

Uses: Burn or carry to communicate with spirits or protect sacred spaces.

Used in Indigenous smoke ceremonies—do not appropriate closed uses.

✧ Bedstraw (Lady’s Bedstraw) (Galium verum)

Keywords: Love, protection, feminine grace

Uses: Used in love sachets and blessing rituals for childbirth or marriage.

Traditional Midsummer flower of the goddess Freyja.

✧ Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)

Keywords: Vitality, joy, expression

Uses: Used to lift moods, inspire passion, and draw creative fire.

North American native plant; pollinator ally.

✧ Bee Pollen

Keywords: Fertility, vitality, abundance

Uses: Sprinkle on altars for life force and manifestation.

Ethically source; sacred to bee and Sun spirits.

✧ Beeswax

Keywords: Manifestation, purity, sacred creation

Uses: Base for candle magic, seals, and sigil work.

Represents the union of earth and fire through labor.

✧ Beech Tree

Keywords: Knowledge, structure, longevity

Uses: Carve runes or sigils into beech wood; used in wisdom and stability work.

Celtic ogham: “Phagos”—the tree of lore and the written word.

✧ Beet

Keywords: Grounding, protection, blood magic

Uses: Used in spells tied to vitality, menstrual rites, or family lineages

Deep red color makes it a favorite for sympathetic magic

✧ Begonia

Keywords: Protection, caution, inner reflection

Uses: Planted to ward off negative energy or deceit.

Used in folk plant magic for discernment.

✧ Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade) ⚠︎

Keywords: Trance, shadow, death

Uses: Used symbolically for spirit travel and shadow integration.

⚠︎ Highly poisonous; do not touch or ingest.

✧ Bellflower (Campanula)

Keywords: Gratitude, communication, spiritual call

Uses: Placed on altars to call divine attention or to thank deities.

Associated with joy, fairies, and gentle spiritual presence.

✧ Benzoin (Resin)

Keywords: Purification, prosperity, spirit summoning

Uses: Burn for spiritual cleansing or to attract benevolent entities.

Southeast Asian origin; used in temple incense blends.

✧ Bergamot (Herb or Oil)

Keywords: Success, joy, confidence

Uses: Add to charm bags for personal power; use oil in money or courage workings.

Associated with the Sun and Fire element.

✧ Betel Nut (Areca catechu)

Keywords: Strength, endurance, binding

Uses: Used for vitality and determination spells.

Culturally sacred in South and Southeast Asia—avoid ritual mimicry.

✧ Betony (Stachys officinalis)

Keywords: Protection, purification, dream clarity

Uses: Burned or carried to drive away fear, nightmares, or intrusive energy

Traditional in Anglo-Saxon and medieval herb magic

✧ Birch

Keywords: New beginnings, cleansing, feminine power

Uses: Birch twigs for sweeping away the old; tree used for protection and birth rites

Sacred in Celtic and Slavic traditions; symbol of the goddess and Yule

✧ Bistort (Polygonum bistorta)

Keywords: Strength, protection, fertility

Uses: Root used in defensive or fertility charms.

Used in medieval herbal magic.

✧ Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa)

Keywords: Banishing, strength, feminine power

Uses: Used in protection and power work; sacred to women’s mysteries.

Endangered; used in Indigenous and Appalachian traditions—source ethically.

✧ Black-Eyed Pea

Keywords: Prosperity, fertility, new year blessings

Uses: Used in luck spells and prosperity feasts (esp. New Year’s rituals).

Traditional in African American hoodoo and Southern folk magic.

✧ Black Haw (Viburnum prunifolium)

Keywords: Protection, peace, womb healing

Uses: Used in spells for reproductive health or emotional grounding.

Used in African American and Appalachian herbal practices.

✧ Black Pepper

Keywords: Banishing, protection, aggression

Uses: Added to curses or protection mixes to repel negative energy.

Fire-aligned kitchen witch staple.

✧ Black Salt

Keywords: Warding, banishing, protection

Uses: Sprinkled at doorways, around homes, or on ritual tools to remove unwanted energy

Not a natural salt—usually made with ashes, charcoal, or iron filings

✧ Black Susan (Black-Eyed Susan)

Keywords: Encouragement, confidence, clarity

Uses: Used for optimism, inner strength, and perseverance.

Native to North America; sunflower kin.

✧ Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)

Keywords: Banishing, boundary-setting, protection

Uses: Used in curse-breaking, defensive magic, and ancestral rites.

Thorny hedge plant sacred to Morrigan; Samhain plant.

✧ Blackberry

Keywords: Protection, boundaries, underworld

Uses: Warding spells, hedge crossing, binding work

Sacred to Brigid; used in Celtic and British Isles folk practices

✧ Bladderwrack (Seaweed)

Keywords: Psychic power, protection, sea magic

Uses: Added to water spells, spirit travel, or divination tools

Used in Celtic sea rites and modern witchcraft

✧ Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus)

Keywords: Protection, strength, purification

Uses: Used in protection and exorcism spells; burned or carried.

Common in medieval witchcraft; associated with Mars.

✧ Blowball (Dandelion puff)

Keywords: Wishes, divination, wind magic

Uses: Blow the seeds to send messages or make wishes to spirits.

Simple and ancient form of air-element spellwork.

