Quick Specs
- Botanical Name: Aloysia triphylla
- Type: Dried cut leaf, ritual herb
- Size/Quantity: 1 oz
- Best for: Van Van oil recipes, purification sachets, love charms
- Sourcing: SQF & Kosher certified supplier
I source this herb from a supplier that’s both SQF, Safe Quality Food, certified and Kosher certified, meeting real, audited quality standards rather than just a label. That means what’s in this packet is genuinely suitable for the kitchen and a cup of tea as much as it is for your altar or spell jar.
Lemon Verbena in Hoodoo and Folk Magic
Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla) is a South American shrub whose intensely citrusy dried leaves have earned a firm place in hoodoo, Wicca, and New Orleans conjure. In the rootwork tradition, lemon verbena is one of several lemon-family herbs prized as a core ingredient in Van Van oil, the celebrated all-purpose formula for clearing negativity, opening roads, and turning bad luck into good. Its Mercury/air correspondence gives it a sharp, cutting quality, useful for slicing through crossed conditions and spiritual blockages.
Practitioners working the Van Van formula often steep lemon verbena alongside lemongrass and citronella, then strain the infusion into a carrier to anoint candles, mojo bags, and doorways. The herb also stands on its own in purification work: stuffed into a muslin sachet and passed through smoke, it clears stagnant energy from a space before ritual. Folk magic records describe it as a strengthening herb, meaning a pinch added to any herbal blend amplifies the blend’s overall intention.
Love Charms, Protective Sachets, and Ritual Baths
In European folk magic and Wiccan practice, lemon verbena is associated with love and attraction. Carrying the dried herb in a red or pink mojo bag is a traditional method for drawing romantic attention, and adding it to a floor wash sweetened with honey is said to invite warmth into the home. Some practitioners place a small sachet of lemon verbena under the pillow to discourage restless or unwanted dreams, a use that appears across both grimoire tradition and modern green witchcraft.
For ritual baths, a handful of dried lemon verbena simmered in water, strained, and added to the tub creates a purifying soak intended to remove negative attachments before working love or success spells. The 1 oz packet is well-suited for a single focused working or for keeping a small supply fresh in the apothecary. Browse my mortar and pestle collection if you want to bruise the leaves before use to release more of the aromatic content.
How to Use Lemon Verbena in Ritual
Three practical ways to work with dried lemon verbena in ritual settings.
- Make a Van Van Herb Infusion
Combine dried lemon verbena with dried lemongrass in a heat-safe jar. Cover with warm carrier oil and steep 24 hours. Strain and use the infusion to dress candles or anoint mojo bags for road-opening and luck-clearing work.
- Build a Purification Sachet
Fill a muslin bag with lemon verbena, a pinch of salt, and dried rosemary. Tie it shut and pass through incense smoke to activate. Hang it near your entry point to clear incoming energy before it crosses into your home.
- Prepare a Ritual Cleansing Bath
Simmer 2 tablespoons lemon verbena in 2 cups water for 10 minutes, then strain and add to a drawn bath. Soak 15 minutes focusing on releasing crossed conditions, emotional residue, or negative attachments before new spell work.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I stock lemon verbena specifically because it fills a real gap in a practitioner’s herb kit: it’s versatile enough to anchor a Van Van blend, light enough for love sachets, and strong enough to carry a purification working on its own. The cut leaf format means it measures easily by the spoonful without needing extra prep. If you’re building a complete ritual herb pantry, explore my full herbs and accessories collection for complementary roots, resins, and tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
In hoodoo, lemon verbena is a key ingredient in Van Van oil blends, used to clear negativity, open roads, and turn bad luck. It also appears in floor washes, mojo bags, and purification sachets as a luck-drawing and crossing-removal herb.
No. Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) are different plants. Verbena is sharper and Mercury-ruled; lemon balm is softer and Moon-ruled. They serve different ritual purposes and should not be substituted freely.
Yes. Lemon verbena has a long folk magic history in love and attraction work. Carrying it in a mojo bag, adding it to a ritual bath, or including it in a love sachet are traditional methods for sharpening charm and drawing romantic attention.
Store dried lemon verbena in an airtight glass jar away from sunlight and moisture. It retains aromatic potency for up to one year. Label the jar with your purchase date to track freshness and replace stock when the citrus scent noticeably fades.
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