Magical Indoor Plants

The Third Week of September is National Indoor Plant Week. Here are some magical plants to have in your home.

Houseplants can be a wonderful way to decorate your home. They add a touch of beauty to a windowsill, countertop, even in a dresser in your bedroom.  

“Particular benefits of interior plants include:
Reducing carbon dioxide levels.
Increasing humidity.
Reducing levels of certain pollutants,
such as benzene and nitrogen dioxide.
Reducing airborne dust levels.
Keeping air temperatures down.”
(Benefits of Indoor Plants - Health Benefits of Plants to Humans)

They can also be a way to de-stress. I find taking care of indoor plants is a way to soothe my soul when I am nervous or fidgety.  I water them, remove any dead leaves, nurture them, and talk to them the whole time. I tell them how my day was, or the crazy thing that happened at work. I sound like the crazy plant lady, but talking to them is like talking to your pet, they can’t answer, but they always listen.

Houseplants are a great way to start with plant magic, it doesn’t matter how much space you have, you can have at least one plant, even if the only space you have is on your computer desk. Just try to make sure it can get some sunlight, and doesn’t get too much or too little water.

Aloe 

Aloe for example, is a relatively easy plant to take care of, and has some medicinal, as well as magical uses. I know a lot of people who use aloe for sunburn; whether it works or not, should be made on an individual basis.

Aloe is said to protect against evil, and to bring good luck if hung over a doorway. If planted outside of your house, or along your property lines, it is said to keep intruders away.
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In some countries, aloe is used along with other herbs, lodestones, nuts and other ingredients, and woven into wreaths; sometimes even including pictures of Saints. The wreaths are then hung up in the home, bringing protection and encouraging luck.

Rosemary

Rosemary, along with being a great seasoning in stews, soups and potatoes, it also has many magical uses. As an incense, it can eliminate negativity. A sachet under your pillow can aid in a restful sleep by protecting the sleeper, and ward off nightmares. 

It is said that inhaling the sweet aroma, can improve memory and aid in memory retention, because it improves concentration and focus.

Rosemary can also be used in healing spells for health, friendship, and heartbreak. It  protects against hexes and can be used in banishing spells.
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In the bath, rosemary can help purify skin, and a rinse of rosemary tea will leave your hair with a beautiful shine and manageably soft.
Rosemary can be used as a substitute for Frankincense.

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Gardenia

Gardenia is a wonderfully aromatic flower that are generally grown outside as a shrub or a tree, but they can also be grown as an indoor plant. They prefer partial shade and the soil should remain moist, as it prefers humidity.

These creamy white flowers are sometimes included in a bouquet for hospital patients, as it aids in healing. 

Dried gardenia leaves can be added to a love incense. 

Gardenia assists in female power, comfort, compassion and harmony, and emotional well-being.
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Some say one of the advantages of gardenia, is to help in spirituality and traveling to the astral realm.

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Bamboo

Almost everyone is familiar with the Bamboo plant. Some call it Lucky Bamboo. 

“In the wild, 99 percent of a panda’s diet consists of leaves, stems and shoots of the bamboo plant, while the remainder is made up of flowers, vines, grasses, green corn, honey and small rodents.” (reference.com)

“Bamboo is included in some of the fastest growing plants in the world. Certain species can grow 3 feet in a 24 hour period, at a rate of almost 4cm an hour.” (wikipedia.org)

In magical circles the power of bamboo is for luck, protection and wishes.  

“The Chinese use it as a form of divination. Pieces of the wood are thrown to the worshipper by a priest. According to the way they fall, the omen is interpreted as good or bad.”

Magical uses for bamboo include, carving your wish on a piece of bamboo and burying it in the ground, in a place that will not be disturbed. You could also carve a protective symbol on it and plant it near your house for protection.

Bamboo that is grown near a home gives the occupants good fortune and it can also be hung over a door for luck. 

To break a hex with bamboo, you can carry a piece with you, 
or grind it into a powder to make a bamboo incense and burn.
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The Chinese believe that if you carve a flute from bamboo, it will call good spirits.

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By Lady Nashoba
for our September 2017 newsletter

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Sources: *Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. - *Benefits of Indoor Plants - Health Benefits of Plants to Humans - *reference.com - *wikipedia.org