✧ Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Keywords: Protection, hexing, truth-telling

Uses: Used in spells to reveal lies, banish toxicity, or command attention

⚠︎ Toxic; handle with care; used in hoodoo and Appalachian folk traditions

✧ Bluebell

Keywords: Truth, dreams, faery communication

Uses: Planted to protect homes; used in dream magic and faery rites

Endangered in some areas—never harvest wild

✧ Blueberry

Keywords: Protection, mental clarity, calm

Uses: Added to spells for peace, focus, and domestic harmony.

Native to North America; sacred to some Indigenous cultures—use respectfully.

✧ Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)

Keywords: Feminine power, protection, new beginnings

Uses: Used in fertility and birth magic.

⚠︎ Endangered; sacred to Indigenous medicine—avoid cultural appropriation.

✧ Blue Vervain

Keywords: Blessing, purification, sacred communication

Uses: Use in consecration or ritual blessing; gentle psychic enhancer.

Cross-cultural sacred herb.

✧ Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Keywords: Healing, protection, strength through pain

Uses: Healing rituals for chronic conditions or soul wounds

Used in American herbal medicine and witchcraft; bitter, handle with respect

✧ Borage

Keywords: Courage, optimism, endurance

Uses: Drink as tea before challenges; add to success charms.

Planetary: Jupiter.

✧ Bougainvillea

Keywords: Beauty, boundaries, resilience

Uses: Used for protection cloaked in charm or glamour magic.

Thorned flower—Venus and Mars energies combined.

✧ Boxwood

Keywords: Immortality, protection, patience

Uses: Used in longevity and warding spells; wood for steady energy.

⚠︎ Toxic if ingested.

✧ Brazil Nut

Keywords: Prosperity, health, grounded abundance

Uses: Used in kitchen witchery for success and physical vitality.

Sustainably source; endangered habitat species.

✧ Brimstone (Sulfur)

Keywords: Banishing, cleansing, fire, protection

Uses: Used to drive away negativity, curses, or unwanted spirits.

⚠︎ Toxic to inhale or burn in enclosed spaces; used in hoodoo and ceremonial magic.

✧ Broom (Scotch Broom)

Keywords: Purification, exorcism, change

Uses: Used to sweep away stagnant energy; associated with rebirth.

Celtic Beltane symbol; sacred plant of threshold rites.

✧ Buckeye (Horse Chestnut)

Keywords: Luck, protection, money drawing

Uses: Carried in the pocket for good fortune; used in gambling and prosperity magic.

Popular in Southern and hoodoo traditions.

✧ Buckthorn

Keywords: Boundaries, banishing, defense

Uses: Used in protection sachets and uncrossing powders.

⚠︎ Slightly toxic; use dried bark only.

✧ Buckwheat

Keywords: Prosperity, stability, boundaries

Uses: Scatter around home for wealth and food security.

Sacred grain of hearth witches.

✧ Burdock Root

Keywords: Protection, purification, persistence

Uses: Used to clear toxic ties, strengthen energy, and protect against psychic attack

Used in hoodoo and Western herbalism

✧ Burnet (Sanguisorba spp.)

Keywords: Vitality, healing, protection

Uses: Added to restorative or grounding spells.

A gentle healing herb used in medieval folk magic.

✧ Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus aculeatus)

Keywords: Protection, cleansing, courage

Uses: Used in uncrossing and energy clearing spells.

Linked to hearth and household wards.

✧ Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)

Keywords: Protection, transformation, release

Uses: Used in spells to ease transitions or break attachments.

⚠︎ Toxic if ingested raw; handle with care.

✧ Buttercup

Keywords: Charm, brightness, illusion

Uses: Used for glamour or lighthearted joy spells.

⚠︎ Toxic; external use only.

✧ Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Keywords: Letting go, endings, ancestral clearing

Uses: Used in rituals for release, death work, and grief

Used by Indigenous and Appalachian communities—respect lineage

B Summary Notes:

⚠︎ Toxic: Belladonna, Buckthorn, Boxwood, Butterbur, Brimstone (inhalation), and Bat’s Head Root (endangered/orchid species)

✥ Culturally Sensitive:

Balm of Gilead (hoodoo/Christian folk)

Bearberry, Blue Cohosh (Indigenous)

Betel Nut, Banyan (South/Southeast Asia)

⚠︎ Endangered: Blue Cohosh, Bloodroot, Black Cohosh, Bluebell (wild), Bat’s Head Root

🜸 Planetary Tendencies:

♀ Venus – Basil, Bay, Bee Balm, Bougainvillea

♂ Mars – Black Pepper, Blessed Thistle, Broom

♄ Saturn – Boxwood, Buckthorn

♃ Jupiter – Borage, Barley

☉ Sun – Bergamot, Beeswax

Note: This piece focuses largely on the folk magic with which I am most familiar with. I'm from the Southern US and have studied folk traditions within the South, Appalachia, Britain, and Europe. You'll see some overlap amongst these customs, as many Southern traditions were birthed from British practices. There is also a sprinkling of Jewish custom mentioned within this piece, as I happen to be a Jewish person. I write that which I'm familiar with, and, as a Southern of mixed race (Black and white) who happens to be Jewish, this is the world of folk magic I felt comfortable writing about. While this piece is meant as an exploration and resource, please be respectful of the sources of these magical works. If that particular work is not relevant to you based on your practice or if it belongs to a closed tradition (such as a Jewish custom or a practice found within certain schools of hoodoo), please respect that and see the alternative recommendations.

