Planetary Herb Correspondences: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury & Moon Plants
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The seven classical planets — Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon — have governed the magical properties of herbs since ancient Babylon. This system, refined by Greek physicians like Dioscorides and Galen, codified by medieval Arab scholars, and transmitted through the European grimoire tradition, remains one of the most powerful frameworks for understanding and working with plant magic.
The principle is elegant: each planet rules a specific domain of human experience (Saturn rules time, limitation, and death; Venus rules love, beauty, and pleasure), and the plants ruled by each planet carry that planet's energy and can be used to work magic in that planet's domain. When you burn frankincense (a Sun herb) to attract success, or brew mugwort (a Moon herb) to enhance psychic vision, you are working within a system that has been tested and refined over thousands of years.
This guide provides a comprehensive reference for all seven planetary herb correspondences, with magical applications for each.
How to Use Planetary Herb Correspondences
Planetary herb correspondences can be applied in several ways. First, select herbs by planetary ruler when designing spells, incense blends, sachets, or teas. A money spell benefits from Jupiter herbs; a love spell from Venus herbs. Second, align your herbal work with planetary timing: burn Sun herbs on Sunday during a Sun hour, Moon herbs on Monday during a Moon hour. Third, combine herbs from the same planetary ruler for a focused, harmonious blend. Fourth, use herbs from complementary planets to add nuance: a love spell might combine Venus herbs (rose, lavender) with Moon herbs (jasmine, white sandalwood) for emotional depth.
Saturn Herbs
Saturn rules: time, limitation, discipline, death, endings, karma, binding, protection, banishing, longevity, wisdom, and the elderly. Saturn's day is Saturday. Saturn's metal is lead. Saturn's colors are black and dark brown.
Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha): The premier Saturn resin. Used for ancestor work, banishing, protection, and crossing the threshold between worlds. Burns with a deep, bittersweet smoke that creates a solemn, sacred atmosphere. Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens): The tree of death and immortality. Used in funeral rites across the Mediterranean for millennia. Excellent for ancestor work, grief rituals, and working with the dead. Comfrey (Symphytum officinale): Saturn rules bones and the skeletal structure. Comfrey's traditional use for healing fractures and knitting bones reflects this correspondence. Use for healing, binding, and protection. Mullein (Verbascum thapsus): Traditional herb of Saturn, used for protection, banishing, and working with spirits. The dried stalk was used as a torch in ancient funeral processions. Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin): Earth, money, and Saturn energy. Used for grounding, prosperity, and binding work. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis): Saturn rules sleep and the unconscious. Valerian's powerful sedative properties reflect this. Use for sleep magic, binding, and protection. Yew (Taxus baccata): The immortal tree of graveyards. Deeply toxic — never ingest. Used symbolically for ancestor work and working with death energy. Hemlock (Conium maculatum): Extremely toxic — never use internally or externally. Historically associated with Saturn and death magic. Referenced here for historical completeness only. Additional Saturn herbs: Blackthorn, elder (also Moon), horsetail, Solomon's seal, skullcap, black cohosh.
Jupiter Herbs
Jupiter rules: expansion, abundance, prosperity, luck, legal matters, wisdom, higher education, travel, optimism, and generosity. Jupiter's day is Thursday. Jupiter's metal is tin. Jupiter's colors are royal blue, purple, and gold.
Frankincense (Boswellia sacra): The king of resins, associated with Jupiter and the Sun. Used for prosperity, spiritual elevation, consecration, and communication with higher powers. Cedar (Cedrus species): Majestic, long-lived, and expansive. Used for prosperity, protection, wisdom, and longevity. The cedars of Lebanon were sacred to Jupiter in ancient times. Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans): A classic Jupiter spice for luck, money, and legal success. Carry a whole nutmeg in your pocket for good luck. Sage (Salvia officinalis): Jupiter rules wisdom and higher knowledge. Culinary sage is associated with wisdom, longevity, and prosperity. Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis): Sacred purification herb of the Bible. Used for cleansing, forgiveness, and spiritual elevation. Borage (Borago officinalis): Traditional herb of courage and optimism. 'Borage for courage' was a common saying in medieval Europe. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): Jupiter rules the liver, and dandelion is a premier liver herb. Also used for wish magic, divination, and calling spirits. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): Uplifting, expansive, and healing. Used for success, happiness, and healing. Additional Jupiter herbs: Agrimony, anise, betony, chestnut, clove, endive, houseleek, maple, meadowsweet, oak (also Sun), sage, star anise.
