Meadowsweet, The Druid’s Sacred Herb

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet (Filipendula Ulmaria) is a perennial herb known for its fragrant flowers. It abounds in August and brings so much joy to me as I brush past its swaying flowers in the Devon lanes. However meadowsweet is not just a pretty face but has been revered throughout the generations and is one of the witchiest plants around. I thought that is might be rather interesting to look at the basic uses for meadowsweet as it is such a sacred herb.

close up of meadowsweet flowers

There are many uses for meadowsweet and it is still highly valued in herbology. Teas made from its flowers were used to treat fevers and bad colds. It was also given as a draught to soothe digestive complaints. It is particularly useful in this area as the plant itself contains salicylic acid (from which aspirin is made) and is wonderful for its pain releif and anti-inflammatory properties.

Although we know very little about the druids and their practices, we do know that it was a sacred herb for them. Mainly for the healing properties but we also surmise that it was used in their rituals. The bonfires of August may well have had bunches of meadowsweet cast upon them in offering to the Old Ones or ancient Gods of the time. People certainly have been found buried with bunches of these flowers in their grave.

Meadowsweet is the perfect flower for your bridal bouquet as it has long been associated with love and happiness. Brides, if married in August, would have carried this as part of their bouquet to help with the charm of bringing love, happiness and joy to themselves. Its country name of ‘Bridewort’ shows how it was esteemed as a flower for weddings. The floors of the wedding party would often be strewn with the flower heads, so as people walked across them, their scent was released. and the air was filled with meadowsweet glorious perfume. Hence why It was extremely popular as a strewing herb and would have been used abundantly throughout its season as a floor filler, not just for special occasions. It has a lovely sweet fragrance that was highly prized and often placed in wardrobes to freshen the clothes within.

Meadowsweet in a trailing bouquet

In witchcraft, it was most commonly used for protection: houses, windows, doorways were strewn with its glory to help keep away the malevolent spirits and negative entities that may wish you harm. Added to this was the belief that it brought great good fortune and so, both these combined have meadowsweet as a flower you really should make use of. But my favourite is that if you wash your face in water that has the flowers steeped in it, you will acquire great youth and beauty, and not least have an enhanced complexion (keep those pesky spots at bay).

a cup of tea sitting on top of a saucer

As a witch, I mainly use meadowsweet in spells for fortune and love. When you create magick that brings the good things in life such as love and happiness to you, you will find that love happiness and good fortune will come. It is almost by association, and so when it is in season, Meadowsweet is in my home.

7 Responses

  1. Hello there, You have done a great job. I’ll definitely digg it
    and personally recommend to my friends. I’m sure they’ll be benefited from this
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  2. Hi Ginny
    First of all, let me say I love your YouTube channel. I’ve just finished watching your videos on Autumn and September and I can’t wait to cast spells during the upcoming months. I did watch your video on the tree being vandalised and I sincerely hope the dryad has lent it’s strength and the tree is slowly being healed. I have meadowsweet as a tea and I usually find I have the most lucid dreams. I will definitely use it on my face as well! Lastly, I’m not sure if you have them where you are, but if you are, I hope you’re enjoying The Aurora Borealis season. I live in the Highlands and we’ve been getting some beautiful auroras lately. I wonder if there are any spells or rituals I could cast during the Aurora Borealis?

    Merry Meet and Merry Part and Merry Meet Again.
    Debbie 🌹

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