I see a lot of witches drying rose petals for floral arrangements or even making rose water from them. Please keep in mind that roses grown for florists are over treated with pesticides and fertilizers. Anything made from these petals isn’t safe to ingest.
If you’re doing work that requires making a rose preparation for ingestion or topical application that will be absorbed into the skin, you’ll want to get rose petals from a shop that sells for these purposes.
Or grow your own organically. Old fashioned varieties rather than the hybrid teas you see in flower arrangements are usually grown for these purposes because they grown more easily without intense treatments.
THIS IS IMPORTANT Y’ALL.
As a witch who worked at a florist, whenever I ‘cleaned’ the roses for sale (taking off excess leaves, slicing off thorns, etc), I would immediately wash my hands afterward. The chemicals were so bad I would feel immediate irritation and would have skin issues if I didn’t scrub clean every 30 minutes or so (I aimed for 1 wash after every 12).
It’s especially worth noting that roses from florists are often (almost always) flown in from other countries where the laws about pesticides are a lot more lax. Originally we got ours from a grower in Colombia, which wasn’t too bad, but I believe we switched to Ecuador and holy moly I don’t know what the company we got it from used but it was strong. As in ‘The smell of the chemicals hit me like a wall as soon as I opened up the dozen, despite them having traveled all the way from Ecuador in a freezer’ strong.
It was so bad I legitimately had worries about how handling the roses would effect my long term health, and gods above and below I felt for the workers over there that had to deal with these pesticides regularly and up close.
Also, if you buy your own rose bush to use for ingestion purposes, DO NOT use the petals off of it for the first year UNLESS you got it from a organic nursery. Because most places do spray the roses with pesticides and fertilizers from seedling on up, and it will take a year for all that stuff to work it’s way out of the plant’s system.
If you need rose petals to ingest ASAP, I would strongly suggest checking out tea shops. Many local or online sellers have rose teas that are lovely, and either have rose hips (which might not be as fancy as petals and have a more citrus-y flavor, but are the fruit borne from a rose and thus symbolic as all hell) or rose petals mixed in with their teas. This are absolutely edible, and are easily accessible to boot.
Signed, a ex-florist and Rose Nerd.
I really hope people see this because it is very important. Roses from the floral section are not intended for consumption. I have found whole rose buds at herb stores, Asian grocery stores (in cooking sections), and tea stores. I would highly suggest going to those places for roses. They may also sell tea with a high quantity of rose petals which you can use in place of pure roses. Another note: jasmine tea is not tea with dried jasmine. Most jasmine varieties are not edible and you can’t use dried jasmine in tea unless it is a variety specifically marketed as being edible (jasmine sambac aka Pikake)
Reblogging this immediately because my most popular post is ‘How to dry rose petals the lazy way’ and I completely forgot to mention this.
I just buy a bottle of Botanics Rose Water skin refreshing spritzer for my needs (not to ingest of course) It’s Rose Water, Organic, and $9 at Walgreens. It’s amazing 💖
What about pineapple weed? It grows in abundance at my house!
Pineapple Weed (dank, 420, 840, is that allowed)
Jk pineapple weed is fantastic medicinally being a fever reducer and stomach issue resolver. It’s closely related to chamomile so the properties are similiar.
Spring is almost here and our gardens begin to grow and bloom. The plants that we grow can be used been used in magic and have been for hundreds of years. Flowers, in particular, are often connected with a variety of magical uses. Now that spring is here, keep an eye out for some of these flowers around you, and consider the different magical applications they might have. And maybe even use them in your Spring Magic!
Crocus
These flowers are usually one of the first you will see and they are associated with newly blooming love. They are also known to enhance visions and bring about intuitive dreams.
Daffodil
Daffodil petals are typically found in shades of white, yellow or even pale orange. This flower is associated with love and fertility. Place fresh ones in your home to bring about abundance. Wear this flower close to your heart to draw love and luck. Place daffodils on your altar during workings related to love, especially if it’s a new relationship and you’re still trying to figure out how to navigate the waters. Add potted daffodil bulbs to your altar for spring celebrations (don’t worry if they’re not blooming yet), along with other spring flowers such as forsythia, crocus, and snowdrops.
Dandelion
The leaf of the dandelion is used for healing, purification, and ritual cleansing. The bright yellow flowers can be used in divination or placed in a sachet to draw good energy your way. In some magical belief systems, the dandelion is associated with growth and transformation; after all, a few dandelion flowers soon turn into hundreds of seeds waiting to travel around to repopulate. There’s also a connection to moving on: If you’ve got a bad habit you want to get rid of, associate it with a dandelion puff, and then blow it out away from you.
Echinacea
Also called purple cone flower, this garden mainstay adds a little bit of magical “oomph” to charms and sachets. Use it for prosperity related workings: Burn the dried flowers in incense, and use on your altar during rituals.
Goldenseal
This sunny yellow flower is often found growing in the wild, alongside roads, and in fields. Use it in money spells, or for business dealings. Work it into charms connected to matters of financial gain or legal issues.
Hibiscus
This flower was named for Hyakinthos, a Greek divine hero who was beloved by Apollo, so it’s sometimes considered the patron herb of homosexual men.
Hyacinth is also known to promote peaceful sleep, and guards against nightmares. Carry in an amulet to help heal a broken heart or to ease grief when a loved one dies.
LillyThe Easter lily or Tiger lily is associated with all kinds of spring connections: fertility, rebirth, renewal, and abundance.
TulipThe tulip appears in many different colours and varieties but is typically connected to prosperity. You can use the different coloured variations in colour magic: Use a dark strain such as Queen of the Night for full moon rituals, or bright red flowers for love magic.
Violet
In Roman myth, the first violet sprung from the spilled blood of the god Attis, who killed himself for Cybele, the mother goddess.
However, today the violet is associated with tranquillity and peace. The leaf offers protection from evil and can be sewn into a pillow or sachet. Carry the petals with you to bring about luck and enhance night time magic. These pretty purple flowers are everywhere in the spring and early summer, so it’s a perfect opportunity to do a bit of flower magic. Dry the flowers in the sun, and use them in an incense blend to bring about sweet dreams and restful sleep. You may even want to sew them into a pillow like our Dream Pillow. The violet is also associated with dedication and loyalty. If you want your lover to be constant and true, offer a bundle of violets as a gift or plant a patch in front of the person’s home.
Remember that some plants can be toxic to pets. Before you plant or pick any of these, be sure to check to make sure it won’t be harmful to your furry companions.
teakepp 