Mars Herbs
Mars rules: courage, strength, conflict, protection, banishing, sexuality, competition, surgery, and physical vitality. Mars's day is Tuesday. Mars's metal is iron. Mars's colors are red and orange.
Dragon's Blood (Daemonorops draco): The premier Mars resin. Used for power, protection, banishing, and amplifying any magical working. Burns with a rich, intense smoke. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus): A powerful Mars herb for protection, purification, and mental clarity. 'Where rosemary grows, the woman rules' — a traditional saying reflecting its strong, assertive energy. Ginger (Zingiber officinale): Fiery, warming, and activating. Used for speed, success, passion, and adding fire energy to any working. Garlic (Allium sativum): One of the most powerful protective herbs in folk magic worldwide. Repels evil, vampires, and negative energy. Strongly Mars in its assertive, pungent energy. Nettle (Urtica dioica): The stinging nettle is quintessentially Mars: aggressive, protective, and fiercely vital. Used for protection, breaking hexes, and courage. Pepper (Piper nigrum): Black pepper is a Mars spice for banishing, protection, and adding fire energy. Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium): Mars rules conflict and wormwood is used for psychic protection, banishing, and spirit communication. Rue (Ruta graveolens): One of the most powerful protective herbs in Mediterranean tradition. Used for breaking hexes, evil eye protection, and purification. Additional Mars herbs: Basil (also Venus), blessed thistle, broom, coriander, cumin, hawthorn, hops, horseradish, mustard, pine, tobacco, woodruff.
Sun Herbs
The Sun rules: vitality, success, leadership, confidence, health, creativity, fame, gold, and the conscious self. The Sun's day is Sunday. The Sun's metal is gold. The Sun's colors are yellow, gold, and orange.
Frankincense (Boswellia sacra): Shared with Jupiter, frankincense is the premier solar resin. Used for purification, consecration, success, and spiritual elevation. Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis): Sacred to Apollo, the Sun god. Used for success, victory, prophecy, and protection. The laurel wreath was the symbol of achievement in ancient Greece and Rome. Calendula (Calendula officinalis): The marigold, named for its habit of following the Sun. Used for solar healing, protection, psychic work, and legal success. St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum): Harvested at Midsummer when the Sun is at its peak. Used for protection, healing, and banishing darkness and depression. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla): Golden, solar, and cheerful. Used for luck, money, success, and healing. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus): The ultimate solar plant, following the Sun across the sky. Used for confidence, success, fertility, and solar magic. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum): Shared with Mars, cinnamon is a solar spice for success, speed, and prosperity. Copal (Bursera species): Solar resin used for purification, offering, and solar ritual. Additional Sun herbs: Angelica, ash tree, buttercup, eyebright, goldenseal, juniper (also Saturn), lovage, marigold, mistletoe (also Jupiter), rosemary (also Mars), saffron, St. John's Wort, walnut.
Venus Herbs
Venus rules: love, beauty, pleasure, art, harmony, relationships, fertility, and sensuality. Venus's day is Friday. Venus's metal is copper. Venus's colors are green, pink, and rose.
Rose (Rosa species): The quintessential Venus plant. Used for love, beauty, harmony, and all matters of the heart. Rose water, rose petals, rose hips, and rose essential oil are all powerful magical ingredients. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Peace, love, attraction, and purification. One of the most versatile and beloved herbs in magical practice. Myrtle (Myrtus communis): Sacred to Aphrodite/Venus. Used for love, fidelity, and marriage. Traditional in wedding bouquets for this reason. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): Venus rules the blood and yarrow is the premier herb for stopping bleeding. Also used for love divination and courage. Elderflower (Sambucus nigra): Gentle, beautiful, and fairy-associated. Used for love, beauty, and working with the fairy realm. Damiana (Turnera diffusa): Venus herb for love, passion, and psychic work. A mild aphrodisiac and mood elevator. Verbena/Vervain (Verbena officinalis): Sacred to Venus and the Druids. Used for love, protection, and purification. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Venus rules thyme. Used for courage, purification, and attracting fairies. Additional Venus herbs: Catnip, coltsfoot, feverfew, geranium, hibiscus, jasmine (also Moon), lemon verbena, mint (also Mercury), mugwort (also Moon), pennyroyal, periwinkle, plantain, raspberry, spearmint, strawberry, tansy, violet.
