Mandrake essential oils and perfume oils are also available. American Mandrake may be substituted for European (and indeed may be preferable for practitioners of American folk magick). (Although some won’t stock it for fear of people being dumbasses and poisoning themselves.) It is a wildcrafted product available in whole, cut and sifted, or powdered form. And occasionally, preserved homegrown Mandrake roots for sale.Īmerican Mandrake is available in many occult shops. (It seems like a pain in the butt to this brown-thumbed Witch, but some people indeed go to great lengths for their craft!) Alchemy Works has excellent detailed instructions on germinating Mandrake. The plants take 2-3 years to mature and must be regularly re-potted and protected from freezing or rotting. Although it is native to the Mediterranean, Mandragora can be grown at home in warm-weather conditions. One option is to buy seeds online and try to cultivate it yourself. The price of Mandrake is so high that there is a real temptation for online sellers to export fakes. Purchasing these is not recommended, as you never know how it’s been harvested (or unfortunately, what plant you’re really getting). We’ve seen Mandrake roots listed for hundreds, even thousands of dollars on eBay, usually shipping from Israel or Greece. They are solitary, slow-growing plants that yield a single root. Whole Mandragora is a rare commodity and there is no commercial source. Nevertheless, some writers (including Eliphas Levi) consider it alongside Mandragora. Besides also having large leaves and also being poisonous when ingested, Briony doesn’t bear much resemblance to other Mandrakes. Briony is an invasive vine related to the Cucumber. It is used in topical treatments for genital warts, and some anti-cancer drugs.Įnglish Mandrake (or “false Mandrake”) is another name for White Briony ( Brionia alba). A powerful cytotoxin (cell-killer), American Mandrake extract has even found its uses in modern pharmaceutical industry. It tastes like apple-so maybe just eat an apple?) Native Americans, over time, developed some herbal remedies using American Mandrake. (The seeded ripe fruit may be eaten in small amounts. The shape of the plant gave rise to another nickname “Witch’s Umbrella.” It was said-perhaps not always incorrectly-that witches harvested the plant to poison their enemies.Įvery part of the American Mandrake is poisonous: The leaves, the stems, the roots, the seeds, and the unripe fruit. American Mandrake has a skinny brown root that does somewhat resemble the fatter European Mandrake with its collection of “arms” and “legs.”Īmerican Mandrake has a broad palmate leaf attached to a long stem. It is also called Mayapple or Wild Mandrake. Mandrake was used in magickal rituals, and also in early Chinese and European medicine as a pain reliever and sedative.Īmerican Mandrake ( Podophyllum peltatum) grows in swampy areas in the northeastern United States and parts of southern Canada.
The root contains poisonous alkaloids, particularly atropine.
It has a single cluster of ovate leaves, almost no stem, and a long, thick root. This is the Mandrake spoken about in European manuscripts. Mandragora grows in the Mediterranean region, stretching eastward into parts of China. (The ritual uses and correspondences will be similar for both.) All Mandrakes are potentially lethal and should never be used for self-medication.Įuropean Mandrake comes from several species of the genus Mandragora, a member of the nightshade family. There are (at least) two distinct plants that produce roots called Mandrake, so we’ll consider them each separately. This article will help you sidestep the hazards of Mandrake and get in touch with this amazing plant.
It is still used in countless magickal spells and charms. Mandrake was probably first adopted by magicians because of its psychoactive properties and its occasional resemblance to the human body. It is considered one of the most mysterious and potent of all magickal herbs. Mandrake is an unassuming little root with a formidable reputation.
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