Witchy Wednesday - Devils Claw
Witchy Wednesdays - Devils Claw Devils Claw is a member of the sesame family and is native to South Africa. It is a creeping plant and has greeny grey irregular leaves growing from stalks. When it flowers it has tubular style flower heads these can be yellow or red but can even be purple and even white varities have been noted. Its fruit however gives its name, They are woody, oval capsules filled with seeds and protected by rows of long, horned arms and spines that extend in all directions. The best part however is he tuber and it has many uses. Today Devil’s Claw is becoming rare. Of the 3 countries in which it is found, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, it is endangered in two. The tragedy is that untrained harvesters collect not just the tuber but also the root, killing the plant for good. The San peoples have used it for fevers, muscle pain, inflammation, venereal disease, blood diseases, diabetes, coughs and gout. In modern medicine it has been show efficacious for pain, inflammation and arthritis. It is the tuber which holds all the medicinal part, and must be taken for a few weeks to see any effect however. Finally devil’s claw is mixed with water or brewed into a tea and used as a bitter to stimulate digestion In Magick, burning it on charcoal while casting a circle will help clear any energies leaving he area clear for magick workings. It can also be used in the same way to clear any house of negative or unwanted energies. The seed pods of Devil’s Claw, named for their threatening shape, make excellent protective charms. Placing it around the door of your home or building will protect the propertyfrom bad or evil spirits.
