Title: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Expanded & Revised Edition)
Author: Scott Cunningham
Text Categories: Body, Mind, Spirit / Wicca & Paganism / Practical Magic
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications, Woodbury, Minnesota
ISBN-13: 978-0875421223
Affiliate Link: Paperback, Kindle, in case you don’t yet have a copy and would like one.
Book Description: “Expanded and revised, this comprehensive guide features magical uses of over 400 herbs and plants from all parts of the world. With over 400,000 copies in print, this reference book is a must for all who perform natural magic. It features illustrations for easy identification of every herb, in addition to common names, use, and rulership.”
Review: Entries are organized alphabetically, as is the folk-names cross-reference in the back of the text. However, while the book does have a table of contents, the herbs’ page numbers are not noted. This is my only real issue with the encyclopedia, as the information is accurate and highly useful. If you have several herbs you routinely reference, I would highly suggest using sticky/Post-It tabs and making your own page markers.
The contents itself, while somewhat difficult to navigate at first, is informative and useful, each herb entry containing information for that plant’s common, scientific, and folk names, associated gender (masculine/feminine), ruling planet, element, and sometimes deity, and associated magical uses, rituals, and powers. For those applicable, there is often further discussion of practical applications of the particular plant, whether it be for health, luck, or otherwise. Be advised, there are some entries that if ingested, are poisonous. They are clearly marked and any warnings listed should be heeded forthwith.
Moving on from the main bulk of the text, there is also a sort of primer to working with a magical herbal, broken up into four chapters over seventeen pages, including Chapter 1: The Powers of Herbs, Chapter 2: Magical Ways, Chapter 3: Spells and Procedures, and Chapter 4: Magical Intentions. While this information may not be groundbreaking for those already well-versed in the subject matter, it offers a good baseline on which to build.
Also, while there is no herbal table of contents, there is an extensive index at the back of the book, listing each plant’s corresponding page number. There is also an impressive bibliography that I have referenced many times when looking for additional source material. The folk-names cross reference is especially important when working with ethnobotanic or centuries’-old references, as those tend to have either highly localized or outdated names. There have even been times I either didn’t have internet access or couldn’t spell the local name and looking a plant up in Cunningham’s helped me to correctly ID it, thereby allowing me to look up the scientific name in another text.
Final Thoughts: I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a magical herb-centric encyclopedia. There are over 400 herbs referenced in this text and many also have practical, non-magical uses. While specifically written from the perspective of someone who uses herbs in their spiritual and magical practice, the text is accessible across the board. Whether you are coming from Antiquities and History, Botany, magical practice, or some combination, thereof, you can find useful and intriguing information within these pages.
Do you have any additional suggestions for future episodes? Leave them in the comments below. You can also head over to my Patreon where we’ll be having discussions about the book and others. Here’s hoping you have a fab day. Till next time.
Kate