Dragon Plants by Eileen Holland

From Llewllyn's 2001 Herbal Almanac

 

Witches use the four elements, earth, air, fire and water, in magical practice. Dragons can represent each one. For instance:

Air: Winged dragons that can fly

Fire: Fire-breathing dragons

Water: Sea serpent dragons

Earth: Treasure-guarding dragons who live in caves (such as Tolkien's Smaug).

Dragons are considered negative in Celtic lore but are positive in Eastern traditions - as portents of luck, prosperity, fertility, and enlightenment. If you have experienced the joyous dragon dance on Chinese New Year, you have some understanding of this belief.

You may not believe in dragons but you can work with the idea of them if you like. The CHinese discipline of feng shui, for example, utilizes the world dragon's breath and our position on its back. Witches and other magical people use dragons as paths to the elements. Plants can be a gateway with dragon energies. Dragon's blood and bistort, also caled dragonwort, are excellent for this. Either one can be used to activate this prayer.

Dragon Blessing

May dragons bring me wealth and guard my treasures

May they banish darkness and enlighten me

May female dragons grant me inner power

May the Dragon Queen neutralize my enemies

May Dragon Spirits give me power over the Elementals

May weather dragons bring rain at my request

May Ti'amat effect the changes I command

May Ishtar grant me Dragon Power

May Ishtar grant me Dragon Power

Dragon's Blood

You'll find lots of things called dragon's blood for sale, but true dragon's blood is only produced by plants of the Croton, Daemonorops, and Dracenea families. It is used in magic for: inner power, strength, will power, manifesting changes, love spells, exorcism, binding spells, protection, self-defense, energy, dragon magic, potency, empowering amulets, talismans, or spells, male sex magic, yang energy, consecrating tools, courage, animal magic, purification, cleansing, luck, and money spells.

True dragon's blood corresponds to the planet Mars, th element fire, and the sign of Aries. Dragon's blood has male energy and is a charm against impotence. It can be used in charms and spells, sprinkled around the home, or added to a liquid for floor washes. Burned as incense, dragon's blood resin banishes evil, dispels negativity and wins lovers back, and it strengthens the virtues of other kinds of incense. Washing with dragon's blood soap or adding dragon's blood oil to the bath purifies it.

Plants that provide Dragon's Blood

Dragon Tree (Dracena draco) - Dragon trees, which resemble palms, are one of the oldest plants in existence. They grow to gigantic size in their natural environment of the Canary Islands adn the East Indies, reaching seventy feet high and forty-five feet around. Thier trunks and lower branches are bare. A rosette of thick, stiff, palmate leaves grows from the top. These fleshy leaves are sometimes outlined in red, grow to two feet long. Dragon trees bloom with greenish white4 flowers that look like clusters of lilies. The fruit is an orange berry. Dark red dragon's blood seeps from cracks in the trunks of trees. When dried it burns a bright red flame. Dragon trees live long lives - one tree in Tenerife was reputed to be over 6,000 years old. Dragon trees are propagated by seed, dislike isolation and excessive humidity. They can be grown as houseplants.

Uses - Dragon's blood resin was employed to color varnishes, especially those4 used by Italian violin makers. It was also once used in photoengraving. The Guanche people of the Canry Islands held drgaon trees sacred, and used the resin in embalming.

Socotrine Dragon's Blood, Guadeloupe Dragon's Blood (Dracena cinnabari) - An African tree, native to the island of Socotra, east of Somalia, and the East Indies and South America. It produces small, irregular lumps of dragon's blood resin called Socotrine dragon's blood or Zanzibar drop. This tree was once classified as Pterocarpus Draco.

Chinese Dragon's Blood (Dracena terminalis) - Asian tree yields dragon's blood resin. The syrup of its roots induces sweating, treats dysentery, and diarrhea, and suigar made from the roots can be fermented to produce an alocholic drink. The resin provides a red varnish.

Dragon's Blood Palm, Tear Dragon's Blood, Draconis Resina, Sanguis Draconis, Calamus Gum, Calamus Draco (Daemonorops draco) - The rattan palm tree, native to Malaysia and Indonesia, has pointed berries providing dragon's blood resin. It has spiny leaves and bark, blooms with flowers along its branches. The resin is harvested by streaming the berries or by rubbing their coatings off. Tear dragon's blood is a beaded "necklace" formed of berry coats. The resin is alos sold powdered, in lumps, or molded into sticks. The resin is very rittle and breaks easily. Fresh resin is painted on wounds to stop bleeding, protect against infection, and promote healing. An astringent, it can be used internally for irregular menustration, traumatic injuries, and to stop bleeding after childbirth or miscarriage. The tree provides rattan for wickerwork. The resin can be used to color varnish, lacquers, and other products.

