The Most Magical and Mysterious Plant in History!

The Most Magical and Mysterious Plant in History!

The Mandrake, the object of so many strange superstitions, is a native of Southern Europe and the Levant, but will grow here in gardens if given a warm situation, though otherwise it may not survive severe winters. It was cultivated in England in 1562 by Turner, the author of the Niewe Herball.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Mandragora L.

The name Mandragora is derived from two Greek words implying 'hurtful to cattle.’ The Arabs call it 'Satan's apple.'

The root, which is unusually shaped and appears to resemble man, wa thought to wield great power over humans. It was said to enable married couples who had previously given up hope of having a family, to have babies.

It had many other amazing uses. It helped fortune-tellers to see the future more clearly ans assisted witches with their magic. Some said it shone in the dark like a beacon while others claim that it only grew freely near prisons and was fabled to grow under the gallows of murderers.

Because of its magical properties the root was in great demand, but only the very clever or the foolish dared to pluck it.

It was believed to be death to dig up the root, which was said to utter a shriek and terrible groans on being dug up, which none might hear and live.

A foolproof method that was devised by the gatherer, where he would gently loosen the earth around the plant with the help of an ivory or iron tool, then tie a very hungry dog firmly to the Mandrake plant. He would then block his ears with wax, drop a piece of meat just beyond the reach of the dog and run off with great speed. When the dog grabbed at the meat, the plant would come loose by the root and the dog would drop dead. Then the gatherer was free to return and collect the mandrake. There seems to be no record if the collector found the dog mad instead of dead!

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