Old-World Names for Herbs and Plants
Thanks to Shakespeare, we're all familiar with phrases like "Eye of Newt" and "Toe of Frog," as well as "Lizard's Leg" and "Tongue of Dog." No doubt some country folk in the Middle Ages thought these names were literal, given that witches were given a bad rap by the Catholic Church at the time. In fact, in addition to midwifing babies, having knowledge of herbs and plants (either magically or medicinally) often was reason enough to accuse a woman of being a "witch." Though, more to the point, the woman in question was often a widow with land the church or a high noble desired; and the "witch" accusation just a means to obtain an end - her land.
Than again, phrases such as those mentioned above could have been and probably were used to name the plant by using a descriptor that would be easy to remember, and easy to teach to others. There are many plants that start with "Eye of..." because on the plant is a darker (or lighter) rounded shape - many times in the middle of the leaf - which looks somewhat like an eye. Other plants were given names descriptive of their uses; still others, for something they generally resembled.
This is just my opinion, but I can't help but believe that use of these names also kept the "secrets" from those who didn't believe, as well as from those who would rush headlong into trying something before they had the knowledge and skill to do so effectively (and safely).
| Old Herbal Name | Herb/Plant Name |
|---|---|
| Adders Fork | Adders tongue |
| Adders Tongue | Dogstooth Violet |
| Ass's Foot or Bull's Foot | Coltsfoot |
| Bat Flower | Tacca |
| Bat's Wings | Holly |
| Bat's Wool | Moss |
| Bear's Foot | Lady's Mantle |
| Beggar's Buttons | Burdock |
| Beggar's Tick | Cockhold |
| Bird's Eye | Germander Speedwell |
| Bird's Foot | Fenugreek |
| Black Maidenhair | Black Spleenwort |
| Black Sampson | Echinacea |
| Black Snake Root | Black Cohosh |
| Blind Eyes | Poppy |
| Blood | Elder Sap or another tree sap |
| Blood from a Head | Lupine |
| Blood from a Shoulder | Bear's Breeches |
| Blood of Ares | Purslane |
| Blood of Kronos | Cedar |
| Blood of Hephaistos | Wormwood |
| Blood of Hestia | Chamomile |
| Blood of a Goose | Mulberry Tree's Milk |
| Blood of a Titan | Wild Lettuce |
| Blood of an Eye | Tamarisk Gall |
| Blood Leather | Reindeer Moss/Rock Tripe/Caribou Lichen |
| Bloodroot | Tormentil |
| Bloodwort | Yarrow |
| Bloody Butcher | Valerian |
| Bloody Finger | Foxglove |
| Bone of an Ibis | Buckthorn |
| Brains | Congealed Gum from a Cherry Tree |
| Bread and Cheese Tree | Hawthorne. Whitethorn, Hazels |
| Broom | Gorse |
| Bull's Blood or Seed of Horus | Horehound |
| Bull's Foot | Coltsfoot |
| Burning Bush | Fraxinella, White Dittany |
| Butcher's Broom | Irish Tops |
| Buttons | Tansy |
| Calf's Snout | Snapdragon |
| Candelmas Maiden | Snowdrop |
| Capon's Tail | Valerian |
| Cat's Foot | Canada Snake Root and/or Ground Ivy |
| Cheeses | Marsh Mallow |
| Cherry Pie | Heliotrope |
| Chocolate Flower | Wild Geranium |
| Church Steeples | Agrimony |
| Clear-Eye | Clary Sage |
| Click | Goosegrass |
| Clot | Great Mullein |
| Corpse Candles | Mullein |
| Corpse Plant | Indian Pipe |
| Courtesy | Summer Wind |
| Crocodile Dung | Black Earth |
| Crow Corn | Ague Root |
| Crow Foot | Wild Geranium |
| Crowdy Kit | Figwort |
| Crown for a King | Wormwood |
| Cuckoo's Bread | Common Plantain |
| Cucumber Tree | Magnolia |
| Cuddy's Lungs | Great Mullein |
| Dead Man Ash | Mandrake root poppet |
| Death Angel | Agaric |
| Death Flower | Yarrow |
| Devil's Apple | Datura |
| Devils Dung | Asafoetida |
| Devil's Eye | Henbane, Periwinkle |
| Devil's Flower | Bachelor's Buttons |
| Devil's Guts | Dodder |
| Devil's Milk | Celandine |
| Devil's Nettle | Yarrow |
| Devil's Oatmeal | Parsley |
| Devil's Plaything | Yarrow |
| Dew of the Sea | Rosemary |
