Witchy Wednesday - Feverfew

Feverfew is a member of the daisy family of plants, looking very similar to the daisy (Yellow centre with white petals) and having broad toothed leaves. It is native to Europe including Scotland, Ireland and as far north as Sweden. During the time of the plagues, it was planted around houses to protect those inside from the disease and used by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians for inflammation and menstrual pain. The word "Feverfew" derives from the Latin word febrifugia, meaning "fever reducer",although it is no longer considered useful for that purpose. Binding the flowers to the wrist is said to assist in drawing out pain and to prevent accidents while travelling, put it in a bag with comfrey root and a St Christopher medal and carry it with you. When the dried leaves are burned as incense they fill the room with a huge sense of peace making them great to use when meditating. Feverfew is good for migraines and other headaches and PMS symptoms. Chewing the leaf at the first sign of a migraine is traditionally effective at stopping it, however it tastes terrible and has been known to cause slight blistering in the mouth for some people.