Collecting Water from Plants & Trees
Disclaimer: This post contains information that is typically found in survival skills manuals and classes. Please understand that, while these practices can be useful in survival situations, the focus of this post is on their application within witchcraft and specifically on the harvesting of components for spells, rituals, and magical crafts. If you are seeking information about using these skills in survival contexts, please consult qualified professionals and trusted resources dedicated to that discipline.
Various types of water are often incorporated into magical workings, used as components in spells, rituals, and magical formulas. Holy water, for example, can be used to bless and ward mirrors and thresholds. Water left to charge in the moonlight is often used in magic for healing, manifestation, and empowerment. Storm water can be used in weather magic as well as in baneful workings. Waters collected from holiday dews and blessed wells are frequently mentioned throughout sources of folk magic, each with their own properties that can be harnessed for magical purposes.
Most often, magical waters are collected directly from natural sources (such as rain, wells, or streams) and are considered imbued with powers related to their location or the circumstances of their collection. However, the use of water in witchcraft need not be limited to what we can gather from wells and streams. We can also collect water from plants, giving us access to water that is naturally infused with the virtues and magical properties of our flora companions and plant allies.
How It Works
When collecting water from plants, we make use of a biological process known as transpiration, during which a plant releases water vapor through the pores in its leaves. When trapped, this vapor condenses within a container, collecting at the bottom over the course of several hours. The amount of water this process yields will depend on the type of plant used and the amount of recent rainfall.
Magical Properties of Plant-Sourced Water
Traditional witchcraft and folk magic, among many other magical systems, often utilize the Law of Contagion in workings and in the attribution of traits to materials and components. With this in mind, we can assume that any water collected in this way retains the properties of both the plant from which it is gathered and the ground from which the plant draws its moisture.
Water collected, for example, from a holly bush near a practitionerβs home may be used in workings to protect the household from evil. Water gathered from a tree at a crossroads could be used to conjure liminal space, to anoint tools for spirit work, or as an offering for oneβs familiars. As practitioners, we can lean into our own folklore, customs, and beliefs to help us determine the potential applications of the waters we collect.
Collecting the Water
To collect water from plants, all you need is access to a suitable plant and a waterproof container of some kind. The best containers for this job are clear plastic bags, which are light enough not to damage the plant and also allow the sunβs light to warm the leaves, speeding up the evaporation of water. If you prefer to use natural materials, a cotton, hemp, or linen bag treated with beeswax can also be used on warm days, though this will be heavier than a plastic bag and will obstruct light, elongating the process and limiting the yield.
Choose a suitable tree or bush [1] and place the bag over a healthy branch with a lot of leaves. Tie the bag around the branch with any type of string or cord, making sure that it is as airtight as possible to prevent water loss. Over time, the bag will collect the water that evaporates from the leaves.
The yield from this type of water collection tends to be quite small, but it should be suitable for making small offerings, anointing tools, and sprinkling around the home. If you believe you need more water, you can add more bags to additional branches. As long as you are careful when attaching the bags, you can secure several bags to several branches without harming the plant [2].
Considerations
If you intend to ingest this water or apply it to your body, make sure to avoid plants that are toxic.
Do not use water collected from toxic plants around pets or leave it where they could potentially access it. Make sure that you are aware which plants may be harmful to household pets and children, as these can be different from plants which may be harmful to an adult person.
Although this method is also taught as a survival skill for collecting drinking water, it is important to be aware of your surroundings and their limitations. Water collected from plants in heavily populated cities, plants treated with pesticides, or plants exposed to runoff from factories and farms is not suitable for drinking. I do not recommend ingesting any water collected with this method unless you have the appropriate skills to ensure that it has been properly filtered and is safe for human consumption.
[1] Smaller plants also produce water, but may not hold enough to make the yield worthwhile.
[2] Another way to increase your yield when collecting water this way is to combine the collected water with water from another source. Using the Law of Contagion as a mode of enchantment, this can βinfectβ the other water with the same properties rather than diluting them.
