A to Z Herbarium: Xue Jie
Love, Protection, Exorcism, Potency
Ok, so I had to use the Chinese name for this herb, as herbs starting with X in either English or Latin are seemingly non-existent.
Anywho, turns out that xue jie, in English, is dragon’s blood (from the Latin sanguis draconis). It’s the resin from a number of different plants belonging to genera Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, Calamus rotang and Pterocarpus. That all seems terribly complicated, so let’s just say it comes from the dragon tree (which is actually true).
Dracaena draco — AKA dragon tree
Burning dragon’s blood will entice wayward lovers to return home. This apparently is most often done by women sitting by an open window at night while looking outside. (Creepy…)
Placing dragon’s blood under a pillow or mattress will cure impotence. When sprinkled around the house or burned as an incense, it will provide protection and ward evil and negativity.
If your house is too noisy, mix powdered dragon’s blood with sugar and salt and place it in a bottle. Cover it tightly and then stash it in your house somewhere it won’t be found. Supposedly this will bring about peace and quiet.
Dragon’s blood has shown to be antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal and is said to be excellent to use on the skin for a wide range of ailments.
In the eighteenth century, dragon’s blood was used as a varnish for violins, and used in toothpaste.
Sources:
Cunningham’s Encylopedia of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham, 2016, Llewellyn Publications
