“Drink motherwort and live to be a source of continuous astonishment and grief to waiting heirs,” runs an old English saying about its reputation for long life.
Origin & Traditional Use
Leonurus cardiaca is a tall, prickly mint-family perennial from Europe and central Asia, with deeply lobed leaves likened to a lion’s tail.
As the name suggests, it was traditionally used in women’s remedies, and also for an anxious, racing heart.
Uses by Tradition
Witchcraft & Folk Magick
- Mother and child: hang a small bag in the nursery or the parents’ room to guard mother and child.
- Courage: carry it in a sachet to steady the heart before a confrontation or a hard day.
- Family peace: add to a household sachet or floor wash to calm the home.
A Simple Working
- Gather motherwort, rosemary, a white chime candle and a small white cloth bag.
- Light the candle and name each member of the family.
- Mix the herbs with your hands and fill the bag.
- Tie it closed with three knots, speaking protection over the household.
- Hang it in the kitchen or near the family’s main bedroom.
- Refresh it once a year.
Pairs Well With
- Rosemary: for family protection.
- Lemon balm: another herb for lifting the heart.
- Angelica root: a guardian root for the home.
- Rose petals: softens and sweetens family work.
- White chime candle: for blessing and protection.
Lore & History
The seventeenth-century astrological herbal of Culpeper wrote that “Venus owns this herb, and it is under Leo”, and praised it for driving melancholy from the heart and making a “merry, cheerful, blithe soul”.
The genus name Leonurus means lion’s tail.
What You Receive
Cut dried motherwort herb, available in 1 oz, 2 oz and 1 lb.
Did You Know?
The species name cardiaca is Latin for “of the heart”, a name given by herbalists centuries before modern botany.
| Weight | N/A |
|---|---|
| Size | 1 oz, 2 oz, 1 lb |
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