In Celtic lore, thick stands of nettles indicate that there are faery dwellings close by, and the sting of the nettle protects against faery enchantment, black magic, and other forms of sorcery. Nettles themselves are a wonderful plant (despite their sting), prized by witches, cunning men, herbalists, and wild food foragers. Stickwort often grows among stands of nettles - which is certainly one way to protect it from being picked. They zealously guard the flowers against hedgewitches, who use them for making medicines and charms of protection against piskie mischief - including a salve that heals the "side stitches" caused when mortals are hit by elf-shot. Lesser stitchwort, with its small pink flowers, is known as piskie, or piskie flower, here in Devon - though in fact both kinds of stitchwort are under the special protection of the piskies (our local faery folk). Greater stitchwort, with its white star-like blooms, also goes by the name star flower, thunder flower (because picking it will cause a storm), Mother Shimbles, snick needles, and snapjacks (due to the popping sound made by its seed pods as they ripen). Stitchwort (below), appears in Devon in two distinctive colors: white and pink. As we ingest these plants, we increase our inner fires and pulse with the blood of life, thus inspired to move through our days with the same abandon as the maiden goddess of spring." Daily, as light seeps into the unfurling leaves, the plants grow greener and greener with the blood of the sun. Food and medicine plants carpet the ground abundantly, delighting the eyes and tastebuds with a palette of green hues and an array of distinctive earthy flavors. Young, delectable leaves shoot up out of the soil, becoming clorophyll-rich as they soak up the food of the sun's fire. "the earth herself seems overtaken with desire to create for the sake of beauty and joy, unveiling at an astounding rate those creations which were conceived and protected in winter's ground-dark womb. In the springtime, writes herbalist Judith Berger, "Re-storying" the land is, I believe, an important part of re-wilding the land, re-wilding our culture, and re-wilding ourselves. I love knowing and passing on such things. Īs the woods and fields, green hills and hedgerows continue to burst with color and bloom, here's a little more of the wildflower lore that's rooted in the land below our feet.
Following on from Friday's wildflower post.
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