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Where Rosemary Flourishes - Rosemary Herb Lore in Hoodoo

hoodoo voodoo rosemary herb for witchcraft

Among unpleasant memories of magical practice is an occasion where I shared the circa 1920 recipe for Van Van I had seen in the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum on a hoodoo forum, and got laughed out of the room because it contained rosemary.

"Rosemary's for female domination!"

This idea has been popularized by Catherine Yronwode, attributing it to stem from a saying "Where rosemary flourishes, the lady rules." (The same are said about sage and parsley.) H.U. Lampe's 1974 book Famous Voodoo Rituals and Spells might be the source of the information, for he writes:

"Where Rosemary Flourishes, The Lady Rules", is an ancient saying. Rosemary is kept under the bed to insure faithfulness. Fore (sic) causing prophetic dreams, Rosemary is dipped into a mixture of vinegar, rum, water, gin, and wine. This is kept near the bed. Before retiring say, "Tibi impero ut quoedam viluero et velim adimpleos et facias."

The saying is originally English. A 1905 magazine offers some suggested reasons behind the saying, and the oldest version of it I've seen is in the originally circa 1860 Language and Sentiment of Flowers, which book remarks on its use in wedding bouquets and funeral wreaths (because it symbolizes or stimulates memory) before going on to remark:

There was a wide spread belief in the efficacy of the herb as a counter charm against witchcraft; the reason, probably, for its use at weddings and burials, and for its presence in the dock of the accused in courts of justice. The Portuguese called it Alicrum or Elfin plant and in Spain it is still worn as an antidote to the evil eye.

That the Spanish preferred it for protection and cleansing is likely the key to the alternative use as an ingredient in hoodoo for purification and luck-drawing purposes (the two being almost the same concept in older hoodoo -- you'll be lucky as long as you're free from curses.)

The early mentions of using rosemary this way tend to turn up from around the New Orleans area (where there was some significant Spanish influence due to Spain governing the area; an experiment called Spanish Louisiana.) Zora Neale Hurston recommends it in a few lucky recipes, such as this one for Fast Scrubbing Essence:

A mixture of thirteen oils. It is burned with incense for fish-fry luck, i.e., business success. it includes:
Essence cinnamon
Essence wintergreen
Essence geranium
Essence bergamot
Essence orange flowers, used also in initiation baths
Essence lavender, used also in initiation baths
Essence anice (sic)
Essence St. Michael
Essence rosemary
Talking of more recent workings, rosemary is used in hispanic magic spells to the extent of being a talismanic herb all of its own. You can buy a scented Rosemary Candle with a prayer to the Rosemary:

Holy Rosemary, ye that possess the divine powers of cleansing, healing, purifying and protecting, help me rid my home, work and family of all spells, jinx, envy and incantations, placed upon them. With your natural protective powers be my shield against my enemies, that no evil shall reach my properties or their surroundings. I have faith in you and in the Lord that you will guard us day and night.
 
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