Mandrake
Mandragora officinarum
A root that screams, a root that heals — sometimes the same root.
Overview
No plant in the Western herbal tradition carries more lore per leaf than the mandrake. Its massive taproot, often forked in human suggestion, has been dug up, bought, sold, faked, and feared for three thousand years. Related to belladonna, it contains similar tropane alkaloids — hyoscyamine, scopolamine — with a similar capacity to cause delirium, unconsciousness, and death at high doses.
Botanical Notes
A stemless perennial with a rosette of large, crinkled, fetid-smelling leaves lying flat on the ground. Pale violet flowers close to the soil in spring; small, round, yellowish berries in autumn. The root is thick, often branched, and can reach 1 metre. Native to the Mediterranean and Near East; grows on rocky, disturbed ground in poor soil.
Lore & History
Medieval herbals warned that digging mandrake without ritual precautions would cause the digger to die or go mad from its shriek. The method: tie a dog to the root at midnight, stop your ears, and let the animal pull it free. The root was carved to resemble humans and sold as talismans, as protective fetishes, as love charms. Shakespeare put it in the mouths of his characters as a byword for horror. It was used in the first surgical anesthetics.
Warnings
All parts toxic. Root is most concentrated. Symptoms of poisoning include dry mouth, racing heart, hallucinations, and potentially coma. The berries smell pleasant and are the most likely accidental source of poisoning. Not to be used internally without expert medical supervision.