Cinquefoil is a plant and an herb.

• botanical information
• astrological correspondences
• magick correspondences and uses
• magick incense
• cautions and contraindications

botanical information:

    Botanical name: Potentilla canadensis, Potentilla erecta, or Potentilla reptans

    Common name: cinquefoil

    Use the botanical name when ordering seeds (bulbs, etc.) or when looking up information in the library. Common names vary by nation, culture, and region, and sometimes the same common name is applied to different plants.

    There are multiple kinds of cinquefoil. The species listed above are not interchangeable for all purposes, as outlined in the following letter from Karl Haefner of Kamala Health & Beauty.

    Your cinquefoil page [implies that] Potentilla erecta, Potentilla canadensis, and Potentilla reptans are the same plant. They are not. While canadensis and reptans are, in fact, dwarf cinquefoil, erecta is erect cinquefoil. Both are used as talismanic love charms and protection. However, canadensis/reptans is also a talasmin for money, love, health, wisdom, power, protection, and eloquence. Another major difference is erecta as a tea forces somebody to stay in love with you but canadensis/reptans tea is used as a forehead wash to remove curses and hexes. These two plants are, therefore, not interchangeable in all cases and definitely should not be listed as being the same plant. — Karl Haefner, Secretary/Treasurer of Kamala Health & Beauty

astrological correspondences:

    Astrological planet: Jupiter

magickal correspondences and uses:

    Incense: Cinquefoil incense corresponds with wednesday and is a good incense to burn on wednesdays.

    Gender: masculine (traditional western European magickal gender)

    Jupiter spells: Cinquefoil (as an herb) may be used in as an ingredient or substitute for magick spells and formulas related to Jupiter matters (growth, legal matters, luck, meditation, money, prosperity, settling legal matters, and spirituality). Be careful about substitutions for preparations that will be ingested or come in contact with the skin. These substitutions do not apply to medical uses. See the article on Jupiter for a list of herbal substitutes for cinquefoil.

    Magickal substitutions: Rosemary usually may be safely substituted for any herb in magick spells and rituals. Roses may safely be substituted for any flower.

Magical Uses Carried by witches for protection. The five-pointed leaves symbolize love, money, health, power and wisdom. Ruling Element: Fire. Money, Protection, Prophetic Dreams, Sleep. information courtesy of

cautions and contraindications:

    Cautions and contraindications: Cinquefoil of the species Potentilla erecta is believed to be safe.

    Non-toxic to animals: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center has determined that cinquefoil “has not been reported as having systemic effects on animals or as having intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract.” —ASPCA

Some herbs may be poisonious under some conditions. Exercise appropriate care.

    Wild gathering: Avoid wild gathering. Some plants are endangered species. Some plants can be toxic just by touch. Even experts can make deadly misidentifications of wild plants. Please grow your own herbs in your own goddess garden (or window boxes).

See also: herbs

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