Against Spirits & Evil

Southern Folk Prayers:

In Southern folk customs, prayers and Tanakh or Bible verses are abundant in magical workings, especially when it comes to protection work. One custom calls for the recitation of prayers/verses to rid one's home of an unwanted spirit.

What you'll do:

Open all the doors and windows in your home, ensuring the spirit has plenty of options of places to leave through.

Starting at the back of the house (and from the uppermost level if you live in a multi-story home), work your way from the back of the house toward the front (do this on each level if applicable).

Whilst walking, recite a prayer or Bible verse used to ward off spirits. Where I'm from, the Our Father/the Lord's Prayer is most commonly used, and, as I recently learned after spotting it in 'Doctoring the Devil', Psalm 31:15-17 can also be used. As a Jewish practitioner of magic in the South, I've opted for Psalm 91, which has been known to be used against spirits.

Our Father/the Lord's Prayer —

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven; Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, Forever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 31:15-17 —

My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

*Alternatively, one can simply chant or recite that last line — and let them be silent in the grave — whilst performing this work.

Psalm 91 —

1 He who dwells in the covert of the Most High will lodge in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I shall say that Adonai is my shelter and my fortress, my g-d in whom I trust. 3 For Adonai will save you from the snare that traps from the devastating pestilence. 4 With (his/her/their) wing (he/she/they) will cover you, and under (his/their/her) wings you will take refuge; (his/her/their) truth is a comforting shield. 5 You shall not fear the terror of night nor the arrow that flies by day; 6 Pestilence that prowls in darkness nor destruction that ravages at noon. 7 A thousand will be stationed at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not approach you. 8 You will but gaze with your eyes and see the annihilation of the wicked. 9 For when you said, 'the Lord is my refuge,' you made the Most High your dwelling. 10 No harm shall befall you, nor shall plague draw near your tent. 11 For Adonai will command angels on your behalf to guard you always. 12 On your hands they will bear you, lest your foot stumble on a stone. 13 On a lion and a cobra you will tread, trampling the lion and the serpent. 14 For he yearns for Me and I shall answer him; I shall fortify him, for he knows My name. 15 He will call Me and I shall answer him; I am with him in distress; I shall rescue him and I shall honor him. 16 With length of days I shall satiate him, and I shall show him My salvation.

Crib & Nursery Protection:

As children are, in many traditions, seen as being more susceptible to the influence of spirits, many magical traditions have special protective customs aimed specifically at the young ones. One such protective custom comes from Southern Appalachia.

What you'll need:

Iron nails

What to do:

Drive an iron nail into the bottom of the foot of a crib or into a crib post. Alternatively, iron nails can be driven into the corners of the door and window frames. This is believed to protect the child(ren) from spirits of all ilk, not only ghosts.

For those who favor plants over nails, there's an alternative method of nursery protection —

What you'll need: (any combination of the following herbs)

Chamomile

Yarrow

Basil

St. John's Wart

What you'll do:

Hang a bunch of chamomile, yarrow, and lavender from the doorpost or at the window in the nursery. Plants can be dried or fresh. All three are believed to have protective powers and to also bring peace to an area.

Basil can be used in any room (hanging from windows and doors) to keep spirits away.

Salt the Doors, Sweep the Floors:

From Southern conjure to Jewish folk magic, salt being used as a means of protection across countless traditions and magical paths.

What you'll need:

Salt

Water (optional)

What you'll do:

Where to place the salt and how to use it varies from traditions to traditions.

In Jewish custom, salt is lined at the doors of the home, a protective barrier against evil. The salt can also be kept in clothes, closets, under beds, etc. as a means of a magical protection. This practice is also found in Southern folk magic in the US, in British folk magic, and in European folk magic.

In the Southern US, salt is a common ingredient in sweeps — a method of magical cleansing that can be used to bring protection, luck, financial stability, and such. Salt, used with other ingredients (these vary depending on the purpose of one's sweep), is scattered across the floors of the home (working from the back of the house toward the front, from the top of the house toward the bottom) and then swept from the home (again, in that same pattern of back to front, top to bottom). For protection work, you'll find that salt is commonly used alongside rosemary, basil, cinnamon, cloves, and high john the conqueror.

Another custom that can also be found in some forms of European folk magic and Jewish folk practice is the use of saltwater instead of just salt. The saltwater is sprinkled at the threshold of the home, or sprayed upon the doors and windows.

Haint Blue:

'A small white house with a blue door' (via Oleksii Piekhov)

In the Southern United States, one custom of home protection comes in the form of a hue of a paint. Haint blue doors, porch floors, or porch ceilings are used to ward off spirits. The blue color is believed to confuse the spirits, who mistake it for water, as it's a common belief in the South that spirits can't cross moving water. My own door is painted a lovely haint blue and I can't praise its effectiveness enough.

Bells:

In many folk traditions, it's believed that bells warn of the presence of evil and that their ringing or chiming wards off evil spirits and entities of all kinds.

What you'll need:

Bells (these can be of any size, can be small bells tied to a cord or kept in a bag, can be bells on a wind chime, can be a single bell)

Cord, string, or twine (optional)

A small bag (optional)

What to do:

Hang bells on or near your front door. They'll ring when evil is near your home, warning you of its presence. Their singing will also work to ward off evil.

