The Magick of Ferns: Ancient Lore and Wiccan Wisdom

There are over 12,000 species of plant belonging to the group pteridophyte, which are commonly referred to as ferns. They are some of the most beautiful and diverse plants in the entire world, as well as the magickal cannon. Unlike moss, a fern is a vascular plant because it has transport tissues (xylem and phloem). Like other vascular plants, they have roots, stems, and leaves. But the fascinating part about ferns is that they have neither seeds nor flowers or fruit. Ferns reproduce entirely from spores that are much different from other plants.

From remote mountains and dry open fields to rocky, arid deserts and boggy bodies of water, ferns can be found almost everywhere in the world. Because they live in a wide variety of habitats, people have used them both medicinally and magickally. Being one of the oldest plants on earth, it is no wonder the fern has made its way into a variety of places in almost every culture. They can be found in fairy tales, hanging from porches, photographed in the wild, and written about in gardening books.

The fern is inherently magickal, and many cultures have harnessed the power of this ancient plant. The indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand, the Māori, consider ferns a symbol of new beginnings and that they represent rebirth. The Druids described them as sacred trees.

The Celtic Druids gathered the unfurled male fronds at Midsummer, dried them, and carried them in their pockets for good luck. The protective powers of ferns extended into the Middle Ages when they were hung in a home to protect it from lightning and planted to dispel any possible negativity. In the Victorian language of flowers, ferns represent fascination, sincerity, and humility.

Slavic folklore tells of how the fern produces a single magick blossom once every year on the eve of the summer solstice. The person lucky enough to find the magickal fern flower will be able to talk to animals, have unconditional good luck and prosper beyond their dreams. The Slavs aren’t alone in their tale, as the Swedes and Estonians both have a similar tradition, except they tell how the flower is protected by evil spirits.

Anyone who possesses the magickal fern flower will be granted immense wealth, but if they ever share their wealth, it will all vanish. To keep their riches, they must become stingy and cold-hearted.

In several cultures, fern seeds were thought to be invisible until Midsummer Eve. During this one night, the seeds could be seen and gathered. Possessing the seeds could either make a person invisible, allow them to talk to birds, help them locate buried treasures, or provide them with the strength of forty men. In a Russian folktale, a farmer loses his herd of cows and cannot find them anywhere.

After having a fern seed fall in his shoe, he instantly had knowledge of their whereabouts. The Finnish are able to travel invisibly once finding a seed. To find a fern seed, the English believed you could catch one by stacking twelve pewter plates in a field of ferns. The seeds would fall through the first eleven plates when they appeared and stuck to the last.

Sadly, there are no magickal fern flowers or seeds. However, ferns do produce fertile fronds, which can look like flowering clusters and seed pods.

Ferns are fascinating plants that have woven their way into many of our traditions. It isn’t just humans that are attracted to ferns. The Fae are especially fond of these mystic fronds as well. And two Hawai’ian deities were known to take the body form (kino lau) of a tree (Hāpuʻu) fern: Kamapua’a and Haumea, the goddesses of fertility and childbirth.

In some areas, ferns were actually used to protect against witches! When the eagle fern is cut along the diagonal, it reveals a pattern that looks much like the Greek letter ‘X.’ While the design can be interpreted in many different ways, early Christians saw the initial of their savior and felt it could keep any evil at bay, including witches and werewolves.

In fact, it was common knowledge that waving a fern frond in front of a witch was similar to holding a cross in front of a vampire. Because of this, many shepherds made crosses of fern fronds to help protect themselves and their flocks from nefarious magick. And in Slavic countries, when people wanted to take a bath in a lake or stream, they would weave fern fronds into their hair. The fronds would protect them from being drowned by the freshwater sirens called Rusalki.

Like the stories of seeds and flowers, ferns keeping witches at bay was merely superstition because magickally, ferns have a variety of uses and have been used by witches for centuries. They dispel negativity, promote mental clarity, and are excellent protectors. They provide luck, eternal youth, and health. But most of all, ferns are renowned for making rain as they are inextricably linked to weather magick. Beware of burning a fern or pulling up one by the roots, as this can cause a large storm to brew.

In South West England, in the Devonshire moors, they still burn growing bracken in an outdoor fire to bring forth the rain. Not only can the fronds help bring about rain, but they can also boost the magickal properties of any spell. Adding a fresh frond to any magickal working will help increase the spell's power while protecting the practitioner.

All over the globe, from current-day practitioners to ancient peoples, the fern has held many different uses. This unusual plant that reproduces from spores and doesn’t produce any fruit or flower has captivated legends and folktales in all cultures. Ferns have the ability to cleanse and purify a space, helping to clear the mind. Next time you want to add a new plant to your home, consider choosing the ancient and mystical fern!

From hoodoo to standard Wiccan practices, ferns are largely used for protection. These ancient faunae have protected the earth and its inhabitants for thousands of years by banishing evil and cleansing our spirits. While known for their magickal ability to bring forth the rain, we will focus on their protection properties in this spell.

Begin by locating two ferns that you can use for the spell. You could choose to find them from a local plant shop or harvest them from the wild. In either case, make sure you have two appropriately sized pots for them to live in.

Before the ritual, determine a good spot for the ferns to thrive. The area you choose should have the right levels of sunlight and humidity. Choose a well-draining potting mix that can be kept moist.

The best place for ferns is in a south-facing or north-facing window inside your home, but if you live in an area where ferns flourish easily outside, you can place them there. Be sure not to put them too close to a sunny window as they prefer indirect light.

Once you have identified the fern and its placement inside or outside your home, it is time to start the ritual. If possible, wait for a rainy day to perform it to enhance the fern’s cleansing properties.

Place the ferns on your altar. Take a moment to meditate on how you want your fern to protect you and your home.

Place your hands on either side of the pot and welcome the ferns into your home. Feel the energy of the fern radiating out from each frond. Visualize its energy weaving and creating a protective shield around you and your space.

With your hands still upon the sides of the fern’s pot, connect with the plant. Listen to the fern and the ancient wisdom it has to offer. In some instances, the fern may reveal its sacred, secret name. If you have a second fern, repeat this process.

(If listening to a plant is a new experience for you, and you feel that you might not be hearing it well, that’s okay! It takes time to commune with nature on a deeper level than our culture generally accepts. But if you listen, it will connect with you.)

When ready, write down your meditative thoughts in a journal or your book of shadows. What do you want the fern to protect? Do you feel the fern will help increase this protection? Do you think the protective shield of the fern already repelling the negativity?

Place the fern in the predesignated spot, either inside or outside. Be sure to keep the soil moist and provide it with mist from a spray bottle every now and then. And if you feel inspired, read your fern some old folktales or lore about ferns to reconnect to the power of the plant at any time.