#dragon magic

[lillysilvermoon]

I feel so happy and so so grateful right now. I can't express in words how happy I am, you know when you feel like you could explode of how happy you are? That's me. I am starting a whole new chapter I'm my practice, it's very clear to me me that the path I was supposed to walk ended and now a new one is starting, and I'm so thankful because I learned so much - and I will learn even more in the future - and... I just have this hunger for knowledge, and to really just know. About everything.

I'm happy that my deities are here, I'm happy new arrived here - hello Apollo and dragons 🫶🏻 - and... I'm grateful, I prayed and was asked and I have so many things to share here, places I went I'm the astral that I want to tell, things I learned and I think will be helpful.

But this is all to say: thank you, Hades, Nyx, Selene, Apollo and dragons. For be here, for help me, for teaching me. I truly love you all. Thank you, so much.

[smileponeh]

Smaugust Day 3 - Magic

Oh boy! i am very late on this one-

Ive am in my minecraft phase now.

Hopefully i can finish the other 2 for tommorow.

Character featured here is my OC! The one i drew once and never again. Its FutureSeeker!

Smaugust 2024 Prompt

[dragons-breathwitch]

Basic Dragon Flame Ritual

Say: Ruler of the Dragons of Fire I call you. Cleanse, Protect, and Empower this space with your flame. As you say this visualize a large dragon rising up from a volcano or emerging from primal fires. breathing fire into your workspace with you in the center.

Say: Ruler of the Dragons of Air I call you. Cleanse, Protect, and Empower this space with your flame. As you say this visualize a large dragon flying down from the sky breathing fire into your workspace with you in the center.

Say: Ruler of the Dragons of Water I call you. Cleanse, Protect, and Empower this space with your flame. As you say this visualize a large dragon rising up from a volcano or emerging from primal fires. breathing fire into your workspace with you in the center.

Say: Ruler of the Dragons of Water I call you. Cleanse, Protect, and Empower this space with your flame. As you say this visualize a large dragon rising up from the primal waters of a lake or ocean breathing fire into your workspace with you in the center.

Spend a few minutes breathing in and feeling the energy this ritual and call into your space.

From here you can move on to do any meditations, spellwork, or communications with the elemental rulers you would like to.

Then, politely and respectfully say farewell and thank the dragons for their help.

✨️🕯

🐉You can find this ritual on the YouTube Channel WorkingDragonMystic under the video Dragon Magick Basic Ritual of the Flames:

[astral-wings]

This one's for you, fellow dragon witches with no motivation!

Simple spell I wrote on a whim before planning on getting shit done. Not great at writing them but hopefully it can prove useful

This can also be useful for any spirit or deity, just replace the dragons with whatever :}

ps: make sure you specify what being you want invited/your target or else something that you don't want could let themselves in.

[liminalwings]

The Dragon's Claw: An Exercise for Dragon Magic

A few paths of dragon magic will have the practitioner make use of some sort of tool with the purpose of directing and manipulating energy/intent/will/what-have-you: usually a staff or a blade of some kind. But what would a dragon use for the same purpose? Well, the perfect equivalent is at hand… literally. 

It's not so different from some techniques in modern witchcraft that have you use your finger in place of a wand/blade for those who practice on the down-low. In fact, it's heavily similar, in that at its most basic, the only tool required is your finger(s) and some visualization/energy work. If you do want to get fancy with it, you can utilize some sort of claw-like adornments as a physical component, be it naturally long nails, acrylic nails shaped like claws, those gardening gloves with the claws on them for digging, or some of those claw rings from the edgy mall shops that were popular a while back (or if you were like me in middle school, wasting a couple rolls of scotch tape to make long tape claws on each finger and coloring them with sharpie). Point is, the physical claws are simply a fun option: the meat of this is more energetic. 

I also do want to preface this: while this is ideal for dragonkin, it can technically be used by anyone. 

So, how do we do this? 