The bells can be little jingle bells on a string or in a small bag. You can tie your bells to yarn and hang the strand beside the door. I keep mine on my doorknob. You can also mount just one bell beside your door. This is a very versatile method of magical protection, so change it however you like to fit your needs and style.

Garlic Charms:

Garlic is a go-to tool for protection in many magical practices, and in Cornish cunning ways garlic can be used to protect one 'against the influence of people and spirits with vampiric and envious tendencies.' -Gemma Gary, folk-magical practitioner and author, in her work 'Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways'

What you'll need:

Whole garlic bulbs

Red ribbons

(optional) Bells

What to do:

Whole garlic bulbs should be tied with red ribbons and hung on, above, or beside doorframes and/or window frames.

Bells can also be added to this charm for extra oomph.

Hagstone Charms:

Hagstones, also called adder stones, serpent’s eggs, fairy stones, and witch stones, are stones which bear a naturally occurring hole caused by erosion or some other natural event. Hagstones have been used as protective amulets for long while in traditional folk magic of Britain. Hagstones can be used to protect from a number of things - general protection overall, as well as protection from spirits of various ilk, protection from harm on the sea, protection of livestock and farmlands, protection from nightmares, and more. Here, we'll look at how to use them to protect one's home.

What you’ll need:

Hagstone (one or more)

Thread, cord, or twine.

What to do:

Pass your thread, cord, or twine through the hole of the hagstone. You can knot the thread beforehand for added protection as a form of knot magic. Knots are believed to strengthen protective work, as they can confuse or distract spirits.

You can add as many hagstones as you like. One is plenty, but I’ve seen charms with as many as nine stones.

Hang your hagstone charm within your home or on your porch to protect the space from spirits and evil. One of mine hangs from a nail in my doorframe at the front of my home.

Against Law Enforcement

Dirt Dust:

This is a regional variation of a work used in the Southern US known throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virgina.

What you'll need:

Dirt from near a police station Use any combination of the following ingredients along with the police station dirt —

Black pepper

Black mustard seeds

Brick dust

Coal dust

Dirt from an anthill

Dirt from a church yard (can be used in any work to ward off or get rid of unwanted persons)

Dirt from a graveyard

Red pepper flakes

Salt

Seeds of caraway

Seeds of lemon

Seeds of pawpaw

What you'll do:

To help keep police away from your home, mix the dirt, black pepper, and mustard seeds together. Dust the threshold of your home with it and sprinkle it at the outer corners of your home.

Some customs call for the recitation of Bible verses (welcome to the South, y'all; there are Bible verses in basically every kind of magic down here) whilst sprinkling this mixture. If that's up your alley, here are some verses that can be used for various purposes —

-Psalm 35:1 (for protection against any law enforcement)

Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

-Psalm 35:4-6 (for protection against any law and immigration enforcement)

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

-Psalm 44:7 (for protection against police, immigration enforcement, and those who would bring such trouble down on your home):

But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

Sator Squares:

As featured in my piece Protection Work in Folk Magic: Herbs, Spells, & Charms for Protecting Yourself & Others, the Sator Square/Rotas Square is a versatile protective tool that can be used to many ends, including to keep unwanted people away from your home (and, yes, we're going to use it here to keep away immigration or law officers).

The Sator Square / Rotas-Sator Square is a palindromic word square used as a magical charm or amulet. It’s been around for quite some time (with the oldest known square possibly being from as early as AD 50) and has been found to have been used historically throughout Europe, Africa, Asia Minor, and the Americas. As to its origins and intended purpose, no one knows for sure, but the Sator Square has come to have a number of magical uses, including as a tool for curing ailments, aiding in childbirth, putting out fires, and, in fitting with the theme of this piece, in protection magic.

Medieval Sator Square etched into a wall; Oppède-le-Vieux, France.

There are many variations of Sator Squares / Rotas-Sator Squares, but the most common forms consist of five rows of five words, each with five letters, arranged in a 5x5 grid. The Rotas-Sator Square (in which rotas is the word listed first, pictured below on the left) was the more common in pre-medieval use, but the Sator Square (in which sator is listed first, pictured below on the right) became far more prevalently used than the Rotas-Sator variation at some point in medieval Europe.

Rotas-Sator Square (left) and Sator Square (right).

In Appalachian and some Southern folk practices within the United States, one can use a Sator Square for protection. To do so for one's home simply write the square onto a paper or cloth or carve the square into wood/etch it into clay and mount the square somewhere within the home — above the mantle, near the front door, above a window. It's said to repel unwanted company of all sorts, as well as offer various protections.

Corncob Charm:

In Kentucky and Tennessee (and perhaps other regions of the US), it's said that one can use dried corn cobs to deter police from coming onto one's property.

What you'll need:

A dried corncob

Nail (if hanging)

Yarn/string (if hanging, preferably red or black)

What to do:

One can either hand a dried corncob (usually from a string, which is sometimes braided) on their doorpost or one can bury a dried corncob at each of the four corners of their home.

Penny Charm:

Penny charms to discourage the attention or presence of law enforcement aren't at all uncommon in the South.

What you'll need:

4 or 9 pennies (some customs specify 'Indian Head Pennies') / (different customs call for different amounts; see below for more information)

What you'll do:

Some variations of this charm call for placing the pennies in a row underneath your doormat. Some call for nailing or gluing the pennies above your front door. Some call for burying the pennies at the property of your boundary or at the front gate.

