My new herbs have come from Europe, ever so pleased they passed Customs. I was fretting like a frantic twit, although unnecessarily. I can't wait to get started doing a little experiementing! So what did I get?
Calea (Dream Herb) and African Dream Root, so named as they are reputed to induce very vivid lucid dreams, dreams that are remembered upon waking (which is an issue for me as I never do remember them). I'm thinking of turning these into an ointment to apply before going to bed at night. I'm going to have to test the strength and capabilities of each herb first, should be quite interesting. Each has differing effects from the research I've done but nothing tells you what it can do quite like trying it yourself.
I'm in love, here is my Mandrake Root. It is proper herb-of-legend Mandrake. Why is it necessary to qualify its validity? I've found most places on the internet advertise the Mandrake they sell as such but it turns out to be Mayapple (a.k.a American Mandrake) which is not even in the same botanical family as True Mandrake (which is a member of the Solanaceae family). It pays, if you are looking for the original stuff, to ask whoever is selling it what the botanical name is. The reason most sell Mayapple as Mandrake is that it is much easier to get a hold of. Mandragora Officinarum (True Mandrake) is not easily cultivated and therefore can't really be grown on any sort of commerical level, most mandrake is wildcrafted or grown within the person's own garden. Some who read my blog will be familiar with my attempts to grow Mandrake. To be fair, I did have luck but right now, leaveless as they are, I'm not sure if they're dormant or if they died off, I suppose I won't be able to tell until the weather cools off.
So anyway, I'm proper excited to have true Mandrake and can't wait to get to making things using it. I am considering thrice infused Mandrake oil (like my Mugwort and Wormwood oils), possibly a Mandrake ointment and/or Flying Ointment and also selling the root loose in my store. (I will be posting a post shortly on that too). Right now I'm busy dreaming up ideas and having fun thinking about all the lovely mandrake related bits n bobs I could make.
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