Mardi: Herbal-Wise

The flashy hibiscus flower, which grows on bushes that can sometimes be as tall as trees, is found in warm and tropical climates. It has been used in love magick since ancient times, and even today has a reputation for inciting unbridled lust.

For the most part, the flowers of the hibiscus bush are used in love sachets, mojos and to decorate altars when working love spells. Scott Cunningham notes that the hibiscus was the chosen flower for brides on many South Pacific islands. Prognosticators on the island of Dobu looked into the future by watching the movements of hibiscus flowers floated on water in a wooden bowl.

The flowers can be dried and used in love incenses. For centuries around the Mediterranean, the flowers of the red hibiscus were dried and brewed into a tea. This was imbibed, almost exclusively by men, to encourage sexual vigor. In Ancient Greece, women were forbidden to drink - or even brew - this tea. According to Cunningham, that is still the case in some Middle Eastern countries where the hibiscus is known as the kharkady..

In hoodoo, hibiscus flowers are also used in love magick. Dried or fresh, they can be added to mojo bags or baths for this purpose. Small pillows filled with dried hibiscus flowers were made by young women hoping to dream of their future husbands. Bonne chance ~

Header: Painting Statuary by J. Gerome via Wikimedia