Adiantum capillus-veneris
The Maidenhair Fern
Got a little lost in the research on this one. It turns out that the maidenhair fern has got quite a history. It was first named by the Roman naturalist, Pliny, who called it adiantum, meaning wetless, because he noticed that water tends to bead up and slide right off the plant’s leaves. Pliny saw this as a strange contradiction to the plant’s love of moist environments, but nowadays botanists call this the ‘lotus effect.’ Some plants, most notably lotus of course, produce a water resistant coating to help keep their leaves free of pathogens and dirt. As the water slides off the leaves, it takes dirt with it, pretty clever really. The rest of its name, capillus-veneris means Venus’ hair and was given to the plant by the OG taxonomist, Linneas.
The association with Venus seems to appear during medieval times, but I couldn’t find an explanation for such a pairing. In later, 19th century and early 20th century sources a story arises that the plant’s hydrophobic properties made it just like Venus, emerging from the sea, with her hair perfect. The Victorians did love a good tale. Pliny did note that some referred to the plant as ‘beautiful hair’ or ‘thick hair’ and that it was used as a hair dye, but he never correlates the maidenhair with Venus.
It is obviously the thin, black, shining stalk that gives
to the adiantum its name of maiden hair, for the Greek
adiantos signifies dry, and refers to the hair of Venus,
which was not bedraggled when she arose from the sea…
-Charles M. Skinner, 1911
Skinner, in his Myths and Legends of Flowers, Trees, Fruits, and Plants In All Ages and In All Climes also links maidenhair fern to Hades and Persephone, although, I only found that in one other source (and again, with no explanation) and I have no idea what that connection is. I’d love to know, hopefully with a little more digging I can find the story.
The association with hair led to many, many recipes for tonics and shampoos to grow or thicken hair. This use of maidenhair fern to regrow hair arose all over the world, from Brazil to China people started using it as a hair tonic. And as it turns out, science has confirmed the plant’s ability to promote hair growth, and also to cure dandruff. So perhaps things happened the other way around and the plant became associated with hair because it actually is beneficial to hair.
Like last month’s plant, Polyscias fruticosa, maidenhair fern is also an over achiever. Historically it has been used as a diuretic, an expectorant, to help with general chest and throat ailments, to help regulate menstrual cycles, to help stimulate appetite, and to help pass kidney stones, all of which have been backed up by modern science.
In the fifteen hundreds pharmacists created a syrup with fronds of maidenhair that was used until the mid eighteen hundreds to treat symptoms of catarrh. Combined with licorice root, water, and sugar, the syrup was called serapium adiantinum or syrupus capillorum veneris. Licorice root was eventually replaced with orange flower water and the syrup changed from being primarily medicinal to moonlighting as a culinary delight called capillare that was added to teas and alcoholic drinks. I stumbled across a recipe in a book called The Drunkin Botanist by Amy Stewart (a book I somehow do not own).
Capillaire Syrup
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients:
Several stems of fresh maidenhair ferns
2 cups of water
1 ounce orange flower water
1 ½ cups sugar
And of course, we have to talk about witches. In Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics by Richard Folkard, maidenhair is mentioned among a long list of plants used by witches in general, but also favored by perhaps three of the most famous classical witches, Hecate, Circe, and Medea. He also states that in Tyrol, a region in the Alps, anyone who binds rue, broom, maidenhair, agrimony, and ground ivy and carries the bundle around will be able to spot witches. I’m assuming broom refers to broom corn (Sorghum bicolor). Finally, Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs has this to say:
Immerse some maidenhair in water and then remove. If worn on the person or kept in the bedroom after this process it will grant you grace, beauty and love.
A lovely note to end on, for a plant that surprised me with a wealth of good research.
So that’s it! This month’s plant will serve as inspiration for the paid posts in my 100% Plant-Based Horror sections. Here’s the breakdown, in case you’re new and/or curious. And don’t forget, subscriptions are only $2.50/month for life, but only for a limited time!
First week of the month - The Lab (that’s this post!) - Free for everyone
Second week of the month - The Witch Lab (a short, spooky piece from a plant witch’s journal detailing one of her experiences helping (I use the term loosely) a client using the featured plant of the month - Paid subscribers only, here’s a freebie you can read to check it out!
Third week of the month - The Spell Book (an entry from The Witch’s spell book detailing how she uses this plant for her dark magic including spells, chants, recipes, instructions, and more). Paid subscribers only, here’s a freebie you can read to check it out!
Fourth week of the month - 100% Plant-Based Horror story featuring the month’s plant. These are longer stories that include everything from ghosts, to parasites, aliens, experimental supplements, and more! - Paid subscribers only, here’s a freebie you can read to check it out!