To start, you need to approximate the feel of claws in some way: those physical components I mentioned were optional can help with this, but curling your fingers like you’re about to rip someone's soft vital bits out also helps. If you’re the sort that experiences ‘phantom claws’ as a natural phenomenon, that’s what we’re attempting to induce. If you practice any sort of body energy awareness (ie. Robert Bruce’s NEW energy techniques are good for this, if you’re unfamiliar), you can use this to project your energy beyond your fingertips for a sort of energetic claw extension. If you regularly work with dragons and have a good relationship, you can try asking them to lend you their claws in a sense. You can even create a chant to help you focus (“My will is iron, my word is law, magic flows from dragon’s claw.” or anything you like) In any case, the specific method you use to ‘feel’ claws isn’t as important as the end result. If you can sense them, that’s the point. 

Now, you can basically use your fingers/claws for much the same magical purposes as you would a blade, minus sharp physical cutting (though if you did opt for the physical accoutrement and it’s capable of it, it’ll add a decent dragony boost to anything you carve into a candle or other softer materials). 

Examples: cutting energetic threads or doorways (creation thereof), magical defense/attack, drawing of sigils and ritual circles, etc. If you can think of other uses, feel free to try them out and see how it works. 

Once done with this, you can expel this energetic augment a few ways: by shaking your hands, like you’re shaking water off of them, with the intention of the energy dissipating; by drawing the energy back into the rest of your body; or just let them fade on their own. For those who normally experience phantom claws, well, no worries for you! It’s business as usual.

[alchemy-of-spirit]

Looking for Draconic Witchcraft Sources?

I’m trying to grow my YouTube account where I educate people about dragon magick! It would mean a lot to see some support over there as I’m losing motivation to keep creating long form content, yet it’s the best way to share the most information about dragons, which is hard to come by. Dragon guides are rare so therefore dragon witches are rare but I see it growing with how many dragon connection readings I’ve been doing! You dragon lovers are out there, just need to find each other! 👁️🐉✨

[cursecuelebre]

Not me cluttering Hekate’s altar with dragon themed things lol

[helgahaze]

Random Facts About Dragons

2024 is the year of the Dragon, one of the most fascinating and mesmerizing creatures ever known. So, here are some random facts about dragons, mythology and magic. Some of them you probably did not know.

1. In all cultures, dragons are embodiments of chaos, raw nature energies, and elemental power. All world mythologies have stories about giant snakes or dragons.

2. The enormous, insatiable, fire-breathing reptile is a classical western dragon depiction. Asian dragons are mostly a combination of a cat (paws and whiskers), a snake (body and jaws), and a deer (horns and ears).

3. In western culture, dragons have been traditionally seen as enemies, evil, hostile creatures. In Asia, dragons personify strength, power, wisdom, and prosperity.

4. Many medieval and heraldic drawings depict dragons with their tails tied into a knot. It was believed that dragons’ power was in their tails (like in Samson’s hair). So the knotted tail is a symbol of a hero’s victory over a dragon’s power.

5. The Mesoamerican feathered dragon Quetzalcoatl is associated with the Morning Star and the planet Venus. And bats are his children, born from stones.

6. Asian dragons can fly but do not have any wings. According to ancient texts, they do it due to the special bump on their heads. In the human body, this “bump” corresponds to the epiphysis, or the “third eye.”

7. Some legends say the dragon egg incubation period lasts 1000 years. When the dragon hatches, a storm begins to rage, thunder roars, and hail falls from the sky.

8. In the Kabbalistic left-hand path, dragons are symbolically connected to Kundalini energies and “dark” primal gods and goddesses such as Lucifer, Lilith, Hecate, Seth, Arachne, Sekhmet, Tiamat, and others alike.

[panthera-dei]

IceWing Armor Protection Spell

This spell is inspired by the IceWing dragons from the series Wings of Fire. As such, I used dragon imagery and referenced the series when creating and casting this spell. However, it can be adapted to fit other influences.

(image credit Wings of Fire wiki)

Casting the Spell

First, create some kind of drawing or other object to represent your scale mail armor. I chose to draw a page of scales in a very small pocket notepad with my special glitter gel pen. You can use anything you like, as long as it is meaningful to you.

