Herbal Wisdom for September: Witchy Uses for Seasonal Plants

September is the month of slowing down, gathering, and preparing. The herbs and plants tied to this season carry that same energy: protection, grounding, release, and gratitude for the abundance around us. With the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) in the heart of this month, it’s the perfect time to weave herbs into rituals, spells, and even recipes that honor balance and transition.

Here are a few herbs and plants I love working with in September, and how you can bring their wisdom into your practice.

Rosemary

Magical properties: protection, clarity, memory, purification.

Rosemary is an evergreen, reminding us of resilience and strength even as the world shifts toward darkness. It clears stagnant energy and sharpens the mind, making it perfect for equinox rituals where reflection is key.

Ritual: Burn dried rosemary as incense during meditation to cleanse your space before journaling or divination. It’s especially powerful if you’re reflecting on what to release at Mabon.

Kitchen Witch Recipe: Make rosemary-infused oil by gently heating olive oil with sprigs of fresh rosemary. Use it in roasted root vegetables for a grounding Mabon feast, or anoint your candles with it for protection spells.

Sage

Magical properties: cleansing, release, wisdom, transition

Sage is a classic for clearing energy, but it’s also tied to wisdom and endings, making it a perfect herb for equinox work. As we let go of summer, sage supports us in releasing old patterns.

Ritual: Create a simple release ceremony. Write down what no longer serves you on a slip of paper, place sage leaves on top, and burn it in a fireproof dish while saying:
“With this smoke, I release what I no longer need. I welcome balance and peace.”

Tea Recipe: Brew fresh or dried sage leaves with honey and lemon. It soothes the throat and helps clear lingering heaviness from both body and spirit.

Mugwort

Magical properties: intuition, dreams, protection, liminal spaces

Mugwort has long been used by witches for dreamwork and divination. As the nights grow longer, it’s the perfect ally for journeying inward and connecting with the unseen.

Ritual: Place mugwort under your pillow on the night of the equinox to invite dream messages. Keep a notebook nearby to record anything that comes through.

Smoke Blend: Mix dried mugwort with rosemary and marigold petals for a Mabon incense. Use it before tarot readings or meditation to open your intuition.

Apple Leaves (and Apples themselves)

Magical properties: wisdom, love, abundance, connection to the Otherworld

The apple is sacred to many traditions, especially around Mabon. Cut an apple horizontally, and you’ll see the pentagram hidden inside – a reminder of magic in everyday life.

Ritual: Write a wish or an intention for the coming months on a dried apple leaf. Burn it safely, or bury it in the soil to let the earth carry your intention.

Kitchen Witch Recipe: Bake an apple crisp or pie for your equinox altar. Share it with loved ones as a symbol of abundance and gratitude. As you bake, speak your thanks for the harvest – both literal and personal.

Marigold (Calendula)

Magical properties: protection, warmth, ancestral connection, joy

Marigolds bloom bright even as the days shorten, carrying the sun’s warmth into the darker months. They’re protective and deeply tied to ancestral work, making them a beautiful addition to Mabon rituals.

Ritual: Place marigold petals on your altar as offerings to ancestors or guides. Light a candle beside them and ask for their wisdom as you reflect on balance in your life.

Tea Recipe: Steep dried calendula petals in hot water with chamomile and a touch of honey. Sip slowly to uplift your spirit and bring inner calm.

Bringing it All Together: Mabon Herbal Ritual

Mabon Herbal Balance Spell

• Rosemary for protection
• Sage for release
• Mugwort for intuition
• Apple leaf for abundance
• Marigold for warmth and guidance

Arrange these herbs on your altar. Light a black candle for release and a white (or gold) candle for gratitude. As the candles burn, hold the herbs in your hands and say:

“I honor the balance of light and dark.
I release what no longer serves.
I welcome the wisdom of this season.
May abundance, protection, and peace walk with me into the darker months.”

Keep the herbs in a small pouch as a charm, or scatter them outside as an offering back to the earth.

Herbs are more than tools, they’re living allies. When you work with them in September, you’re not just casting spells, you’re weaving yourself into the cycle of nature. So light your candles, brew your teas, bake your apples, and honor the plants that carry us through this turning of the wheel. That’s the real magic of Mabon ♥