THE PLANT THAT LOOKS LIKE A HUMAN – MANDRAGORA OFFICINARUM
There’s little wonder mandrake has been associated with superstitious practices over the years – the roots of the plants often have a resemblance to humans. Mandrake has long been associated with ‘magic rituals’ and continues to be used in contemporary pagan traditions such as Wicca and Odinism. Some believe that mandrake plants scream as they’re pulled from the ground, and anyone who hears the scream will die instantly. In Harry Potter, Pomona Sprout insists that students wear earmuffs to protect themselves from the mandrakes’ cries.
This herbaceous plant has played a starring role in medicine too. Its root is a hallucinogenic and narcotic and, in sufficient quantities, it has been known to induce a state of unconsciousness. It was also used as a form of anaesthesia in ancient times and was used by monks to treat ulcers, asthma, and arthritis pain among other ailments. Some people believed that mandrake could treat melancholy, convulsions and mania, although in large doses it can actually cause, rather than stop, delirium.
All parts of Mandrake are poisonous, do not consume
