The Prickly Potency of Magical Gorse

A wildflower of the faerie realm, rich in golden virtues

The endurance of gorse in faerie-lore is as timeless as the landscape in which it thrives. In Cornwall, it’s said the wanderer on the moor may find themselves piskie-led into the heart of a dense patch of gorse, unable to find their way out again. If you look closely at a gorse thicket, you’ll notice enchanting little burrows that look tantalisingly like magical entrances to another realm. It’s no wonder that gorse bushes were said to be gateways and hiding places for faeries and spirits, especially in such enchanting settings as wild moors, woodland and downs.

But it’s the peculiar flowering time that gives me reason to believe that gorse truly is a faerie portal. Where I live in Devon the gorse flowers profusely in spring and again at autumn. It is no coincidence that I find myself foraging gorse around Beltane and Samhain, when the veil to the Otherworld is thinnest.

The wonderful thing about foraging is that not only do you get to bring treats home from nature, but you get to spend time with living plants in their habitat which helps you build herbal intuition and knowledge. 

With gorse, picking the flowers that terminate from its sharp and prickly foliage, forces your mind to slow down and focus to avoid being spiked. Its sweet and uplifting scent gently acts on your neurones. The warm yellow of the petals brightens your mood. As you forage the gorse your spirit becomes in sync with its spirit. 

The petals add a sweet flavour to tea blends, which can be overpowering if not balanced with other herbs. I find gorse flower can be blended harmoniously with bitter and warm herbs, like rosemary and thyme, and soothing chamomile.

While gorse doesn’t feature strongly in herbal medicine, it is valued by foragers for its culinary qualities. the fact it possess anti-oxidants and vitamin C, offer gentle immune support, makes it a useful herbal tea ingredient. There are caveats to gorse, however, you’ll want to use just the petals as the pods and seeds are toxic and unpleasantly bitter. I spend time shelling the gorse flowers in Faerie Charm using just the petals and discarding the fuzzy shells. 

Gorse’s powerful presence suggests it’s has power as a magical plant. To create a charm for protection, the thorny foliage should be placed to add layer of security around the thing you wish to keep safe from harm. The yellow blossom, which burst into flower sporadically around the year, can be used to represent the Sun and the element of fire, to bring light, healing and to attract abundance and positivity your way. It also makes the best firewood for a ritual fire, because it’s highly saturated with natural oils and pyrolytic resins - causing it to burn hot and bright, and send your prayers and messages into the spirit world.