Breathe in and blow out, deeply, and long, like the whistling of wind through the mountains at night. Do this 3 times. Focus on raising the energy of Ice and winter as you do.

Place your armor object on your altar or enchanting board or wherever you do your magic work. Place your hand over your armor object.

Say words like this (it's your choice what/whom to invoke, so long as they're meaningful to *you.* I chose 9 as a meaningful number as well):

By the Great Ice Dragon’s teeth, I enchant this armor.

By the snow and ice of Jotunheim and Niflheim, I enchant this armor.

By the whistling of the cold North Wind, I enchant this armor.

By the glaciers of the Arctic, I enchant this armor.

By the ice caves of Antarctica, I enchant this armor.

By the frozen land of the tundra, I enchant this armor.

By the diamonds glittering in the earth, I enchant this armor.

By the cold and stone upon the mountains, I enchant this armor.

By the might of dragons, I enchant this armor.

Say words like this that clearly channel the energy into your intention: “I enchant this armor to defend me and shield me at will. I have sacrificed time, energy, and [materials you used to create the object]. So too will the armor defend me. The armor will be hard and tough as diamonds and dragon scales, and will defend me from all harm. The cold and ice will repel any intruders who would wish to do me harm. From head to toe, I will be kept safe and warm inside the scales.”

Push all of the energy you've raised into the armor object.

Try to summon your new armor and see if it works! You should be able to summon it and release it on command.

Notes: So far, the spell seems to work in my limited tests. If I were going to do it again, I would invoke Prince Arctic or Whiteout (or maybe even Darkstalker himself) during the incantation.

[devout-khajiit]

On the Draconic Path and Starting

Quite a long post below, about how the Draconic Path is hard to start with. Read more because it's Really Long. I'm no expert in the path (it's hard to be for what I'm gonna get into), but I've been following my path for a while and am more sharing my personal thoughts and experiences with the, well, experience of starting.

The Draconic Path is... definitely an interesting one because (A) It's one name used for many different roads and (B) you're going to end up seeing very conflicting takes and opinions that will often directly contradict each other and (C) it's really hard to research because of Point A and Point B.

Most research ends up with personal practices with personal takes (Very Important to state that it's all UPG), or from specific dragon covens or dragon clans (which there are quite a few out there), which leads this to fall into a similar boat as things like pop culture paganism (not saying they're similar in any other way, they're really not) and chaos-aligned paths where you're essentially building it yourself from the ground up with bits and pieces you take from others.

There's also Draconic Wicca which some consider very specifically different to other roads on the Path, because it's meshing Wicca with the Draconic Path - Which again, is one name for many different possible roads.

Another thing is that nobody seems to agree where the dragons come from, if they're gods or not, etc. I see some call them akin to primordial deities (with some even going so far as to say "they're the first gods of humanity"), others say they're servants to the angels (which goes into a like 80% different direction to other Draconic Paths with the belief systems), some say they're just archetypical energy and not real entities with "personhood" (dragonhood?), some posit instead that they are just beings of pure power and magic, and a whole lot of other theories.

Most sources claim about Elemental Dragons, but I've also seen a source where someone rebuts this and claims "If you believe in Elemental Dragons, you've never worked with dragons" (a bit of a really harsh way to put it, frankly. This is a UPG-heavy path and you can't just cancel out anothers UPG with yours or instate your UPG as "universal fact". You're all having An Experience and that's valid).

The only thing I've seen have some consistency is the concept of a "dragon guardian", though again, what exactly this is has a lot of disagreement and not everyone says these exist. But essentially, for those not in the know, it's a dragon that protects you (think of a guardian angel but a dragon instead), with one source I saw (lost it, sadly), saying they specifically help with astral travel. But, I see some say you have them from birth, others that you have to step onto the path to gain them. Some that they're there always, others that they can abandon you if you don't respect them properly. Etc etc.