As to whether one should use 4 or 9 pennies, it depends. Where I'm from, I'd always been told that 9 were used, but in some other Southern regions, the custom is 4 pennies, and in Jake Richards' 'Doctoring the Devil' it's specified that 4 pennies are used unless the house in question is home to illegal undertakings or business, in which case, 9 pennies are preferred.

There has also been a shift as to whether it's necessary to acquire Indian Head Cents or not. Traditionally, the Indian Head Cent was used (at least in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia), but I've seen this work done with regular pennies as well. Nowadays, the Indian Head Cent is harder to come by and buying them just for this work can cost quite a lot. If it's more accessible for one to use regular pennies, then know that you're not the first and won't be the last to do so.

Against Intruders

Garlic:

Yes, garlic has made a second appearance! What can I say? She's a powerful little ally.

Garlic is used for protection across countless countries and customs. This particular method of protection against intruders and unwanted company can be found in English folk traditions, various forms of folk magic in the Southern United States, Jewish folk magic, and several branches of European folk practices.

What you'll need:

Garlic strands, bulbs, or braids (dried or fresh)

What you'll do:

Hang garlic at your door. This can be outside of your home or inside and is usually done from the woodwork around the door but can also be done near the door or on a porch rail. In some English variations, the garlic is hung from the mantle or above the fireplace or near a kitchen window.

'A bunch of garlic hanging from a ceiling.' (via Orestis Christodoulou); 'A pile of dried grass.' (via Maxim Tolchinskiy)

Dust & Dirt:

In Louisiana's branch of conjure and hoodoo, it's said that one can keep intruders away from their property with simple methods and few ingredients.

What you'll need:

Goofer dust (also called gopher dust/gopher's dust/goofer's dust) *there are various ways of making goofer dust and it depends on where you source yours as to what exactly it will consist of

Alternatively, if you cannot acquire goofer dust, one can use graveyard dirt on its own or combined with any of the following ingredients —

Ash

Salt

Coal dust

Iron shavings/iron dust

Brick dust

Eggshell powder

What you'll do:

Simply spread the dust either around the boundaries of your property or (if you haven't the ingredients to spare or would like to limit how much you're putting out due to the presence of animals or wildlife you don't wish to expose to any of the ingredients) at the boundary of your gate, your doors, or your porch.

Against Witchcraft

Horseshoe Charm:

What you'll need:

A horseshoe (used)

Tinfoil (optional)

Nails

What you'll do:

Hanging a horseshoe over the front door or the main entrance to one's home is believed to both secure luck within the household and protect against malicious magic sent to the home or to any member of the household. Iron horseshoes are believed to work best, and some practices within Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia also call for wrapping or dressing the horseshoe in tinfoil before hanging it about the door.

SOURCES & FURTHER READING

'Backwoods Witchcraft: Conjure & Folk Magic from Appalachia' - Richards, Jake

’Conjure/Doctors: An Exploration of a Black Discourse in America, Antebellum to 1940’ by Brown, David H.

’Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs’ -Cunningham, Scott

'Divination, Magic, & Healing: the Book of Jewish Folklor' - Isaacs, Ronald H.

'Doctoring the Devil: Notebooks of an Appalachian Conjure Man' - Richards, Jake

Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion’ - Trachtenberg, Joshua

'Lowcountry Voodoo A-to-Z' - Marsh, Carole

'the Master Book of Herbalism’- Beyerl, Paul

’On the Origin of the Rotas Sator Square’ - Fishwick, Duncan

'Silent as the Trees: Devonshire Witchcraft, Folklore, & Magic' - Gary, Gemma

'Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South' - Oberon, Aaron

'Sticks, Stones, Roots, & Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo, & Conjuring with Herbs' - Bird, Stephanie Rose

’the Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook’ -Alvarado, Denise

banishing: basil, betel nut, black pepper, black salt, cayenne pepper, chamomile, cactus, cloves, dragon’s blood, elder, garlic, heliotrope, horehound, hyssop, juniper, morning glory, mullein, mugwort, oleander, onion, pine, rosemary, rue, sage, sea salt, st. john’s wort, thyme, tobacco, wood betony, yarrow flower 

beauty: avocado, beet, belladonna, catnip, chamomile, evening primrose, flax, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, henna, lady’s mantle, lavender, lemon, lemon verbena, lilac, lucky hand (orchid root), magnolia, maidenhair, myrtle, orange, orange blossom (neroli), orchid, pea, prune, rose, sunflower, violet, yerba santa 

binding: agrimony, buttercup (crowfoot), calamus, hydrangea, ivy, knotweed, morning glory, skullcap, snapdragon, solomon’s seal, spanish moss, spiderwort, witch hazel 

cleansing/purification: angelica, anise seeds, balsam, black pepper, camphor, cayenne, cedar, chamomile, citronella, cloves, coconut, dragon’s blood, eucalyptus, fennel, fern, frankincense, garlic, ginger, grapefruit, guava, honey, horehound, horseradish, hyssop, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lime, marjoram, melon, mesquite, onion, orange, parsley, peppermint, periwinkle, pine, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, sea salt, solomon’s seal root, spearmint, tangerine, thyme, turmeric, vervain, yucca 