Dragon's Blood Palm (Daemonorops didynophyllis, Daemonorops micranthus, Daemonorops propingaus) - Malaysian palm trees whose immature fruits provide dragon's blood resin.

Blood of the Dragon, Drago, Sangre de Grado, Sangre de Drago (Croton lechleri) - Tail tree of tropical South America, espeically the Amazon rainforest, with green, heart shaped leaves. Its pale, mottled bark leaks dragon's blood latex when cut. It blooms with long stalks of greenish white flowers. The bark and resin are antibacterial, antiseptic, anit-inflammatory, and anit-viral. Both are used in folk medicines for digestive ulcers, as a vaginal douche, for wounds, and skindiseases. Dragon's blood latex is painted on wounds to disinfect them, stop bleeding, and promote healing. An alkloid called taspine is the active ingredient. The antiviral drugs Provir and Virend are made from this tree.

Other varieties providing dragon's blood include: Croton salutaris, Croton planostigma, Croton draconoides, Croton erythro-chilus, Croton salutaris, Croton hibiscifolius, Croton sanguifolius.

Bistort

From the Latin for "twice twisted," referring to the herb's often S-shaped roots, Bistort is an herb of Saturn and the Sun; its quality is cold and dry. The root is used magically for: psychic work, psychic power, dragion magic, serpent power, divination, trance work and fertility. Bistort root is a charm against heartbreak and eye problems. It is said to have a calming effect when carried near the heart, and to make men perform sexually. Touching the root gives you all the virtues of your sign or planet. Both leaves and roots are a charm against poison.

Bistort, Bistort Root, Great Bistort, Dragon's Wort, Serpentary, Snakeweed, Snake Root, Adderwort, Osterick, Passions, Oderwort, Easter Mangiant, Twice Writhen, Serpentaria, Columbrina, Dracunculus, Patience Dock, (Polygonum bistorta) - Bistort is a perennial Eurasian herb that grows to twenty inches. Its large oval leaves are blueishgreen with ashy undersides. The plant favors colder climates, growing in moist, shady places - woods, damp meadows, near waterways. Bistort blooms spring to autumn, with dense cylindrical spikes of small pinkish or white flowers on long slender stems. The twisted rootstock is about two inches long, with a blackish or dark purple exterior and reddish brown flesh. Small shiny brown seeds are encased in three-sided fruits. Gather and dry the root early in the spring. Gather the leaves in spring or fall; harvest seeds when they ripen. Bistort is a medicinally usedful herb whose root contains the most active principle. It is full of tannin, a strong astingent. It is used to treat dsyentery, hemorrhoids, internal and hevay menstrul bleeding. Bistort can be made into a gargle for a sore throat, gum diseases, mouth ulcers and loose teeth; into an ointment for anal fissures or a douche for vaginal discharges. Nicholas Culpeper, teh seventeenth-century English astrological botanist, recommended distilled water  of leaves for bites, stings, running sores, and skin ulcers.

American Bistort (Polygonum bistortriodes) -This is an Alpine and sub-Alpine Eurasian herb with long, narrow leaves. It grows to one foot or more, and blooms with flowers on leafed stalks. The long root is black and crinkled. American bistort grows wild beside streams in northwestern North America.

Other Dragon Plants 

Dracena, which means female dragon. Dracena are woody-stemmed plants of the tropical eastern hemisphere. They have orange or yellow roots, a crown of leathery leaves, and bloom with clusters of small white flowers. They like moist roots and a warm climate, are propagated by cuttings or stem sections. There are many varieties of dracena, nost of which can be grown indoors as houseplants.

Dragon Queen Queen of Dracenes (Dracona goldioana) - African plant with thin canes that grows to ten feet. It has a rosette of glossy, leathery leaves that are deep green with pale green markings. Dragon Queen blooms at night with fragrant white flowers. It needs porous soil and a humid climate.

Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracena marginata) - Branching, treelike plant with a rosette of fleshy leaves atop slender, twisting, canelike trunks. It grows slowly, reaching twelve feet in height. The deep olive green leaves have red edges.

Arabic: om Beit, or Mother of the Bouse (Dracena ombet) - Small treelike plant with sword-shaped leaves. The stem and branhes are forked. It blooms with panicles of delicate pink flowers. Thr fruit is a round berry.

Dragon Lily (Dracena fragrans) - A rare plant that grows in the mountains near Sudan. It is often cultivated as a houseplant.

Gold Dust Dracena (Dracena goddsefiana) - A shrubby plant with whorls of thin, leathery, deep green leaves that are glossy and have yellow spots. It blooms with greenish yellow flowers. The fruit is a red berry.

Ribbon Plant (Dracena sanderiana) - A Small plant with a rosette of thin, green leaves.