Herb of the Week: Pau d'Arco

Happy Gregorian New Year!

We start this new year talking about Pau d'Arco (current Latin name is Handroanthus impetiginosus but has also been known as Tabebuia impetiginosa or Tabebuia avellanedae). It refers to the inner bark of a tree found in the rainforests of Central and South America. The word is from the Portuguese language and translates to "bowed wood" because the indigenous people used this wood to make bows. Ten points if you guessed that correctly (not that we're redeeming points or anything but pat yourself on the back if you did guess the origin of the name correctly). Other common names it's known under are lapacho or taheebo.

Internally, Pau d'Arco has been used for infections, to treat fevers, and to ease stomach ailments. Externally, it's been used for eczema, psoriasis, athlete's foot, warts, and nail fungus. It has been used both internally and externally as an anti-inflammatory and all around "cure all" for all types of wounds. It's been recently seen to have potential as an antibacterial, antifungal, and even anticancer properties. And, it's been seen as a healing partner against candida fungus.

In witchcraft, this herb has been seen as extremely potent for protection, healing, increasing strength of rituals/spells, for grounding, working with ancestors, resilience spells (since it can bend without breaking), and cleansing.

As something new for this year (and because I was gifted a beautiful, new oracle deck called "The Herbal Astrology Oracle" by Adriana Ayales), I'm going to include a little bit about the oracle card for Pau d'Arco from that deck. I don't want to add too many thing s here for free as that's not fair to the creator. If you want more information, go get yourself the deck, it's beautiful!

This card is about "metamorphosis" and is ruled by the moon and Pluto.