Herbs

“	Well, no spells, no. But I'm not completely useless. I mean, the earth still provides herbs and such.	”
	— Abby on the uses of herbs in The Ties That Bind

A flower from Abby's herb garden

Herbs and various other plants are often used by witches as ingredients which can be incorporated into spells and rituals and elixirs. They are provided by Nature and shown to have their own magical properties. Different herbs have different uses in which they can be used both to give aid or to harm others.

Throughout The Vampire Diaries Series

Vervain

Fresh Vervain

Vervain is a popular herb that is toxic when touched or ingested by vampires, and when it is ingested or worn by humans, it will prevent them from being compelled by vampires. How its toxic effects toward vampires came to be dated back to the 10th century, when the Mikaelson Family were first turned into the Original Vampires. Esther, the Original witch and mother to her children with her husband Mikael, modified the original immortality spell created by Qetsiyah and instead called upon the ancient White Oak Tree to lend its immortality to her husband and children. This spell upset Nature, and so Nature attempted to create a balance by making the flowers that grew at the base of the tree (vervain) toxic to these newly created beings. It also became toxic to the Originals' vampire offspring. Humans most often add vervain to perfume, tea, or coffee, as ingesting it is a lot more foolproof than wearing it in jewelry or charms, as an experienced vampire can sense it and take it off. Ingesting vervain has the added benefit of discouraging vampires from feeding on the person, as the vervain infuses in their blood and can poison a vampire who drinks from them. A vampire who touches vervain will be burned relatively badly, depending on its potency, and if they drink, eat, or are injected with the herb, a vampire will become incredibly weak and feverish to the point of unconsciousness.

Wolfsbane

Wolfsbane, also known as Aconite and Blue Rocket, has similar effects on werewolves that vervain has on vampires. First used in Plan B, it was used to torture Mason into telling the truth about Katherine and the moonstone. Surprisingly, it's a commonly-used herb by werewolves to drink as a tea on the night of Full Moons, as ingesting it prior to their transformations can weaken them enough to reduce the chances of breaking free from their restraints and hurting someone while they're changed. This concoction is said by Mason to taste like "battery acid." It is still unknown why exactly wolfsbane is toxic to werewolves, especially considering that werewolves were created by the Hollow, in Voodoo in My Blood, who cursed her tribe for killing her.

Sage

Esther Mikaelson with burning Sage

In All My Children, Esther cast a privacy spell on a bundle of Sage before burning it. The smoke wafted around the room and created a soundproof barrier that would prevent any vampires or hybrids from eavesdropping on her conversations with Elena and Finn. Sage appears to be a commonly used herb for Norwegian witches of old, having also been frequently used by Esther, Dahlia and Freya.

Age Slowing Herbs

In The End of the Affair, Gloria explained that she used "herbs and spells" to slow down the aging process, some, although warned that it would eventually catch up to her one day. Gloria was proficient enough with her herbs and spells that effectively allowed her to live around a century or so.

Essence Connection Herbs

Gloria's Concoction: "Diviner Sage, Witch Hazel..."

In Disturbing Behavior, Gloria used diviner's sage along with witch hazel and vervain in conjunction with her spells to make a connection with Stefan's essence to bring about psychic visions. She used this with her old school voodoo ritual to torture information out of Stefan about Esther's Talismans and where it was located.

White Oak

The White Oak Tree is one of Nature's eternal objects. White Oak wood is the only thing which can kill an Original vampire. Its use against vampires comes from the genesis of the vampire race and is the source of their immortality.

Magic Muting Herb

Abby grinding more Muting Herbs

In The Ties That Bind, Bonnie's mother, Abby, used a ground up herb to knock Bonnie unconscious, though the name of the herb was never mentioned. Abby later informed Bonnie that the herb had muted Bonnie's magic, and since Abby warned her daughter to not try any spells, it could be assumed that trying to do magic under the effect of this herb would either be dangerous to the casting witch or the spell would be unsuccessful. It was used once again by Abby in A View to a Kill, to subdue Bonnie in an attempt to cleanse her mind of any dark influence. However, they proved ineffective against the power of Expression as she awoke shortly after, with all her magic still easily accessible.

Darkness Reversal Herbs

Herbal Tea for the psyche

In Break On Through, Abby and Bonnie made a concoction of herbs to be used in a spell that would reverse the damage done to a broken psyche in an effort to heal Alaric of his dark alter-ego. It was theorized to be a side-effect from the overuse of the Gilbert Ring's resurrecting power. According to Abby, the spell used was common amongst witches who got too obsessed with Dark Magic which resulted in them acting out their darkest impulses due to a loss of self-control. The herbs were required to be drunk twice daily in order to work.

Qetsiyah's Forest Herbs

Qetsiyah performing her Mind-linking spell.