My point being, the Draconic Path really is a collect-em-all term. So it's really hard to actually start with the Draconic Path because the research phase is all fucked up. It's not like witchcraft where you can just go "I'm gonna be a traditional witch!" and buy 138 different traditional witchcraft books that all generally agree with each other. (exaggeration, but you get my point)

You have to be willing to just step into the shallow end of the pool without having a very clear definition of what the hell you're actually doing. Of course, don't be stupid, I'd never suggest diving right into the deep end, but try the shallow end and slowly but surely move to the deep end with personal experience.

I'm used to building my faith and practice from the ground up as a primarily pop culture pagan, so it's not a big deal for me. But I can see it being very frustrating to someone else wanting to walk the Draconic Path, who wants to worship and work with dragons, the wonderful creatures that they are. Don't mistake this for me saying it comes easily, though, because really, I'm just floundering about trying stuff until one of the things works.

I started my path by gathering as much info as I could within my means at the time, as conflicting with each other, as personal take and UPG as it was. And then I got in the most shallow end of the pool, the very first step. I went from there. I talked to Dragon Gods, I talked to my dragon guardian. Since then, I've been wading through to a deeper end of the pool. Pretty much half of all of my beliefs are founded by me and me only, and maybe people agree with me, maybe they don't.

I'm personally not sure which road to define myself as being on. I'm definitely not on the Wiccan road because I'm not Wiccan and Draconic Wicca utilizes Wicca in a lot of it so it's hard to follow Draconic Wicca without being Wiccan. But outside of that? I dunno man. The road definitely isn't paved, though. I'm just following my guardian dragon flying above me and ending up where I end up. Hell, most of my Dragon Gods are just random draconic entities that approached me, they're not standard by any means.

But in the end? You wanna worship dragons? Do your best. Scrounge up every little opinion you possibly can and ask yourself "Do I agree with this? Does this fit into my paradigm?" and go from there. Step into the shallow end, safely and carefully, and slowly make your way to the deep end. You'll figure yourself out, I promise.

I want to end this off with that the Draconic Path is an ultimately UPG based path. It's fine to not agree with another persons UPG. It's fine to have UPG, of course. Just don't speak like you're having much more basis and that your experience is inarugable fact, especially for a path with next to no historical basis (there are a few draconic gods in history but draconic worship isn't common or they were worshiped alongside humanoid gods) and the idea of the Draconic Path is pretty much a modern invention.

SOME FINAL NOTES

Just as a notice, Draconic Wicca is initiatory like a lot else of Wicca (not all Wicca, but many Draconic Wiccans view it as initiatory). As well, some dragon covens/clans are closed; and others are initiatory and require you to join before you can practice. On top of that, I've seen some claims that some dragon covens/clans are hereditary-only, meaning you need to be born or marry into the clan and they generally discourage outsiders from joining. If you want a solitary path, you can ignore a lot of this, but it does affect Where you can actually go.

But all other forms of the Draconic Path are open, as there's pretty much no historic precedent for the paths, as religions that have dragons did not have specific "paths" for the specific dragon gods. This is another side effect of it being one name for many, many different possible roads one could be taking.

And finally, if you're also on the path, and I've made some mistake, or something you want to correct, or you just want to add on, feel free to reblog this post and add whatever. I don't mind. I love healthy discussion. I'll probably reblog your additions back onto this blog so everyone here can see them.

SOME SITES TO READ

Remember what I've said in this post. This is all personal takes from random people on the internet. Some of these do not extend past one page or one little blurb. Take everything here with a generous dosage of of salt. It's mostly UPG and not sourced to anything, but I'm leaving it in case someone reading this wants that UPG. I do not necessarily endorse any of these authors nor their ideals, and some of them give far too little information to be grandly useful or even showing how they really are about their practice. I'm just listing all the resources I have. I'm bad at navigating Tumblr blogs so none of those are shared except one, technically.

Celebrate Pagan Holidays: Draconic Wicca 101 (link)

Dragon Dreaming: a whole blog dedicated to Draconic Paganism (link) Probably the best one here.

PaganMage (a thread website): The Draconian Path and Dragon Magic (link)

PaganSong: Dragon Music & the Magic to Summon Them (link)

Ebon-Dragon: The Myth of Elemental Dragons (link) This is an archive on another blog.

