Henbane — Antique Botanical Print

The Story in the Margin

Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) is a foetid, sticky-leaved plant of the nightshade family, native to Eurasia and easily recognized by its sickly cream flowers veined in purple. The ancient Greeks considered it sacred to Apollo, and it was reputedly burned by priestesses at Delphi to induce prophetic trance, while the physician Dioscorides later recommended it as a sedative and painkiller. In medieval Europe it earned its reputation as the 'witches' herb,' a key ingredient in the fat-based flying ointments folklore says witches rubbed on their skin to induce visions, and before the widespread use of hops, brewers added it to ale to sharpen its intoxicating effect. Its tropane alkaloids, including hyoscyamine and scopolamine, make it dangerously toxic, and its uneasy blend of medicine, ritual, and menace made it a recurring subject in herbals warning of the garden's darker plants.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.