Christmas rose
Christmas rose is known as witchweed. It grows about 30 cm tall and forms pretty white flowers that turn pink after fertilisation. It is a poisonous plant that tastes bitter.
The dried and ground roots used to be used as sneezing powder, an emetic and a remedy for constipation. The herb was also used for insanity and madness. The dosage and use of the plant is extremely important.
A special feature of the plant is that it is warmer than its surroundings. It even blooms through snow and ice. During the Middle Ages, the root was an ingredient of witches’ ointment. The plant was known to be rejuvenating and was used in the plague epidemic. People put it in the plague pits.
