Nigella
damascenaLove-in-a-Mist
The name of this plant comes from a legend about the Emperor Frederick I (1125-1190), who drowned in a shallow Turkish river as he was leading a Crusade. According to the story, he was seduced by a water spirit with green hair who drowned him in the hip-deep water. This plant sprang up at the shore and displays the water spirit's hair. We like the contrast between the image of the mighty emperor and the delicate, innocent-looking plant (by the way, the "spikes" are very soft and not sharp).
This
magic herb is also known as bride-in-hair from the
Renaissance tradition of a bride going to her
wedding with her hair down to signify her virginity (lots of Maiden
stuff going on here). We normally think of Venus-ruled plants as aids
to love spells and such, but this legend hints at a great feminine
power. The alchemist and
physician Geber recognized this plant's power when he named it as an
ingredient in his red elixir. Some of love-in-a-mist's other common
names--jack in prison, love-in-a-tangle, and devil-in-a-bush--show that
airy-fairy love spells can be as binding and as powerful as the worst
hex or curse. This plant is associated with the sign Libra and with St.
Catherine of Alexandria, patron saint of maidens and female
students, who spoke to Joan of Arc. St. Catherine is nowadays
considered to be a fictional character created by the Church as a
counter to the
real person of Hypatia of Alexandria (370-416 CE), the great pagan
mathematician, astronomer, and
philosopher who was murdered by a Christian mob. Although later
Christians mythologized her as a saint, she in fact never became a
Christian. So we've got a crooked mirror image--a fictional Christian
saint who we are told falsely was martyred by pagans, and a real pagan
who was actually martyred by Christians and then later depicted by
Christians as having been martyred by Egyptian pagans! We think these
two stories go well with this plant and how its flower is both set off
and caged by the frothy/soft/spikey leaves around it. Consider this
plant, then, for works which involve glamours, shapeshifting, and other
trickery. St. Catherine is depicted as having been a virgin; Hypatia
actually remained one. Once again, we see the Maiden coming through. In
the
Victorian language of flowers, which better fits with how this plant
can be used for love charms, love-in-a-mist means "kiss me" or "you
puzzle me."
In India, the seeds are used as a sachet to keep
bugs out of clothing.
Rubbing them releases the scent of strawberry jam, which is what its
essential oil smells like. The seeds are used in cooking--flavoring for
curry and a sprinkle on bread--and supposedly taste like nutmeg but are
nowhere near as good as those of its relative, Nigella sativa (black
cumin). At one time the seeds were roasted and an ill person breathed
in the
"fumes" to "drie the braine," and it is mentioned by Dioscorides and
Theophrastus for digestive complaints. This native of warm areas of
Europe, North Africa, and the Near East was introduced into England in
1570 and since then has become naturalized in various places. Thomas
Jefferson grew love-in-a-mist in his garden. It was later popularized
by
gardener Gertrude Jekyll in her recreations of cottage gardens, and
some varieties bear her name. Indeed, it makes good cut flowers, and
the pods are nice dried--try them as an addition to wreaths and
bouquets for handfasting. Bees enjoy the flowers. This plant looks
especially nice planted with silvery companions like lavender or lamb's
ears. Love-in-a-mist is also known as wild fennel, ragged lady, spiders
legs, jack in prison, lady in the
green, love entangled, love-in-a-tangle, love-in-a-puzzle,
love-in-the-shade, Our Lady In The Shade, devil-in-a-bush,
lady in a bower, garden black seed, hair of Venus, black caraway,
and Damascus black cumin. How to grow love-in-a-mist:
Direct sow seeds outside as soon as the soil can be
worked in spring.
When direct sowing, thoroughly work up the soil, breaking up all clods, and
gently smooth flat, water, sprinkle on the seeds, lightly cover them
with a layer of fine compost,
and then gently firm with the flat of a rake or hoe. You can also
direct sow in fall if your winters are not harsh, or you can start
inside, but they get a tap root and sometimes such plants can be cranky
to transplant. The seeds germinate in 2 weeks at room temperature. Set
6"/15cm apart. Site them in full sun but away from legumes, which
love-in-a-mist can hinder. This plant gets 24"/60 cm tall and produces
pink, white, mauve, purple, and blue flowers and maroon-striped Cthulhu
pods. It self-seeds readily. General
growing
info
Nigella
damascena
Love-in-a-Mist
100 seeds $3.50
Uses in Witchcraft & Magic:
Binding Spells
(Love or Hexing)
Glamours
Shapeshifting
Honoring Hypatia
Elemental (Water) Magic
Venus Herb
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