Mercury Herbs
Mercury rules: communication, intellect, travel, commerce, trickery, divination, writing, and the nervous system. Mercury's day is Wednesday. Mercury's metal is quicksilver (mercury). Mercury's colors are yellow, orange, and multicolored.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Shared with Venus, lavender is also a Mercury herb for communication, clarity, and mental work. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): Mercury rules the nervous system and fennel is a nervine herb. Used for protection, healing, and purification. Dill (Anethum graveolens): Mercury herb for protection, money, and mental clarity. Traditional in protective sachets for babies. Caraway (Carum carvi): Mercury herb for protection, mental clarity, and fidelity. Marjoram (Origanum majorana): Mercury herb for love, protection, and grief. Parsley (Petroselinum crispum): Mercury herb with a complex magical history. Used for protection, purification, and working with the dead. Clover (Trifolium species): Mercury herb for luck, money, and protection. The four-leaf clover is one of the most universal luck symbols. Peppermint (Mentha piperita): Mercury herb for travel, communication, mental clarity, and money. Additional Mercury herbs: Almond, aspen, bergamot, carrot, celery, clover, dill, elecampane, fenugreek, horehound, licorice, lemongrass, mace, mandrake (also Saturn), oregano, savory.
Moon Herbs
The Moon rules: intuition, psychic ability, dreams, the subconscious, emotions, water, cycles, fertility, and the feminine principle. The Moon's day is Monday. The Moon's metal is silver. The Moon's colors are white, silver, and pale blue.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris): The premier Moon herb. Named for Artemis, the Moon goddess. Used for psychic vision, dreams, divination, astral travel, and all lunar magic. Jasmine (Jasminum species): Moon and Venus herb for love, psychic work, and spiritual development. Jasmine blooms at night, reflecting its lunar nature. White Sandalwood (Santalum album): Moon and Venus herb for meditation, healing, and spiritual opening. Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora): Moon herb for purification, protection, and psychic work. Used in lunar rituals and dream magic. Poppy (Papaver species): Moon herb for sleep, dreams, and fertility. Poppy seeds are used in dream pillows and sleep magic. Willow (Salix species): The weeping willow is quintessentially lunar: associated with water, emotion, grief, and the Moon goddess. Used for love, healing, and working with the unconscious. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera): Sacred Moon flower of Egypt and Asia. Used for spiritual development, psychic work, and meditation. Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria): A small fern with crescent-shaped fronds, traditionally associated with the Moon and used for love and transformation magic. Additional Moon herbs: Adder's tongue, chickweed, clary sage, cucumber, gardenia, honesty (Lunaria), Irish moss, lemon, lily, orris root, purslane, sea holly, watercress, white rose, wintergreen.
Working with Planetary Herb Correspondences
The most effective way to work with planetary herb correspondences is to begin with one planet and explore its herbs deeply before moving to the next. Spend a month working with Moon herbs: brew mugwort tea before bed, burn jasmine incense during meditation, keep willow near your divination tools. Notice how these plants affect your dreams, your intuition, and your emotional life. Then move to Venus herbs, then Mercury, and so on. Over time, you will develop an embodied understanding of each planet's energy as expressed through its plant allies. This is not abstract knowledge but lived experience, and it is the foundation of genuine planetary magic. For those who wish to deepen this lived practice, the structured path of the The 52-Week Tarot Journey offers a year of weekly spreads and deep reflection that beautifully complements the lunar and solar rhythms of herbal work, while the 13 New Moon Rituals provides a dedicated framework for aligning intention with the Moon's cycle. To anchor these practices in seasonal and celestial timing, the Cosmic Alignment Ritual Kit is designed for syncing with the celestial flow, and for those drawn to the Venusian and lunar realms of love and emotion, the Magnetic Attraction Field Audio and the Jung and the Archetype guide provide potent tools for exploring the archetypal depths these planetary allies awaken.
As you explore the intricate dance between the celestial bodies and the plant kingdom, consider deepening your connection to the Moon's gentle, receptive energy with a 13 new moon rituals lunar beginnings guide to honor new intentions, or carry the lunar essence with you wrapped in a full moon starry blanket during your meditations. For a daily reminder of the Moon's phases, a moon phase line pillow can grace your sacred space, while a moon water insulated tumbler with a straw allows you to sip moon-charged water throughout your rituals. To further attune to lunar cycles and weave them into your practice, the 8 moon phase tarot rituals align your practice with lunar cycles offers a beautiful path for reflection and growth.