confidence: basil, bergamot, bindweed, cardamom, cedar, celandine, cinquefoil, coconut, cypress, dogwood, ginger, grapefruit, honeysuckle, motherwort, nutmeg, orange, orange blossom (neroli), sunflower, tobacco, yarrow flower 

courage: acorn, allspice, basil, bergamot, blue violet, borage (starflower), cardamom, cinnamon, citronella, cloves, clover, columbine, dragon’s blood, eyebright, fennel, frankincense, garlic, geranium, iris, ivy, mullein, musk, mustard seed, oak, orange, pokeweed, ragweed, raspberry, rose, rosemary, st. john’s wort, sweet pea, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, yarrow flower 

creativity: coffee, citronella, dragon’s blood, fig, hemp, kava kava, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, orange, pomegranate, pumpkin, rosemary, tangerine, valerian, vervain, vetiver, wild cherry bark, willow, yellow pepper 

cursing: angelica, asafoetida, bayberry, bindweed, blackberry root, black salt, bladderwrack, bloodroot, blueberry, boneset, cayenne, chicory, chili powder, cinnamon, cinquefoil, cloves, cramp bark, datura, dragon’s blood, foxglove, hemlock, henbane, jezebel root, knot weed, lemon, lemon verbena, lime, mace, mandrake, mullein, mustard seed, myrrh, belladonna (nightshade), onion, patchouli, poke root, poppy seed, rue, spanish moss, slippery elm, stinging nettle, sumac, tormentil, vervain, vetiver, wormwood (absinthe), yew, yohimbe bark 

divination: almond, angelica, anise seeds, arrowroot, basil, bay leaf, belladonna, catnip, cedar, cinnamon, cinquefoil, clary sage, cloves, copal, dandelion, elder, foxglove, frankincense, hazel, holly, honeysuckle, iris root, lavender, lemongrass, lilac, maple, meadowsweet, mugwort, myrrh, nutmeg, onion, parsley, peppermint, pine, pomegranate, poppy seeds, rose, rowan, safflower, sage, sandalwood, spearmint, star anise, sunflower, thyme, uva ursi, willow, wormwood (absinthe), yarrow flower 

dreams: anise seeds, bay leaf, buchu, catnip, chamomile, cinquefoil, damiana, dandelion root, elder, goosegrass, grapes, heliotrope, hibiscus, holly, hops, hyacinth, jasmine, lavender, lemon verbena, lovage, mandrake, marigold, marjoram, mimosa, mugwort, mullein, onion, peppermint, rose, rosemary, sage, spearmint, st. john’s wort, star anise, thyme, valerian, vervain, violet, willow, wood betony, yarrow flower 

energy: allspice, aloe, amber, angelica, belladonna (nightshade), black walnut, carrot, centaury, cherry bark, coffee, cowslip, cramp bark, daffodil, damiana, dragon’s blood, fig, frankincense, hawthorn, lemon, lime, lovage, mint, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppermint, red pepper, sage, sandalwood, spearmint, spinach, sunflower, tangerine, vanilla, walnut, wintergreen

fertility: acorn, apple, banana, barley, birch, bistort, cabbage, carrot, celery, chickweed, cucumber, cyclamen, daffodil, egg, fenugreek, fig, ginkgo biloba, grapes, hawthorn, hay, hazelnut, ivy, lily, mandrake, mistletoe, mugwort, mulberry, mustard seed, myrtle, oak, olive leaf, palm, parsley, patchouli, peach, pine, pomegranate, poppy seeds, pork, pumpkin, prickly ash bark, rhubarb, rice, rye, sesame seed, shave grass, squaw vine, walnut, watercress, wheat, yellow dock, yohimbe bark 

fidelity: cardamom, chili pepper, clover, cumin, hydrangea, licorice root, lime, magnolia bark, olive, rhubarb, rye, vetch, yerba mate

happiness: anise, apple, azalea, banyan, bee pollen, beech, catnip, cherry, cumin, cyclamen, fern, geranium, hawthorn, honey, honeysuckle, hyacinth, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lily, lily of the valley, lime, marjoram, meadowsweet, orange, orange blossom (neroli), palm, peach, persimmon, quince, rose, saffron, st. john’s wort, tangerine, witches grass (dog grass) 

healing: adder’s tongue, african violet, agrimony, allspice, almond, angelica, apple, arrowroot, aspen, balm of gilead tears, barley, bay leaf, bayberry, belladonna, blackberry, blue cohosh, calamus, calendula, carnation, cedar, chamomile, chia, chickweed, cinnamon, cotton, cloves, cucumber, cypress, dandelion leaf, eucalyptus, fennel, feverfew, flax seed, foxglove, gardenia, garlic, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, goldenseal, hemp, hops, horse chestnut (buckeye), ivy, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lime, melon, mesquite, mint, mistletoe, myrrh, olive leaf, onion, peppermint, persimmon, pineapple, plantain, plum, potato, raspberry leaf, rose, rose hips, rosemary, rowan, rue, saffron, sage, sandalwood, sassafras, saw palmetto, spearmint, thistle, thyme, vervain, white willow bark, willow, wood betony, yarrow flower, yerba santa 

hex-breaking: asafoetida, bamboo, chili pepper, datura, galangal, holy thistle, huckleberry, hydrangea, mimosa, nutmeg, onion, papaya, peony, pokeroot, prickly ash bark, rue, squill, thistle, thyme, toadflax, true unicorn root, vetiver, willow, wintergreen, witches grass (dog grass), yew, yucca 

