Herb Paris (Paris quadrifolia)
Flowers: May to June. Height: 40cm (16in).
Also known as Herb True-love and One-berry.
Medicinal: John Gerard’s Herball (1597) described it as “an extremely cold herb whereby it represses the rage and force of poison,” both the fresh berries and the dried and powdered herb being administered over the course of twenty days as antidotes to such highly toxic substances as arsenic or mercury. Gerard also noted that its black berries were used as a remedy for those who had lost their minds or developed epilepsy through bewitchment.
Magic & Myth: The plant has four oval leaves and this symmetry appealed to medieval herbalists as it suggested both the cross of Christ and the true-love knot, so it was used both in marriage rituals and to guard against witches. This popular Middle English rhyme alludes to the custom of placing the spring-blooming Herb Paris in hats, hoods, or purses as a charm for luck in love, while recognising how quickly such love is lost.
Trew-loue among men is that most is of lette,
In hates, in hodes, in porses, is sette.
Trewe-loue in herbers spryngeth in May.
Bot trew-loue of herte went is away.
