Wormwood Cut, 1 oz (Artemisia absinthium)

Wormwood is the bitter green heart of absinthe and one of the most storied herbs in the witch's cabinet. Artemisia absinthium is a Mars herb of the psychic and the protective, burned to sharpen the sight and call spirits, and worked to ward, banish, and turn ill-wishing back. It is also toxic, and we offer it for ritual work only, never to be taken in any form.

Important safety note. Wormwood contains thujone and is not safe to consume. Never eat it, brew it as tea, or take it internally; it is especially dangerous in pregnancy. Keep it for external ritual use only, away from children and pets.

This ounce is the starter size for divination incense, spirit work, and protective and banishing charms; the working pound goes deeper. Reach for wormwood when the work turns toward the unseen.

Key Features of Wormwood

A psychic and spirit herb. Wormwood's classic working is to open the sight, burned in divination incense and spirit-calling blends to sharpen psychic perception and aid contact.

Protection and banishing. Cunningham seats it under Mars; it is worked to protect, to banish, and to turn ill-wishing and crossing back on its source.

The absinthe herb, handled with care. The bitter green of the absinthe legend, wormwood is potent in every sense; we offer it for ritual use only, never to be consumed.

Product Details

• Botanical name: Artemisia absinthium (wormwood)
• Tradition: Cunningham places wormwood under Mars, for psychic powers and protection
• Form: cut and sifted dried herb
• Weight: 1 oz
• Toxic (contains thujone): for external ritual use only. Never ingest or brew; especially dangerous in pregnancy. Keep away from children and pets.
• Storage: keep sealed in a cool, dark place, away from food

The Spiritual Significance

Wormwood is one of the bitterest plants in the garden and one of the most magical. Cunningham seats it under Mars, naming psychic powers and protection among its workings, and its great traditional use is to open the inner sight: burned, often with sandalwood, in divination incense and in blends meant to summon and speak with spirits, it is the seer's and necromancer's herb. Alongside that, wormwood is a strong protector, worked to banish, to break and reverse crossings, and to turn ill-wishing back toward its source.

Its other fame is cautionary. Wormwood is the defining herb of absinthe, it contains thujone, and it is not safe to consume; it should never be eaten, brewed as tea, or taken internally, and it is especially dangerous in pregnancy. Plentiful Earth offers this dried herb strictly for external ritual use, in incense burned with care and in charms that are not consumed, and it is not for ingestion. Burn it, if you burn it, over charcoal in a fire-safe dish in a well-ventilated space, within sight and away from anything flammable.

How To Use Wormwood

1. Burn for the sight. Add a little wormwood to divination or spirit-contact incense, burning it over charcoal in a fire-safe dish in a well-ventilated room, within sight and away from anything flammable.
2. Open a scrying session. Use it in incense or a sealed charm to sharpen psychic perception before divination.
3. Banish and reverse. Work wormwood into banishing and reversing charms to turn ill-wishing back.
4. Ward with it. Add it to protective sachets, kept sealed and not consumed.
5. Store it safely. Keep sealed in a cool, dark place, labeled and away from children, pets, and food.

Pairs Well With

• Mugwort Cut, 1 oz: wormwood's gentler Artemisia sister for dream and divination work.
• Star Anise Whole, 1 oz: a psychic-power herb for the divination blend.
• Reversible Oil: turn ill-wishing back as you banish it.
• Magical Herbalism by Scott Cunningham: the source of these attributions.
• Wormwood Cut, 1 Lb: the working pound for frequent spirit and protection work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is wormwood used for in magic?

Above all to open the psychic sight and aid spirit contact, burned in divination and summoning incense, often with sandalwood. It is also a strong protector, worked to banish and to reverse crossings and ill-wishing. Cunningham places it under Mars.

Is wormwood safe? Can I make absinthe or tea from it?

No. Wormwood contains thujone and is not safe to consume. Never eat it, brew it, or take it internally, and avoid it entirely in pregnancy. Plentiful Earth offers it for external ritual use only, and it is not for ingestion.

How is it used for psychic work?

Burn a small amount over charcoal, often with sandalwood, in a well-ventilated space before divination or spirit work, or keep it in a sealed charm. The smoke is traditionally used to sharpen perception and aid contact with spirits.

What are wormwood's correspondences?

Cunningham seats wormwood under the planet Mars, naming psychic powers and protection among its workings, with banishing and reversing strong in folk practice. It is a potent, Martial herb of the sight and the ward.

How should I store it?

Keep the cut herb sealed in a cool, dark place, labeled and away from food, children, and pets. Stored safely and used only in incense and sealed charms, an ounce will supply many workings.