invisibility: aconite (wolfsbane, monkshood), amaranth, black haw, cherry bark, chicory, fig, heliotrope, poppy seeds, sow thistle, tansy  

legal matters: buckthorn, calendula flower, cascara, celandine, galangal, hickory, lovage, marigold, skunk cabbage, tobacco 

love: acacia, allspice (pimento), apple, apricot, avocado, balm of gilead, barley, basil, beans, beetroot, bloodroot, buttercup (crowfoot), cabbage, cardamom, celery, cherry, chestnut, chickweed, chili peppers, cilantro (coriander), coltsfoot, copal, corn, cornflower, daffodil, dates, dogbane, dragon’s blood, elm, fig, gardenia, geranium, ginseng, grapes, henbane, hibiscus, high john, honeydew, hyacinth, indian paintbrush, job’s tears, juniper, kiwi, lady’s mantle, lavender, leek, lemon, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lettuce, lime, liverwort, lobelia, lovage, maidenhair, mandrake, mango, maple, marjoram, marshmallow, meadowsweet, mint, mistletoe, moonwort, mullein, mushrooms, myrrh, myrtle, nectarine, nuts, orange, orchid, orris root, pansy, papaya, parsley, pea, peach, pear, peppermint, periwinkle, plum, quassia, quince, radish, raspberry, rose, rosemary, rue, rye, saffron, southern wood, spearmint, spiderwort, st. john’s wort, strawberry, sugarcane, tangerine, thyme, tomato, turnip, vanilla, vervain, vetiver, willow, witches grass (dog grass), wood betony, wormwood (absinthe), yams, yarrow, yerba mate 

luck: acorn, agrimony, alfalfa, allspice, anise seeds, arrowroot, ash, bamboo, banana, basil, bay leaf, cabbage, calamus, caraway, carrot, cassia, catnip, cedar, chamomile, cinnamon, clover, corn, cotton, daffodil, dill, dragon’s blood, fern, frankincense, galangal, gentian, hazelnut, kumquat, irish moss, lilac, lime, lucky hand (orchid root), mustard seed, myrrh, nutmeg, orange, parsley, pear, peppermint, persimmon, pineapple, pomegranate, poppy seeds, pumpkin, red clover, rose hips, rosemary, rue, sandalwood, star anise, strawberry, sunflower, thyme, vanilla, vetiver, violet, wintergreen, yarrow flower 

manifestation/power: acorn, bamboo, balm of gilead, bergamot, black haw, carnation, cayenne, cedar, cinnamon, cinquefoil, club moss, dittany, ebony, echinacea, frankincense, gentian, ginger, goldenseal, lady’s mantle, lime, mastic, mugwort, myrrh, rowan, sandalwood, st. john’s wort, star anise, sunflower, witches burr, wormwood (absinthe) 

meditation: acacia, anise seeds, angelica, chamomile, copal, cypress, dittany, eucalyptus, frankincense, hemp, jasmine, lemon verbena, lotus, mugwort, myrrh, nutmeg, parsley, patchouli, red willow bark, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, thyme  

mental clarity: amber, balsam, basil, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, fern, eyebright, ginger, ginkgo biloba, grapefruit, lavender, lemon balm, lemongrass, mulberry, orange, peppermint, periwinkle, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, spearmint, thyme, turmeric, willow 

mental power: caraway, cayenne, celery, cinnamon, coffee, eyebright, fenugreek, grapes, hazelnut, horehound, lavender, lily of the valley, mace, mustard, peppermint, periwinkle, raisins, rosemary, rue, sage, summer savory, spearmint, thyme, vanilla, walnut, watercress, yellow pepper 

peace: aloe, apple, apricot, basil, blueberry, brussel sprouts, celery, chamomile, cilantro (coriander), coffee, coltsfoot, cornflower, cucumber, cumin, eucalyptus, fig, gardenia, heather, hemp, hyacinth, jasmine, kola nut, lavender, lemon verbena, lettuce, lily of the valley, lime, magnolia flowers, maidenhair, marigold, meadowsweet, myrrh, myrtle, narcissus, olive leaf, orange, orange blossom (neroli), oregano, passion flower, passion fruit, pea, pennyroyal, peppermint, plum, rhubarb, rose, sage, skullcap, sweetgrass, tobacco, tuberose, valerian, vervain, violet, willow, ylang ylang 

prosperity/wealth/abundance: alfalfa, allspice, almond, balsam, banana, barley, basil, bay leaf, beef, bergamot, blackberry, bladderwrack, cashew, chamomile, cinnamon, cinquefoil, citronella, coltsfoot, comfrey, dill, eggplant, fenugreek, flax, fumitory, galangal, ginger, goldenrod, goldenseal, grains, grapes, green pepper, high john, honeysuckle, horse chestnut (buckeye), hyssop, irish moss, jasmine, kumquat, lavender, lemon, lemon verbena, lime, lucky hand, mandrake, maple, marigold, mint, moss, musk, myrtle, oak, oats, onion, orange, patchouli, pea, peanut, pear, pecan, pine, pineapple, pine nut, pineapple, pomegranate, poppy seeds, pumpkin, red clover, rice, sesame, snakeroot, spinach, tangerine, tomato, wheat, woodruff 