| Dog Fennel | Anthemis |
| Dog Grass | Agropyrum |
| Dog's Mouth | Snap Dragon |
| Dog`s Tail | Cynosurus |
| Dog's Tongue | Conoglossum Officinale |
| Dog`s Tooth Violet | Erythronium |
| Dove's Foot | Wild Geranium |
| Dragon Wort | Bistort |
| Dragon Bushes | Toadflax |
| Dragon's Blood | Calamus |
| Dragon's Scales | Bistort Leaves |
| Duck's Foot | May Apple |
| Eagle | Wild Garlic |
| Ear of an Ass | Comfrey |
| Ear of a Goat | St. John's Wort |
| Earth Smoke | Fumitory |
| Elf leaf | Lavender, Rosemary |
| Elf's Wort (Elfwort) | Elecampane |
| Enchanter's Plant | Vervain |
| Englishman's Foot | Common Plantain |
| Erba Santa Maria | Spearmint |
| Everlasting Friendship | Goosegrass |
| Eye of the Day | Common Daisy |
| Eye of Newt | Wild Mustard Seed |
| Eye of the Star | Horehound |
| Eye Root | Goldenseal |
| Eyes | Aster, Daisy, Eyebright |
| Fairies Eggs | Molukka |
| Fairie's Finger | Foxglove |
| Fairies Horses | Ragwort |
| Fairy Bells | Sorrel, Wood |
| Fairy Cup | Cowslip |
| Fairy Smoke | Indian Pipe |
| Fat from a Head | Spurge |
| Felon Herb | Mugwort |
| Filwort | Centory or Feverwort |
| Five Fingers | Cinquefoil |
| Flesh and Blood | Tormentil |
| Fox's Clote | Burdock |
| Frog bit | Hydrocharis |
| Frog fruit | Phyla |
| Frog Orchid | Coeloglossum |
| Frog's Foot | Bulbous Buttercup |
| Frog`s Lettuce | Groenlandia |
| From the Belly | Earth-apple |
| From the Foot | Houseleek |
| From the Loins | Chamomile |
| Gazel's Hooves | Quickset, Albespyne |
| Goat's Foot | Ash Weed |
| Goat's Leaf | Honeysuckle |
| God's Hair | Hart's Tongue Fern |
| Golden Star | Avens |
| Gosling Wing | Goosegrass |
| Graveyard Dust | Mullein |
| Great Ox-eye | Ox-eye Daisy |
| Hag's Taper | Great Mullein |
| Hagthorn | Hawthorn |
| Hairs of a Baboon | Dill Seed |
| Hair | Maidenhair Fern |
| Hair of Venus | Maidenhair Fern |
| Hare's Beard | Great Mullein |
| Hare's Foot | Avens |
| Hawk's Heart | Heart of Wormwood |
| Heart | Walnut |
| Heart of Osmund | Royal Fern |
| Herb of Grace | Vervain |
| Hind's Tongue | Hart's Tongue Fern |
| Holy Herb | Yerba Santa |
| Holy Rope | Hemp Agrimony |
| Hook and Arm | Yerba Santa |
| Horse Hoof | Coltsfoot |
| Horse Tongue | Hart's Tongue Fern |
| Hundred Eyes | Periwinkle |
| Indian Dye | Goldenseal |
| Innocence | Bluets |
| Jacob's Staff | Great Mullein |
| Jew's Ear | Fungus on Elder or Elm |
| John's Bread | Carob |
| Joy of the Mountain | Marjoram |
| Jupiter's Foot | Houseleek |
| Jupiter's Staff | Great Mullein |
| King's Crown | Black Haw |
| Knight's Milfoil | Yarrow |
| Kronos' Blood | Cedar |
| Jacob's Staff | Great Mullein |
| Jew's Ear | Fungus on Elder or Elm |
| John's Bread | Carob |
| Joy of the Mountain | Marjoram |
| Jupiter's Foot | Houseleek |
| Jupiter's Staff | Great Mullein |
| King's Crown | Black Haw |
| Knight's Milfoil | Yarrow |
| Kronos' Blood | Cedar |
| Lad's Love | Southernwood |
| Lady's Glove | Foxglove aka Witches' Gloves |
| Lady's Mantle | Nine Hooks |
| Lady's Meat | May Flower blossom |
| Lady's Slipper | American Valerian |
| Lady's Tresses | Spira Root |
| Lamb's Ears | Betony |
| Lion's Ear | Motherwort |
| Lion's Hairs | Turnip leaves |
| Lion's Tooth | Dandelion aka Priest's Crown |
| Lizard's Tail | Breast Weed |
| Little Dragon | Tarragon |
| Love in Idleness | Pansy |
| Love Leaves | Burdock |
| Love Lies Bleeding | Amaranth or Anemone |
| Love Man | Goosegrass |
| Love Parsley | Lovage |
| Love Root | Orris Root |
| Man's Bile | Turnip Sap |
| Man's Health | Ginseng |
| Maiden's Hair | Maidenhair Fern |
| Maiden's Ruin | Southernwood |
| Master of the Woods | Woodruff |
| May | Black Haw |
| May Lily | Lily of the Valley |
| May Rose | Black Haw |
| Maypops | Passion Flower |
| Mistress of the Night | Tuberose |
| Mother's Heart | Shepheard's Purse |
| Mouse's Ear | Hawk Weed |
| Mouse's Tail | Common Stonecrop |
| Mutton Chops | Goosegrass |
