Cinquefoil Meaning and magickal uses
Also called Five-Finger Grass, Five-Leaf Grass, Potentilla
The five-fingered herb for luck, success, protection and prophetic dreams.
- Intentions
- Luck, Prosperity, Protection, Sleep and Dreams
- Element
- Fire
- Planet
- Jupiter
- Zodiac
- Sagittarius
- Day
- Thursday
- Moon phase
- Waxing Gibbous
- Parts used
- Leaves, whole plant
How to use it
- Five blessings
Hold a dried cinquefoil leaf and name a hope for each of its five fingers, such as health, work, home, love and wisdom. Keep it in your wallet as a daily reminder.
- Dream pillow
Add cinquefoil to a small dream pillow with lavender. Sleep with it under your pillow and write down any dreams that seem to point the way forward.
- Threshold charm
Hang a bundle of cinquefoil by your front door on a Thursday to welcome good luck and keep out anything that does not belong in your home.
Works well with
Substitutes
History and folklore
Cinquefoil's leaves divide into five parts like an open hand, and in folklore each finger stood for a blessing: money, love, health, power and wisdom. Medieval knights are said to have used its shape as a heraldic device, the cinquefoil, appearing on shields and church windows. Old spellbooks recommend it for asking favors of people in authority and for prophetic dreams. Witches today still call it five-finger grass and use it to welcome success and luck in many areas of life.
The five-fingered herb for luck, success, protection and prophetic dreams.
- Intentions: Luck, Prosperity, Protection, Sleep and Dreams
- Element: Fire
- Planet: Jupiter
- Zodiac: Sagittarius
- Day: Thursday
- Moon phase: Waxing Gibbous
- Parts used: Leaves, whole plant
Safety: Avoid swallowing it while pregnant or breastfeeding. It is not a common food, so do not swallow it. Keep it where cats, dogs and horses cannot chew it, since pets can react to plants that are not well studied. Burning dried leaves makes a light smoke; ventilate the room.
How to use it
- Five blessings. Hold a dried cinquefoil leaf and name a hope for each of its five fingers, such as health, work, home, love and wisdom. Keep it in your wallet as a daily reminder.
- Dream pillow. Add cinquefoil to a small dream pillow with lavender. Sleep with it under your pillow and write down any dreams that seem to point the way forward.
- Threshold charm. Hang a bundle of cinquefoil by your front door on a Thursday to welcome good luck and keep out anything that does not belong in your home.
Works well with: Green Candle, Gold Candle, Thursday, Jupiter, Citrine
Folklore
Cinquefoil's leaves divide into five parts like an open hand, and in folklore each finger stood for a blessing: money, love, health, power and wisdom. Medieval knights are said to have used its shape as a heraldic device, the cinquefoil, appearing on shields and church windows. Old spellbooks recommend it for asking favors of people in authority and for prophetic dreams. Witches today still call it five-finger grass and use it to welcome success and luck in many areas of life.
The Witch's Cabinet is a free reference for your practice. Correspondences are traditional associations, not medical advice. Always follow the safety notes, especially with herbs and essential oils around children, pets and during pregnancy.