protection: acacia (gum arabic), aconite (wolfsbane, monkshood), acorn, african violet, aloe, amber, angelica, anise seeds, ash, balsam, bamboo, barley, basil, bay leaf, belladonna, bergamot, black haw (devil’s shoestring), black pepper, blackberry, blessed thistle, bloodroot, blue violet, blueberry, boneset, brimstone (sulfur powder), buckwheat, cactus, calamus, calendula, carnation, caraway, catnip, cedar, chia, chives, chrysanthemum, cilantro (coriander), cinnamon, cloves, clover, coconut, comfrey, corn, cotton, cramp bark, cranberry, cumin, curry, cypress, dandelion root, datura, devil’s bit, devil’s claw, dill, dogwood, dragon’s blood, ebony, elder, eucalyptus, fennel, fern, feverfew, fleabane, foxglove, frankincense, gardenia, garlic, geranium, ginger, ginseng, heather, heliotrope, henna, hickory, high john the conqueror, holly, horseradish, irish moss, ivy, juniper, kava kava, kelp, lady slipper, larch, larkspur, laurel, lavender, leek, lemon verbena, lettuce, lime, lotus, mandrake, marigold, marjoram, marshmallow root, mimosa, mint, mistletoe, mullein, musk, nutmeg, oak moss, olive leaf, onion, papyrus, peat moss, peony, periwinkle, pimpernel, pine, pineapple, plantain, quince, radish, raspberry leaf, rhubarb, rice, rosemary, rowan, rue, sandalwood, saw palmetto, sea salt, slippery elm, snapdragon, solomon’s seal, spanish moss, spearmint, st. john’s wort, straw flower, sunflower, tangerine, thistle, thyme, valerian, venus fly trap, vervain, violet, willow, wintergreen, witch hazel, wood aloe, woodruff, wormwood (absinthe), yarrow, yerba santa, yew, yucca 

psychic abilities: acacia (gum arabic), alder, ambergris, anise seeds, arnica flowers, ash, bay leaf, belladonna, bistort, bladderwrack, borage (starflower), buchu, butcher’s broom, calendula, camphor, cherry, celery/celery seed, cinnamon, coconut, cypress, damiana, dandelion root, datura, deer’s tongue, eyebright, fig, flaxseed, foxglove, galangal, goldenrod, hazel, hemp, honeysuckle, horse chestnut (buckeye), ivy, kava kava, kelp, lemon balm, lemongrass, lettuce, lotus, lovage, marigold, marshmallow root, meadowsweet, mulberry, mugwort, mullein, mushrooms, musk, myrrh, nutmeg, orris root, palm, pansy, pomegranate, rose, rosemary, rowan, saffron, sage, st. john’s wort, star anise, thyme, tuberose, uva ursi, willow, wisteria, wormwood (absinthe), yarrow flower, yerba santa 

relaxation/calming: basil, blue violet, cauliflower, cedar, chamomile, clary sage, cucumber, cypress, hemp, hops, hyssop, juniper, kava kava, kola nut, lavender, lemon balm, lily of the valley, lime, mandarin, mugwort, narcissus, orange blossom (neroli), parsley, passion flower, rose, skullcap, st. john’s wort, thyme, tuberose, valerian, vanilla, ylang ylang  

spell-breaking: ague, angelica, asafoetida, bamboo, basil, bay leaf, benzoin, boneset, brimstone (sulfur powder), burdock, chili pepper, cinquefoil, comfrey, datura, frankincense, galangal, garlic, geranium, holy thistle, huckleberry, hydrangea, iris root (orris root), lemon, lemon verbena , lilac, lily, lucky hand (orchid root), myrrh, oak moss, onion, oregano, patchouli, rue, safflower, solomon’s seal, st. john’s wort, stinging nettle, squill, thistle, toadflax, turmeric, vervain, vetiver, willow, wormwood (absinthe), yarrow flower 

strength: balsam, bay leaf, beef, bee pollen, blessed thistle, borage (starflower), broccoli, calamus, calendula flower, camphor, carnation, cedar, cinnamon, dates, echinacea, endives, fennel, fig, gentian, ginger, heliotrope, high john, irish moss, leek, lime, marjoram, milk thistle, mulberry, oak, oak moss, orchid, oregano, parsley, pennyroyal, pine, pine nut, red peppers, saffron, sow thistle, spearmint, st. john’s wort, stinging nettle, tangerine, tea leaves, thyme, tobacco, vanilla, willow, wood betony 

success: angelica, apple, basil, bay leaf, benzoin, cedar, cinnamon, frankincense, garlic, ginger, high john, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lucky hand (orchid root), marigold, mistletoe, mustard, myrrh, oak, onion, orange, sandalwood, solomon’s seal, st. john’s wort, strawberry, sunflower, valerian, vetiver, wood aloe 

wisdom: acacia, acorn, almond, angelica, bay leaf, benzoin, cassia, cinnamon, cinquefoil, elder, frankincense, goosegrass, hazelnut, honey, iris, lilac, milk thistle, mulberry, peach, oak, sage, solomon’s seal, sunflower 

wishes: bamboo, bat’s head root, bay leaf, beech, black walnut, blowball, buckthorn, dandelion leaf/root, dogwood, ginseng, job’s tears, lotus root, peppermint, pomegranate, sage, sandalwood, spearmint, star anise, sunflower, tonka bean, walnut, willow