The Ramblings of an Opal Witch: The Magic Behind Horse Chestnuts ~ A Spell A Day

Horse Chestnut ~ Magickal and Abundant

Well where do I start with this versatile herb! It just screams Autumn. You can collect these precious little gems from around late September to October. You can see children running around in parks and woodlands picking them up and stuffing their pockets.

There are many uses for this perfectly formed round little ball, medicinally and magically. I would only suggest culinary use if using the sweet chestnut. Even the scientific names are different. Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) can be toxic if ingested by humans but is fabulous when used externally. This one is typically used for cattle fodder. Hence the name 'horse chestnut' It is quite bitter in taste, but is literally odourless.

Horse Chestnut

As you can see from the picture above this is the one we are more accustomed too in our neighborhoods.

Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa), is the one we don't see often, but still can be found here in the UK. They are the perfect sign when you see them in shops that the winter festivities are kicking into play. They can be roasted, fried, ground into flour and can be used as a substitute to potatoes and grains. There are so many reasons to use this sweet aromatic 'nut'. As there is a wealth of information on sweet chestnut on the web, I shall stop here :) Here is an image below so you can spot the difference.. The sweet chestnut outer skin is a lot spikier than the horse chestnut, and is pointier on one side.

Sweet Chestnut

Even the leaves on the trees are different

Now we can get into the nitty gritty of things, I will be talking about the common horse chestnut that can be found nearly everywhere in the UK.

Here are a few ideas that you can use these fabulous little nature perfect balls for

Making your own tincture, that can be added to creams and salves for varicose veins, leg swelling,leg pain, edema, and cellulite* (*For cellulite on a whole; diet,lifestyle and skin treatments all need to be addressed. there is no one single miracle cure) Also excellent for

hemorrhoids, lymphedema and prostrate enlargement.

To make your own tincture you will need to crush and macerate as much as possible your horse chestnuts.

What you need:

Vodka (40% is fine) or vinegar or glycerin whichever you prefer. (I use vodka)

As many horse chestnuts needed.

A glass Jar.

Sterilise your jar with boiling water.

Add your macerated horse chestnuts to fill about half the jar

Then top the rest up with vodka (or whatever you choose to use here)

Label and date your jar, then place in a dark cupboard for a minimum of 6-8 weeks. Don't forget to shake it every couple of days to make sure the vodka is extracting all the essential goodness.

And there you have it horse chestnut extract that you can add to your home made creams and salves. Why buy expensive? When you can do it for next to nothing, and you are in control of your ingredients.

The Horse chestnut has astringent and anti-inflammatory qualities. It also contains saponins. In the old days this was our native 'soap nut'. To use, peel the outer brown shell, then chop finely. Add about 8-10 (or more if needed) of these to a bowl and pour hot water over them. Allow it to steep for about 15 mins to cool slightly, you will see a milky white liquid with bubbles on the top. Strain this liquid and you can use it to hand wash your delicate's (satin's, silks) and woolens with. Its cleansing power is extremely high and its ability to remove stains is fabulous whilst also being super gentle to your fabrics! Go ahead and try it :)