| Newt`s Tail | Saururus |
| Nose Bleed | Yarrow |
| Old-Maid's-Nightcap | Wild Geranium |
| Old Man | Mugwort |
| Old Man's Flannel | Great Mullein |
| Old Man's Pepper | Yarrow |
| Old Woman | Wormwood |
| Oliver | Olive |
| Organ Tea | Pennyroyal |
| Paddock Pipes | Horsetail |
| Pantagruelian | Marijuana |
| Password | Primrose |
| Peter's Staff | Great Mullein |
| Pig's Tail /td> | Leopard's Bane |
| Poor Man's Treacle | Garlic |
| Poor Man | Weatherglass Pimpernel |
| Priest's Crown | Dandelion leaves |
| Pucha-pat | Patchouli |
| Queen of the Meadow | Meadowsweet |
| Queen of the Meadow Root | Gravelroot |
| Queen of the Night | Vanilla Cactus |
| Queen's Delight | Silverleaf |
| Queen's Root | Stilengia |
| Rabbit's Foot | Field Clover |
| Ram's Head | American Valerian |
| Red Cockscomb | Amaranth |
| Ring-o-Bells | Bluebells |
| Robin-Run-in-the-Grass | Goosegrass |
| Scaldhead | Blackberry |
| See Bright | Clary Sage |
| Semen of Ammon | Houseleek |
| Semen of Ares | Clover |
| Semen of Helios | White Hellebore |
| Semen of Herakles | Mustard-rocket |
| Semen of Hermes | Dill |
| Semen of Hephaistos | Fleabane |
| Seed of Horus | Horehound |
| Serpent's Tongue | Adder's Tongue |
| Seven Barks | Hydrangea |
| Seven Year's Love | Yarrow |
| Shameface | Wild Geranium |
| Shepherd's Heart | Shepherd's Purse |
| Silver Bells | Black Haw |
| Skin of a Man | Fern |
| Skul | Skullcap Mushroom |
| Snake's Blood | Hematite Stone |
| Snake's Friend | Indian Paintbrush |
| Snake's Head | Balmony |
| Snake's Milk | Blooming Splurge |
| Snake's Tongue | Adder's Tongue Fern |
| Snake/ Snakeweed | Bistort |
| Snow Drop | Bulbous Violet |
| Soapwort | Comfrey or Daisy |
| Sorcerer's Violet | Periwinkle |
| Sparrow's Tongue | Knotweed |
| Spider Lily | Spiderwort |
| Squirrel's Ear | White Plantain |
| St. John's Herb | Hemp Agrimony (This is not St. John's Wort) |
| St. John's Plant | Mugwort |
| Stag's Horn | Club Moss |
| Star Flower | Borage |
| Star of the Earth | Avens |
| Starweed | Chickweed |
| Sweethearts | Goosegrass |
| Swine's Snout | Dandelion Leaves |
| Tanner's Bark | Common Oak |
| Tarragon | Mugwort |
| Tartar Root | Ginseng |
| Tears of a Baboon | Dill Juice |
| Titan's Blood | Wild Lettuce |
| Thor's Helper /td> | Rowan |
| Thousand Weed | Yarrow |
| Thunder Plant | House Leek |
| Toad | Toadflax |
| Toe Of Frog | Bulbous Buttercup Leaves |
| Tongue of dog | Hound's Tongue |
| Tooth or Teeth | Pinecone(s) |
| Torches | Great Mullein |
| Tree of Heaven | Chinese Sumach |
| Unicorn's Horn | False Unicorn |
| Unicorn Root | Ague Root |
| Wax Dolls | Fumitory |
| Weazel Snout | Yellow Dead Nettles/Yellow Archangel |
| Weed | Ox-Eye Daisy |
| White | Ox-eye Daisy |
| White Man's Foot | Common Plantain |
| White Wood | White Cinnamon |
| Witch Bells | Foxglove |
| Witch Herb | Mugwort |
| Witch's Asprin | White Willow/Willow Bark |
| Witch's Brier | Brier Hips |
| Witch's Hair | Dodder |
| Witch's Thimble | Datura |
| Witchbane | Rowan |
| Wolf Claw | Club Moss |
| Wolf Foot | Bugle Weed |
| Wolf's Hat | Wolfsbane |
| Wolf's Milk | Euphorbia |
| Worms | Gnarled, thin roots of a local tree |
| Animal | Herb |
|---|---|
| Blue Jay | Bay Laurel |
| Cat | Catnip |
| Dog | Couch Grass |
| Eagle | Wild Garlic |
| Frog | Cinquefoil |
| Hawk | Hawkweed |
| Lamb | Lettuce |
| Lizard | Calumniate |
| Nightingale | Hops |
| Rat | Valerian |
| Toad | Sage |
| Weasel | Rue |
| Woodpecker | Peony |
When a specific part of an herb needed to be used, they were referred to usually as a body part. Below is a handy table of these notes.
| Old Name for Part | Actual Part of the Herb Used |
|---|---|
| Eye | Inner part of a blossom |
| Paw, Foot, Leg, Wing, or Toe | Leaf |
| Guts | Roots and stalk |
| Privates | Seed |
| Hair | Dried, stringy herbs |
| Tail | Stem |
| Head | Flower |
| Tongue | Petal |
| Heart | A bud or seed |