Spells of Magic: Draconic vs Draconian (link)

Wicca Dreamers: Draconian / Dragon Wicca (link)

I'd genuinely suggest some books but I'm not in a situation where I can buy books to read them easily, and I don't feel comfortable suggesting any books I haven't personally read.

However, I deeply suggest @liminalwings series of Dragon Magic Book Reviews, as they've read a lot and have some great reviews about good and bad books. (I'm hoping they don't mind me suggesting them...)

[professionalmud]

Dragon Magic book cover partial redraw

og cover for reference

[lillysilvermoon]

Hey guys has been a hot minute since I appeared here (really sorry about that) life happens, I have been learn a lot and doing a lot of work, internal and external. But I, like here me out, Hades told me to use my key necklace whici is actually his and he gave me for protectio literally guided me to this necklace because I dreamed about it, and is for protection here in the living world and in the underworld. He to told me to use last week. I didnt. Yeah. And just right now I was organizing my week witch to do list because I need to get back on treck and my dragon told ALSO LAST WEEK to protect myself, and I will do a cleanse bath and protection bath tomorrow, also a spell with Apollo, BUT THATS NOT THE THING. I was searching in my book (Hades, myth, magic and modern devotion in case you are curious because I know I was am) and just LOOK AT THIS: "Protect the back of your neck - stray energies love to sneak in at this vulnerable spot"....... this is literally ALWAYS the FIRST place on my body I feel weird on something is wrong. Guys, he was mad. Like as soon as I read this my mind clicked "oh, thats why he wants me to use the necklace" (for context: protect me from spiritual attacts) he just appeared "Yes. and you >didn't<...." if you work with a god you know when you did shit. And I knew I should had put it on but... i just didnt want to in that day, I apologized and he was like "uhum - imagine someone put their tong in their cheek - consecrate the necklace again. And USE-it". He was not mad like 'omg danger' he was mad like "you could have been harm........." this kind of mad. And today i even dreamed about two black and big scorpions on my bedroom (in the dream I was just like "oh, its okay they are on the floor leave them." and them my sheet ripped on my led and I literally JUMPED out of my bed lol. But yeah, right now I am working with Hades again because we werent doing anythin. gfor a couple of months, I needed to sometime to understand were I was with my practice at the moment, I am also starting to work with astral gypsies (its on folk magical from my country which is Brazil in case you guys dont know) and needs dedication and study because I am not familiar with this work and I am learning, I am also in third semester of my uni (I do biological sciences) and yeah. I am doing a lot of cleanse work, trauma healing, meditation, studying with my dragon which if you know takes a lot of time to interpret some stuff, I am focus on material stuff that I want too so thats why I haven't been so activate here and I am sorry, I love this place, i am also sorry for the people I dindt responded, truly but my life has been chaotic to say the least I went trough massive transformations that make caos internally so then the peace can appear. I hope yall are okay. I love you and I will try to bring more stuff here that I have learned. Lots of love, Lia.

[artemisian-dragon]

New Tumblr but not new to Tumblr. Aiming to focus more on my craft so drop a follow or a heart if any of the following interest you:

Artemis

Apollo

Nyx

Lady of Avalon

Traditional witchcraft

Appalachian folk magic

Dragons

The Good Neighbors

I do also partake in fighting the oppressive system that is the entirety of the US

[dragons-breathwitch]

Merry meet fellow draconic practitioners! - & anyone else interested in dragon magick- I have compiled some herbs that I associate with Dragons and Dragon Magick, these can help you connect with them and their energy in your workings - I also like using them as offerings.

Dragon’s Blood (Resin, Incense): Although not specifically an herb, dragon´s blood as a resin/incense symbolizes strength, protection, and power. It’s often burned as incense or added to spells for potency and used to call upon dragon spirits. For as long as I can rememeber, I love this incense & it helps me enter a very focused state for dragon meditation; also, I´ve read dragons like this scent too.