In Original Sin, Qetsiyah used a variety of herbs, plants, and roots of unknown origin to perform a spell that connected the mind of a Salvatore doppelgänger, Stefan, with his immortal progenitor, Silas. Using a circle of assorted wild herbs she gathered from the surrounding forest, including vines and flowers with yellow and purple hues. These herbs and plants allowed Qetsiyah to disable Silas' telepathic powers through his connection to his doppelgänger, Stefan. As the spell was cast, the assorted plant life was set on fire.

Psychotropic Herbs

Hallucinogenic Herbs

In I'll Remember, Lucas Parker helped Elena Gilbert get over the death of her love Damon Salvatore by supplying her with ancient psychotropic herbs. When ground up, set aflame and mixed with water, the herbs produce a vapor that has a hallucinogenic effect on those who take it. This allowed Elena to see and interact with a hallucinatory version of Damon whenever she liked. However, a dangerous side effect of these herbs is that they lower the inhibitions of their users, and in the case of Elena, who was a vampire, this increased her hunger and caused her to start feeding on people again.

Sleeping Beauty Reversal Herbs

In I Was Feeling Epic, Bonnie, seemingly, used an unknown herb that resembles dried lavender, and dried white flowers, along with candles and several grimoires, and performed the Sleeping Beauty Reversal Spell in order to wake Elena. Even though Kai claimed that the spell had no loopholes, Bonnie was able to successfully reverse the spell without causing either of them to die in the process.

Throughout The Originals Series

Camphor

Camphor used by Sophie Deveraux

In Fruit of the Poisoned Tree, Rebekah went to the Jardin Gris shop to recover camphor on Sophie's behalf as an ingredient in an herbal concoction that would help lower Hayley's fever after she was cursed with the Needle of Sorrows, due to her link to Sophie, by Agnes. Agnes intended to use the dark object to induce a miscarriage in Hayley and kill Hayley's hybrid daughter, whom she believed would bring death to all witches.

Mugwort

In Fruit of the Poisoned Tree, Rebekah claimed that mixing Mugwort with sage creates a potent vampire-repellent when confronted by Marcel. In The Other Girl in New Orleans, Freya Mikaelson mentioned that she had injected Tristan de Martel with a mixture of hibiscus flower and mugwort in order to counteract any vervain in his system.

Rose

Davina surrounded by enchanted roses

In Moon Over Bourbon Street, the three resurrected Harvest Witches Monique, Abigail and Davina used their magic to revive cut and dried roses while practicing at the Lycée. In Live and Let Die, Esther, while possessing the witch Lenore, attempted to locate Davina using three rose petals in a bowl of water, along with several drops of her blood. However, it was unsuccessful due to Davina's powerful cloaking spell.

Chamomile

In A Closer Walk With Thee, Genevieve used dried chamomile flowers to alleviate the suffering of Hayley while she was affected by a death hex. In Alive and Kicking, Klaus said that the flowers of this plant grew wild near his childhood home, and that Esther used them often to make chamomile tea, which he loathed.

Kandahār Root

Kaleb (Kol) with the Kandahar Root

A plant whose root vaguely resembles that of a thick long branch. It was attempted to be used by Davina in conjunction with an unlinking spell powerful enough to release Marcel and Josh from Klaus' sireline, but she was hampered by Kol, who destroyed the root on Esther's orders to avoid having to hurt Davina herself. The root is probably a herb whose faculties are linked to coercion or liberation. Taking its name from the synonymous Afghan city, Kandahār (or Qandahār), the root is possibly a plant native to this area.

Merlock Orchid

Merlock Orchid in a field of Vervain

In Chasing the Devil's Tail, Klaus explained that Esther used the rare Merlock Orchid on Mikael, who would return home from battle more blindly temperamental than usual. She'd use the petals to put him to sleep, mend his mind with her spells, then wake him with the roots of the same plant.

Lobelia

In Gonna Set Your Flag On Fire, Cassie told Rebekah that the "patients" in the Dowager Fauline Asylum are given capsules containing Lobelia flowers, which makes it impossible to concentrate and thus decreases a witch's ability to perform magic, as it requires concentration in order to produce effects. They were also used against Vincent and Freya.

Wormwood and Ripple Weed

Wormwood and ripple weed are two herbs used by Freya Mikaelson to cast a powerful locator spell to find Klaus' daughter at their safe house, which had been cloaked by powerful magic.

Blue Calamus

Blue Calamus, or better its root, is a plant known for its use as a truth serum. In Brotherhood of the Damned, this plant has been used for centuries in the werewolf community as part of their Rite of Divulgement, during which the participants smoke the root of the Blue Calamus flower from a peace pipe and link their minds as one to cleanse themselves of their secrets.

Jimson Weed

Ruben Morris assortment of herbs

In House of the Rising Son, According to Katie, mixing a drop of Jimson weed along with aconite in hot water or tea can be used to abort werewolf fetuses, which she explained to Hayley when she was considering terminating her pregnancy for her own safety. In They All Asked For You, Ruben mixed Jimson weed in tea that he served to Rebekah Mikaelson to poison her, believing her to be Eva Sinclair, the identity of her host body. However, there is an antidote, which consists of sertave beans and mizule, as stated by Rebekah, who had learned this information from her mother.

