Janie Posted:

Does anyone know where amanthus is? I really need his help.

It was Eucalyptus, Hyssop, Yarrow, Marjoram, Asafoetida, Bay Leaf & White Sage. I don’t know what Hyssop is or where to find it, let alone Asafoetida. If you see him, please have him get in touch with me. It’s really important!

Janie Posted:

Text message to amaranthus:

TTLY SRY I WZ SO RUDE NEED HLP RLY BAD. CLDNT FIND WHITE SAGE USD OREGANO INSTD. NOT SURE THAT WIL WRK WTH DEMONS. PLZ HELP IF U CAN.

Dear Miss Janie, I apologize for the late reply. I have been… indisposed. I understand you are in need of some plants, although I don’t really understand what for. Demons? Since most of my reference books do mention the traditional spiritual as well as medicinal uses of plants, I’ll tell you what I’ve read. But please understand that this spiritual stuff is beyond the scope of my experience (or belief).

All of the plants you’ve mentioned have well-known culinary and/or medicinal uses and should thus be fairly easy to find:

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Asafoetida is commonly used in Indian and Persian cooking. When raw, it has a unpleasant, nauseating odor, but when cooked in oil or ghee its taste and aroma become more like those of onions or leeks.

Asafoetida has a number of traditional medical uses: It is used as a digestive aid and as a treatment for respiratory disorders.

Asafoetida is used in witchcraft to repel evil, keep off the law, and harm enemies. In Jamaica, it is traditionally applied to the soft spot on a baby’s skull to prevent spirits from entering the baby through it.

I do not grow Asafoetida in my garden, as I cannot stand the smell, and its medicinal uses are, well, peripheral to my own interests. It is readily available at ethnic food stores, however. Based on the picture above, they also sell it at Whole Foods.

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Hyssop is a genus of about 10-12 species of herbaceous or semi-woody plants native from the Mediterranean east to central Asia. By far the best-known species is the Herb Hyssop (H. officinalis).

Hyssop has numerous medicinal properties: expectorant, anti-spasmodic, and anti-inflammatory. An essential oil made from hyssop is can increase alertness and ease nervous exhaustion, anxiety, and depression; however, it contains pino-camphone which in high doses can cause convulsions, so care is necessary.

In terms of its spiritual uses, tea made from Hyssop is used as a Spiritual Bath to take off a Jinx; it ca also be added to floor wash to clear away so-called Crossed Conditions at Home.

I have some hyssop growing in my garden, and I have some Hyssop Oil in my laboratory. If you drop by our HQ, I will give you some. If you cannot make it here, you should be able to find Hyssop leaves and/or oil in your local health food store or new-age bookstore.

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Salvia apiana, also known as [b]white sage[/i], is an evergreen perennial shrub of the genus Salvia, the sages.

White sage is also used medicinally: It can be eaten, smoked, or made into a tea to treat colds, sore throats, and nausea.

White sage is believed to cleanse a space of any evil spirits that may be present. This power is said to be released from the plant by the burning of the leaves, which are typically bundled into a wand or stick. Today many Native American tribes still use the stems and leaves for smudging as part of purification ceremonies. The practice has also been adopted by some modern neopagans.

I do not grow white sage in my garden. You may be able to find it at a new-age bookstore or a sweat lodge.

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Origanum vulgare, or oregano is native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and southern and central Asia.

It is used primarily as a culinary herb; however, it is also used to treat coughs and sore throats.

Oregano does not appear to have any traditional spiritual uses. You probably should look for some white sage, if that’s what your recipe calls for.

Best of luck, and please drop by for some Hyssop.