Lungwort: Folklore, Healing & Magical Attributes

Pulmonaria or lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) is a European native with large hairy leaves, green often mottled with light green or white, which appear in basal rosettes.

Flowers appear in early spring and may be red, blue, white or violet. Flowers are grouped in a calyx and are somewhat funnel shaped. Flowers close at night and open again in the morning.

Other Names
Bethlehem sage, cowslip, bloody butcher, Jerusalem sage, boys and girls, hundreds and thousands, Joseph and Mary, Mary spilt the milk, spilt milk, soldiers and sailors, spotted dog

History and Folklore

The latin name Pulmonaria comes from pulmo which means, the lung. In English, Lungwort and the German Lungenkraut also refer to the lungs.

Lungwort Folklore and Symbolism:

Folklore	Symbolism
“Lung” Connection	The name “Lungwort” comes from its spotted leaves that resemble lungs. In folklore, plants with similar appearances were often believed to possess healing properties for respiratory ailments.
Divine Healing Association	Lungwort was associated with the Greek goddess, Aphrodite, and was believed to be a gift from her to mankind. It was considered a symbol of divine healing and was used in rituals and remedies for respiratory health.
Folk Medicinal Uses	Throughout history, Lungwort was used as a folk remedy for various respiratory conditions, such as coughs, bronchitis, and tuberculosis. It was often brewed as a tea or made into syrups and tinctures for medicinal use.
Protective Charm	In some cultures, Lungwort was believed to possess protective qualities and was hung near doorways or carried as an amulet to ward off evil spirits, bring good luck, and protect against respiratory illnesses.

Some Eastern European names refer to honey instead, such as the Russian medunitza and the Polish miodunka

Propagation

Lungworts multiply quickly and can be propagated by division or seed. They prefer moist soil in a cool, shady spot protected from afternoon heat.

In hot climates, they will go dormant in the summer and return in the autumn when temperatures cool down again.

Slugs love it, and woodchucks will also eat it.

Magical Attributes

Lungwort is associated with the element air and is used for protection when traveling by air.

Magical Attribute	Uses and Associations
Elemental Correspondence	Lungwort is associated with the element of Water due to its connection to healing and fluidity. It can be incorporated into water-based rituals or used in spells and ceremonies that involve emotional healing, intuition, and cleansing.
Protection and Purification	Lungwort is believed to possess protective energies and can be used in spells or rituals for shielding against negative influences and purifying the environment. It may also be included in rituals for spiritual cleansing and energetic balance.
Healing Magic	Lungwort is commonly used in healing spells and rituals to promote respiratory health, support the body’s healing processes, and provide relief from respiratory ailments. It can be incorporated into herbal sachets, charms, or healing baths.
Divination and Intuition	Lungwort is associated with intuition and can be used in divination practices or rituals to enhance psychic abilities, intuition, and spiritual insight. It may be used in meditation or placed on an altar to aid in connecting with inner wisdom.

Pulmonaria leaves are used in sympathetic magic to represent diseased lungs.

The magical properties of this plant include protection from evil spirits, its use in divinatory rituals, especially sympathetic magic, and it can be used to induce a gentle change in a stagnant situation.

Lungwort has a soothing quality that is both earthy and moist, and can help calm irritation, especially when associated with hysteria.

In the past, in some areas, Lungwort was called “Mary’s Herb” and was used as a test to determine if a person was a witch.

It was then worn or applied as protection against hags, witchcraft, and evil spirits.

In some Russian and Slavic folk tales, the tricolored flowers of Lungwort were considered to represent the stages of human life: the young pink flowers contained the fuel to begin life; the blue flowers had a healing effect during middle age; the old purple flowers had lost their vitality, which, however, had been absorbed by the roots.

For this reason, in magic, Lungwort is associated with good luck and happiness, youth and beauty, and has healing powers to restore both spiritual and physical well-being.

It can be incorporated into water-based rituals, herbal sachets, jars, and amulets, or used in spells and ceremonies involving emotional healing, intuition, personal and/or environmental purification, and rebalancing energies.

Lungwort, associated with intuition, is used in divinatory practices or rituals to enhance psychic abilities and spirituality.

Placed on the altar, it helps connect with inner wisdom and communication difficulties, promote understanding, and strengthen relationships.

Lungwort is also offered to the Gods of the Air, and therefore used in spells of protection during air travel.

Associated, as mentioned, with the respiratory organs, the essence of Lungwort helps you “spit out” old ways and ideas that have kept you stuck and “in the dark,” preventing you from inhaling and exhaling deeply and fully. It is your guiding light.

It removes the heaviness of despair, especially in unexpressed grief, eases depressed moods, and opens you to the possibility of celebrating life, rather than resisting it, and breathing freely in the light of the world, letting your own light shine forth.

This allows for a sense of freedom and liberation, as well as the confidence of being fully embodied and living in your full power.

Healing Attributes

As its name implies, lungwort is useful for bronchial and pulmonary complaints. It is best prepared as an infusion.

Healing Property	Description
Respiratory Support	Lungwort has been traditionally used to support respiratory health. It was believed to help alleviate symptoms of coughs, bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory conditions, promoting easier breathing.
Soothing and Anti-inflammatory Effects	Lungwort was thought to have soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, helping to reduce inflammation in the respiratory system and relieve irritation and discomfort.
Expectorant	It was believed that Lungwort acted as an expectorant, assisting in the removal of excess mucus and phlegm from the lungs and respiratory tract, thus supporting the body’s natural healing processes.
Wound Healing	Some folklore traditions attributed wound-healing properties to Lungwort. It was applied externally as a poultice or salve to help heal cuts, bruises, and skin irritations.