Medicinal Monday - Love Medicine

The term love medicine was suggested by tribal healers to have powers beyond their medicinal attributes. Both men and women used various plants as love charms in order to get or hold the attention of that special person. Love medicine took several forms, sometimes they were digested, at other times worn as a charm, and even made into a perfume. Below are a few ways different tribal communities use plants as a love medicine.

The Potawatomi mixed the seeds of Purple Meadow Rue with tobacco and smoked it as a love medicine before visiting the lady of their choice.

Western Columbine is used by the Thompson Native Americans. Women made the flowers into a charm to gain the affection of a man. The Pawnee and the Ponca's use crushed seeds of columbine as a love charm.

Meadowrue is used by local Native American communities in Central Oregon as a love medicine. They mix the seeds of meadowrue with tobacco and smoke this mixture before courting their favorite lady.

The Ojibwa smuggled the ground up roots of the Longract Frog Orchid into their beloved's food because they believe it acts as an aphrodisiac.

The women of the Potawantomi community use the delicate flowers of the Softstem bulrush as a love medicine.

"Sweet leaf", that could include wild bergamot, bee balm, or mint is recognized by the Plains Indian tribes as a favored herb to inspire love. When used as a tonic or tea, "sweet leaf" is thought to possess seductive powers, and when the leaves of these plants are mixed with buffalo fat, it becomes a pleasant smelling ointment that was spread on the skin in order to attract love.