Mugwort: Used for visions, dreamwork, and psychic connections, mugwort helps in accessing the astral plane, where many believe dragons reside. It's especially helpful for working with Lunar or Astral Dragons. You can use it in tea, but please do not use orally if you´re pregnant*

Cinnamon: Associated with the elemet of fire and energy, cinnamon adds power to spells, invokes Fire Dragon energies, and aids in manifestation, passion, and protection. For me, this is a very strong herb that can either be the foundation for spells, or add a very strong potency to them, just like Dragons do! I love to put cinnamon sticks for my Dragon altar to channel their energy.

Ginger: This herbs goes hand in hand with cinnamon for me. They´re similar, but ginger's association with dragon energy stems from its energizing, protective, and invigorating qualities, making it a powerful symbol of strength and resilience in both physical and spiritual realms.

Rue: Because of this herb´s powerful protective properties and known for clearing negative energies, we can focus this energy in banishing and protection spells, while calling upon dragons as protectors. I´ve found that once you get to know your Dragon and develop a closer relationship, we can request their protection while practicing the craft.

Sage: Meditation is one of the main ways to connect with Dragons -this is how I meet two of my Dragons- so I recommend this herb to use in preparation of your sacred space for meditation: sage is known for purification and clears out negative energies. This way, we can cleanse and use it to invoke dragon energies when starting a ritual or meditation.

Dandelion: Known for resilience and adaptability, dandelion is used for calling upon dragons for wisdom and endurance, especially in transformative or challenging situations. I personally associate dandelions with the Elemental Dragon of Air, Sairys.

Saffron: Perhaps my top favorite herb for Dragon Magick, for me saffron just embodies draconic energy. Whenever I use this herb in my spells, it seems to work quicker and stronger (great for banishing and repelling negative energy). Also, saffron’s vibrant color, energizing properties, spiritual symbolism, and rarity -just like Dragons, not easy to "obtain"/come across but very rewarding once you do- link it with dragon energy. It represents warmth, transformation, and a kind of regal power, qualities that align it symbolically with the essence of a dragon’s life-giving, protective, and transformative energy.

------------------------------------------------------------Thank you for reading, I hope this list helps you in your journey, remember that you can make your own correspondences & associations, your Dragons will guide you through this as well.

[skijarama]

One time, when I was DMing a campaign for my family I gave them a pet that came in the form of a red dragon child who actually had the soul of a golden retriever dog instead of the soul of the previous red dragon. So they just had this big red dragon following them around everywhere, lifting his leg to pee on trees, being a big lovable doof, and scaring ALL of the local population centers. They did not know the dog's original name, so they named the dragon Clifford.

[liminalwings]

Greenery of the Draconic Persuasion

When you think of dragons and plants associated with them, what’s the first thing you think of? Most likely Dragon’s Blood, but what other plants out there are also associated with dragons? This is more of an overview rather than a suggestion of “use these plants”, because some of them really just… aren’t all pleasant to work with, but still have a fascinating history. 

Dragon’s Blood

Still good to go over the big one we all know. Dracaena is a genus of trees that is noted for having certain members, such as Dracaena draco and Dracaena cinnabari, that bleed a red resin when cut; this resin is referred to as ‘Dragon’s Blood’. The name of this genus comes from the Greek ‘drakaina’, which is the name for a female dragon. It has also been tied to the myth of Heracles, particularly the 11th task and the dragon Ladon, by some interpretations Ladon is the dragon guarding the tree or is the tree; by others, the Dracaena springs from Ladon’s blood when slain. 

Do note, however, that the majority of Dragon’s Blood resin on the market these days comes from a different genus of tree entirely, Calamus dracunculus (formerly Daemonorops draco and Calamus draco), while other genera of trees also exude a red resin that may also be referred to as Dragon’s Blood, all technically having different properties. The tree that was believed to be originally used and written about, Dracaena cinnabari of Socotra, is rated ‘vulnerable’ on its conservation status, while Dracaena draco is listed as ‘endangered’. Calamus draco meanwhile does not seem to be threatened. 

This collective of red resins do have a long history of use in medicine, art, and ritual in various cultures. The most frequent magical uses of the resin are as an incense for protection or cleansing, and dissolved in alcohol as a magical ink. With how many different trees act as a source of ‘dragon’s blood’, it is good to keep in mind that different species may vary in terms of magical/energetic traits, and that the attraction to Dragon’s Blood as a magical component could be considered these days to be more based on symbolism and human-given attributes. 