Healing Ointment

Eva mixing her ointment in a mortar

A mustard yellow poultice was created by Eva by mixing several herbs and oils into a stone mortar with a pestle. It was used by Eva to disinfect and heal a bad wound she had sustained from Klaus Mikaelson, and also helped relieve the pain. This poultice was applied directly to the wound, and while it initially stung upon contact, it appeared to have eventually soothed the pain from the injury.

Dahlia

Rapid growing Dahlia vines.

Dahlia flowers are a variety of bushy, tuberous plants used by the powerful witch of the same name: Dahlia. In When the Levee Breaks, Dahlia instantaneously grows several vines to reveal her presence to Hayley at the St. James Infirmary. They grew once again in Ashes to Ashes, surrounding the Abattoir. Dahlia showed finer control by manipulating a single vine to prick the baby Hope's hand to take a drop of her blood so Dahlia could bind herself to the child and channel her power.

Solomon's Seal and Snapdragon

Magic detection herbs.

In Fire with Fire, the wolf elder, Mary Dumas, taught Hayley the use of herbs, which she had herself been taught by a Voodoo Queen when relations between witches, werewolves, and vampires were more peaceful. By burning a combination of Solomon's seal and snapdragon, one is able to detect the use of magic. If the herbs give off a white smoke, then everything is clear; a black smoke indicates that there is a hex in the air, and if the smoke is red, then there is serious and dangerous magic afoot.

White Muskroot

Freya enchanting a silver knife with muskroot.

In Savior, Freya used white muskroot to enchant a silver knife in order to remove Rebekah's infected flesh with the cursed mark caused by The Cursed Stake. The herb was supplied by Jackson, suggesting that it's a local root that grows in the Bayou and for this reason, the wolf had offered to look for it. White Muskroot is a light brown taproot, similar to ginger root.

Magic Disrupting Herbs

In A Streetcar Named Desire, Klaus brought Stefan Salvatore to Freya to help him with his the Phoenix Sword scar, and although she said she couldn't remove the scar, she gave him a special Magic Cloaking paste that would mask the signal from the scar. She also told him where to find more, but, when Stefan and Valerie arrived at the place, a lady revealed that the herb was extremely rare and that someone already took it, and that there was no more in the world.

Black Cohosh

In Behind the Black Horizon, while Davina is searching for Vincent with the Soul-Blood Connection Spell, she wasn't able to pinpoint his exact location since the spell was not as strong as a locator spell, she needed something to boost the signal. She suggested using Black Cohosh, though Kol claimed that it won't do it. Instead he had a better idea to use the Blood Rider.

Healing Salve

In No More Heartbreaks, Freya created a healing salve consisting of Motherwort and white willow bark—a thousand years old recipe. The salve would ease her pain and dull the symptoms, but it wouldn't stop the infection that was brought on from Lucien's advanced toxin.

Sandalwood

In Bag of Cobras, it was revealed that Sandalwood is used in some Cloaking spells. Josh mentions that he could smell it in the tunnels where Marcel was kept and believed he was cloaked because Davina taught him the usage of Sandalwood.

Astral Projection Herbs

In One Wrong Turn On Bourbon, Hope listed out several different herbs that were used to aid spells of Astral Projection within her own Grimoire. She specifically had written that Violets were for protection and wishes, the latter likely stemming from her being a child, Myrrh that aids in meditation, and Acacia that helps to focus the projection.

Throughout Legacies Series

Devil's Ivy

In What Cupid Problem?, Kym's research on "Cupid", rather the Erotes, revealed that Pothos, one of Cupid's siblings, can be killed when poisoned with Devil's Ivy - also named "Pothos". Though not specifically an herb, it is known as a poisonous plant.

Blue Calamus

Blue Calamus, or as Josie calls it, Truth weed, is a plant known for its use in truth telling. In Yup, It's a Leprechaun, All Right, Josie is looking for herba fermentum, a leavening accelerant to help MG. However, her Botanical Arcanum is rusty and picks two different leaves. The one they want, herba fermentum tastes like cinnamon, and opts to taste-test one of the two leaves. The lower grades have access to the garden, so it should be safe. She lets MG choose, but chooses wrong and consumes Blue Calamus, which tastes minty. After consumption, the leaf forces her to expel truths.

Nightshade

In This Feels A Little Cult-y and A New Hope, several witches including Hope, Lizzie and Josie were under the psychotropic effects of a drug created by Triad Industries and used by Andi. After seemingly thwarting Andi's summoning ritual, she doused Hope, Lizzie, and Josie with a chalice full of the drug. Under the effects, they shared hallucinogenic experiences that Josie deemed a common side effect of nightshade, which can trigger a journey of spiritual enlightenment, leading to personal, profound discoveries.

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