Welcome back to the garden, magical practitioners! As the days stretch out and the sun reaches its glorious peak, the earth explodes with vibrant energy. In herbal magic, summertime is closely tied to the season’s two major festivals: Midsummer (or Litha), celebrating the summer solstice, and Lammas (or Lughnasadh), the festival of the first harvest.
If you are looking to harness the radiant, fiery energy of the season, now is the absolute best time to wildcraft, harvest, and blend your botanical allies. Let’s dive into the magical herbs of summertime and how you can use them!
Midsummer Marvels: Herbs of the Summer Solstice
Midsummer is a time of peak solar power, and the herbs gathered during this time are believed to be heavily charged with magic. If you are decorating your Midsummer altar, traditional choices include mugwort, vervain, chamomile, rose, lily, oak, lavender, ivy, yarrow, fern, elder, wild thyme, daisy, and carnation.
Here are a few standout Midsummer herbs:
- St. John’s Wort: Perhaps the most famous herb of the summer solstice, St. John’s Wort is traditionally gathered on Midsummer’s Eve. Practitioners pass it through the smoke of Midsummer bonfires to purify it, and then hang it in the house to provide protection against lightning, fire, evil spirits, and nightmares. It is also famously used on St. John’s Eve for divination.
- Vervain: Known as the “Witches Herb,” vervain is a powerful plant for love, protection, and purification. It is considered to be at its absolute best and most potent when it is gathered at Midsummer.
- Daisy: Daisies are traditionally used to decorate the house on Midsummer’s Eve to invite happiness into the home and to obtain the blessings of the faeries. Wearing daisies on your person during Midsummer is also said to bring luck and blessings.
Bounties of the First Harvest: Lammas (Lughnasadh)
As the intense heat of high summer begins to wane, we shift our focus to Lammas (August 1st), the celebration of the first harvest. This festival teaches the mysteries of life, death, and rebirth through the reaping of the fields.
- Grains and Wheat: Corn, wheat, barley, and other harvested grains are central to Lughnasadh, representing fertility, Mother Earth, and the harvest cycle.
- Late-Summer Fruits: To decorate your altar and celebrate the abundance of the season, utilize the fruits of the early harvest. Traditional Lughnasadh botanicals include grapes, heather, blackberries, sloe, crabapples, and pears.
Summer Solar Herbs to Brighten Your Practice
Beyond the specific sabbats, summer is the perfect time to work with herbs ruled by the Sun and the element of Fire.
- Marigold (Calendula): Because of its bright, fiery appearance that mirrors the sun, marigold is affectionately known in magical herbalism as the “Summer’s Bride” or “Bride of the Sun”. It is highly prized for attracting respect, providing protection, and inducing prophetic dreams.
- Sunflower: A quintessential summer plant, the sunflower follows the path of the sun through the sky. It is used in magic to bring life, vitality, fertility, health, and the fulfillment of wishes.
A Summertime Spell: The Midsummer Herb Pouch
Looking for a practical way to use your summer harvest? Try creating a Summer Solstice Herb Pouch. In many magical traditions, the number nine is highly sacred, making a nine-herb blend perfect for a multi-purpose summertime talisman.
Gather equal amounts of the following nine fresh or dried summer herbs:
- Basil (for good fortune)
- Hyssop (for cleansing and purifying)
- Lavender (for calmness and peace)
- Mugwort (for divination and dreams)
- Peppermint (for passion and love)
- Rosemary (for remembrance)
- Sage (for wisdom)
- Thyme (for psychic development)
- Yarrow (for healing)
Blend these herbs together and place them in a small pouch. You can keep this pouch on your altar during your celebrations, hang it over your front door to welcome guests, or carry it in your pocket as a potent, sun-drenched talisman to attract positive energy all season long.
Stay magical, and enjoy the beautiful bounty of the summer sun!
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