This is the third in my series of the alchemy of poisonous herbal plants series. This is Black Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger). Also known as Stinking Nightshade, Henbell, Jupiter’s Bean. Extremely poisonous and yet used in herbal medicine to this day. In the herbal medicine clinic I used to work at in London, it was kept in the dispensary in a locked cabinet along with other Schedule III herbs.
Known as ‘The Witches’ Herb’, it was supposedly used, in conjunction with a whole host of other herbs, by witches to help them to “fly”, set the seal on binding spells and communicate with the dead. Perhaps the flying was actually a psychedelic trip rather than a literal journey on a broomstick. Nevertheless this herb is steeped in folklore, sorcery and as a vehicle for shapeshifting. The flowers were said to be made into wreaths to adorn the heads of dead souls wandering hopelessly along the banks of the river Styx. The herb was also purported to bring lightning and rain for thirsty ground. It was used dipped in a spring and then sprinkled on sun-baked soil or thrown into the heavens to induce rain. The purplish veins on the flowers almost look like branching forks of lightning and I’ve tried to echo those in the hand casting its spell over the land.
Putting Henbane on a hare skin and leaving it in a field would supposedly gather all the local hares around it. Hares were seen as witches’ familiars and have been long associated with witchcraft. It was said that if a hare crossed the path of pregnant woman, then her child would be born with a hare-lip as narrated in one of my favourite books/films Precious Bane by Mary Webb.
Henbane has long curving stalks adorned with seed capsules, each one shaped like a vessel or cup with pointed ends. Beautiful but also quite weird. As are all these poisonous witchy herbs. I feel like I’m not done with the folklore imagery of this alchemy series yet. It feels like a gateway into another world I’m just stepping through.
The moth whose caterpillar uses Black Henbane as a food source is Cabbage Moth (Mamestra brassicae). Its intricate markings were quite fun to try to reproduce.
This work is available as an open edition unframed print.
Please also have a look at the other paintings in this series Atropa Belladonna and the Hand of Fate and The Queen of Poisons – Monkshood
