Witchy Wednesday - Water lily
Witchy Wednesday - Water Lily The water lily is a member of a family of plants all called Lotus. Water lilies are aquatic plants that grow in still waters throughout the tropical and temperate world. They have large green leaves floating on top of water coming off a root which grows deep into the mud of the water. The flowers also float on top or may be raised above the water on a stiff stem, they come in a whole range of colours. The Latin family name Nymphaeaceae comes from the Nymphs of ancient Greek and Roman mythology who settled waterways, wells and springs. The leaves have been traditionally used to stop bleeding and a poultice may be made from the roots to help relieve the swelling of wounds. The white water lily is the national flower of Bangladesh and state flower for Andhra Padesh, India. The seal of Bangladesh contains a lily floating on water. The blue water lily is the national flower of Sri Lanka, It is also the birth flower for July. The root of the yellow water lily may be crushed and boiled in milk to prepare a bait to get rid of beetles and roaches. Burning the root is said to repel crickets. Native Americans may have used for food, pounding the rhizome or seeds to make flour and eating the young flower buds and leaves as vegetables. Magickally Because the Lotus grows in water, it is associated with the watery magic of the moon and of Venus; it is used for love, its many seeds also symbolizing fertility. Ancient priests may have used the blue water lily, possibly in combination with mandrake, to achieve a trance state as part of funerary rituals. The petals were steeped in wine to produce a sedative or an aphrodisiac while the stems and roots were said to have an aphrodisiac affect.
