Herbs have always been an important part of Magick since as long as people can remember..from inducing visions to healing potions. But some herbs are difficult for some people to get hold of. So in order to help with such troubles i present a list of herbs and their accepted substitutes.
A note: AS a general rule of thumb rosemary can be used in place of any other herb, rose in place of any flower, frankincense or copal in place of any hum resin, and tobacco in place of poisonous herbs but these general substitutes are not as potent as the following suggestions.
ACACIA can be replaced with GUM ARABIC
GUM ACACIA can be replaced by GUM ARABIC
GUM, ARABIC can be replaced by FRANKINCENSE or GUM MASTIC
ACONITE can be replaced with TOBACCO
ALLSPICE can be replaced with CASSIA, CINNAMON, CLOVES, MACE or NUTMEG
AMMONIAC GUM can be replaced with ASAFETIDE (be careful when using asafetide)
ASAFETIDE can be replaced with TOBACCO or VALERIAN
BALM OF GILEAD can be replaced with ROSE BUDS
BELLADONNA can be replaced with TOBACCO
BENZOIN can be replaced with GUM ARABIC or GUM MASTIC
CAMPHOR OIL can be replacd by EUCALYPTUS OIL orLAVENDER OIL
CARNATION can be replaced by ROSE PETALS anointed with a CINNAMON OIL
CASSIA can be replaced with CINNAMON
CASTOR BEANS can be replaced with a few drops of CASTOR OIL
CEDAR can be replaced with SANDALWOOD
CINQUUEFOIL can be replaced with CLOVER or TREFOIL
CITRON can be replaced with equal parts ORANGE PEEL and LEMON PEEL
CLOVE can be replaced with MACE or NUTMEG
CLOVER can be replaced with CINQUEFOIL
COPAL can be replaced with FRANKINCENSE, or CEDAR
COWBANE can be replaced with TOBACCO
CYPRESS can be replaced with JUNIPER, PINE NEEDLES DEER TONGUE, TONKA BEAN, WOODRUFF or VANILLA
DITTANY OF CRETE can be replaced with GUM MASTIC
DRAGON'S BLOOD can be replaced with equal parts FRANKINCENSE and RED SANDALWOOD
EUCALYPTUS OIL can be replaced with CAMPHOR OIL, or LAVENDER OIL
EUPHORBIUM can be replaced with TOBACCO
FRANKINCENSE can be replaced with COPAIC PINE RESIN,or DRAGON'S BLOOD
HELLEBORE can be replaced with TOBACCO, NETILE
HEMLOCK can be replaced with TOBACCO
HEMP can be replaced with NUTMEG,DAMIANA,STAR ANISE, or BAY
HENBANE can be replaced with TOBACCO
HYSSOP can be replaced with LAVENDER
LEMON GRASS can be replace with LEMON PEEL
LEMON VERBANAcan be replaced with LEMON GRASS, or LEMON PEEL
MACE can be replaced with NUTMEG
MANDRAKE can be replaced with TOBACCO
MASTIC GUM can be replaced with GUM ARABIC, or FRANKINCENSE
MINT can be replaced with SAGE
MISTLETOE can be replaced with MINT, or SAGE
MUGWORT can be replaced with WORMWOOD
MEROLI OIL can be replaced with ORANGE OIL
NIGHTSHADE can be replaced with TOBACCO
NUTMEG can be replaced with MACE, or CINNAMON
OAKMOSS can be replaced with PATCHOULI
ORANGE can be replaced with TANGERINE PEEL
PATCHOULI can be replaced with OAK MOSS
PEPPERMINT can be replaced with SPEARMINT
PEPPERWORT can be replaced with RUE, GRAINS OF PARADISE, or BLACK PEPPER
PINE can be replaced with JUNIPER
PINE RESIN can be replaced with FRANKINCENSE, or COPAL
RED SANDALWOOD can be replaced with SANDALWOOD mixed with a pinch of DRAGON'S BLOOD
ROSE can be replaced with YARROW
RUE can be replaced with ROSEMARY mixed with a pinch of BLACK PEPPER
SAFFRON can be replaced with ORANGE PEEL
sANDALWOOD can be replaced with CEDAR
SASPARILLA can be replaced with SASSAFRAS
SASSAFRAS can be replaced with SASPRILLA
SPEARMINT can be replaced with PEPERMINT
SULFER can be replaced with TOBACCO, CLUB MOSS, or ASAFETIDA
THYME can be replaced with ROSEMARY
TOBACCO can be replaced with BAY
TONKA BEAN can be replaced with DEER TONGUE, WOODRUFF, or VANILLA BEAN
TREFOIL can be replaced with CINQUEFOIL
VALERIAN can be replaced with ASAFETIDA
VANILLA can be replaced with WOODRUFF, DEER TONGUE, or TONKA BEANS
VETIVERT can be replaced with CALAMUS
WOLFSBANE can be replaced with TOBACCO
WOOD ALOE can be replaced with SANDALWOOD SPPRINKLED WITH AMBERGRIS OIL
WOODRUFF can be replaced with DEER TONGUE or VANILLA
WORMWOOD can be replaced with MUGWORT
YARROW can be replaced with ROSE
YEW can be replaced with TOBACCO
While herbs can be substituted in some cases I would not say there are universal rules for how and when herbs should be substituted. For example, if I wanted to use feverfew to help with a migraine but didn't have any I'd probably use butterbur or something similar. However, if I were using feverfew to help with arthiritis I might use ginger or something similar.
Whenever you're working with herbs, you should bear in mind what you're trying to accomplish and how the herbs are working. This holds doubly true if you plan to ingest or burn anything. The last thing you want to do is poison yourself. Furthermore, you should never forget that different parts of plants have very different propereties so it's not really enough to say one plant substitutes another.
It's a great place to start though and well-written.
Re: Herbs and Their Substitut By: Lark Moderator / Adept
Post # 3 May 06, 2015
This information appears to have been largely copied from the excellent website at http://www.dragonmarsh.com/magickal_herb_substution.htm or from Scott Cunningham's book, "The Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews. In the future please cite your sources for material you post here if you did not write the material yourself. Failure to do so is considered plagiarism which is a violation of site rules.