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Patti Wigington

Herbal Fridays: Mandrake

By , About.com GuideMarch 25, 2011

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How do you use mandrake?
Do you use magical mandrake?
Image © Getty Images
This week on Herbal Fridays, we're looking at mandrake. American Mandrake, also known as hog apple, May apple and duck's foot, is one of those plants with a long and colorful herbal history in the Americas. Historically, it's been used as a medicine in treatments for disorders relating to the liver and bowels, as well as a cathartic. It's important to note that there are two different types of mandrake; American and European mandrake are two similar but botanically unrelated plants.

A number of medieval herbals, such as the Herbarium of Apuleius cite the use of mandrake root as a cure for demonic possession. It's also recommended as a preventative against sorcery. Mandrake became a popular ingredient in magic because the roots tend to bear a resemblance to the human figure - an early example of poppet magic in action.

Be sure to read: More About Mandrake

Do you use mandrake in your workings? Got ideas for ways to incorporate it into spellwork? Share them in our Comments section below!

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Comments
March 25, 2011 at 12:10 pm
(1) jason says:

i once used mandrake as part of a house blessing and pertection spell. but where i am mandrake got kinda pricey so i dont use it that often.

March 25, 2011 at 12:30 pm
(2) Joe says:

The problem with so much of this witchcraft/herbal stuffs is a lot of it lends one to believe the claims imaginary. For example, Mandrake is a protection against sorcery. Mandrake was used as a cure for demonic protection. Really? Assuming the person was demonically possessed, the little plant scared it away? Really? I believe a lot of these fantastical claims is what ruins witchcraft/ paganism / wicca in the eyes on non-practitioners.

March 25, 2011 at 12:54 pm
(3) Rhalynn says:

I do believe that Patti was referencing something written in medieval times; therefore, there will be quite a few “fantastical claims” that are repeated, as that is what people believed back then. Does that mean that we shouldn’t take a bath now, because way back when, people believed that to take a bath was certain death? It is sometimes interesting, and very insightful, to look at things from a historical perspective, but most of us are smart enough to realize when we are getting a history lesson, and when we are not.

March 26, 2011 at 12:21 pm
(4) danielle says:

Joe- So the idea of magic is what ruins witchcraft? Well, I can see how that- wait, what? And I don’t know about you, but I’m not really concerned with what non-practioners believe about us. Just the fact that we’re witches is enough to make most people roll there eyes.

March 26, 2011 at 7:40 pm
(5) Michael says:

Well said danielle!!!

March 29, 2011 at 2:31 pm
(6) amethystmoon says:

Very well put…and may I also add that “back in the day” wise ones/witches were condemed by physicans who were trying to make money by selling medicines to sick people that were more often then not made from herbs and many modern day physicans are returning to the old tried and true herbal remedies.

March 26, 2011 at 12:23 pm
(7) Danielle says:

On another note, I read if you sprinkle mandrake in the pages of your BOS, it’ll keep people out of it. I tried that with mine and so far so good.

March 28, 2011 at 1:31 pm
(8) jason says:

I have these growing everywhere around my house. Great article. When I was a kid my grandma called them fairy umbrellas. :-)

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