Tarragon

Artemisia dracunculus, or “Little Dragon of Artemis”, often referred to as just “dragon” in Swedish and Dutch and, in the past, German; a name that was given for the appearance of its coiled roots, or likening the shape of the leaves to dragon tongues. It is in the same genus as Mugwort, Wormwood, and Sagebrush, and French Tarragon is most frequently used for culinary purposes with a somewhat licorice-like flavor. It was believed, per Pliny the Elder, that Tarragon would ward away dragons and venomous serpents (unproven of course) and could cure snakebite (also unproven). There aren’t many historic magical uses otherwise, though some modern witchcraft practices have given it associations with protection, banishment, and healing. Scientifically, it has been proven effective at repelling insects and as a mosquito larvicidal, effectively combating the spread of malaria through less environmentally-hazardous means. 

Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus, also referred to as ‘toadflax’, ‘dog flower’, ‘dragon flower’. It is so named because of the flower’s appearance, which is likened to a dragon’s snout that opens and closes when squeezed laterally. They come in a wonderful range of colors and, like other dragon-associated plants, are considered to be protective: in Medieval Europe, they were believed to protect from witches and ill magic, and were planted near castle gates or hung above cribs to ward off evil spirits. They were also used as a charm against falsehood, and in flower language symbolized ‘truth-telling’. The skull-like seed pods have commonly been worn to protect from curses and other bewitchments. 

Dragon Arum

Dracunculus vulgaris, also referred to as dragon lily, vampire lily, devil’s tongue, and, in its native Greece, drakondia. Like its larger cousin, the Titan arum, it is not a flower most people would be including in a nice bouquet, with respect to its fragrance being like that of rotting meat to attract flies as pollinators. Like Tarragon, not only does it share the same Latin “little dragon” name, it was also believed to ward away serpents(also also unproven), though some sources also claim that it generates serpents (flies attract other critters that snakes eat, so yeah I could see that as a conclusion). It is also one of many in the Arum family that can produce heat (thermogenesis), reaching about 65°F/18°C, which is used to lure flies to the flower for pollination. These unique physical properties can lend themselves to equally interesting potential magical associations. 

Dragon Root/Green Dragon

Arisaema dracontium is a plant native to North America. All parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans when eaten raw due to the presence of Calcium oxalate. I am including it here only to show the range of dragon-associated plants and do not necessarily advocate its use. Though historically, it has in fact been used as medicine, especially as an abortifacient and to stimulate menstrual flow. 

__

This is by no means an exhaustive list of plants with dragon-inspired names, as can be seen here. But for those wanting to include draconic plants in their practice but can’t afford or can’t find a place to obtain dragon’s blood, or otherwise want to avoid using it, there are comparatively more easily-obtained alternatives at your local stores, such as Tarragon, Dragonfruit, and Snapdragons, or perhaps another native species local to you. Just make sure to do your research and know if cautions must be taken, what the physical attributes are, and if a plant is endangered or not. 

Resources

https://blogs.reading.ac.uk/tropical-biodiversity/2013/03/dracaenaceae-dragons-blood-and-the-language-of-the-birds/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%27s_blood

https://herbsocietyblog.wordpress.com/2023/07/03/herb-of-the-month-french-tarragon-the-little-dragon-herb/

https://dsps.lib.uiowa.edu/roots/french-tarragon/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8076785/

https://www.gardenguides.com/126335-history-snapdragons.html

https://www.flower.style/stylewatch/discover-the-curious-origins-of-snapdragons-not-to-worry-they-dont-actually-bite

https://www.petalrepublic.com/snapdragon-flower-meaning/

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/44638/pg44638-images.html#page-153

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracunculus_vulgaris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arisaema_dracontium

https://ebrary.net/28107/environment/snapdragon

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/arisaema-dracontium/

https://www.yellowwood.net/post/skunk-jacks-dragons-the-curious-arum-family