Mythic Plants: Potions and Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods

by Ellen Zachos

See the ever-popular Greek myths anew by focusing on the fascinating roles plants play in the stories.

When Prometheus stole fire from the Olympian gods and gave it to mankind, he hid it in a stalk of giant fennel. Ancient Greeks waiting to question the oracles were given cannabis as part of their cleansing rituals. A quince fruit started the Trojan war. The goddess Demeter was so distraught when Hades kidnapped her daughter that she caused winter to blanket the earth, killing all plants.
 
In Greek mythology, plants were used for tools, intoxication, warfare, food, medicine, magic, and rituals. Achilles used yarrow (now named after him as Achillea) to stanch the flow of blood from his soldiers’ wounds. (It still works.) Wine was long used by the gods, but there is evidence that other plants -- such as oleander, mandrake, and ivy-- were added to wine to create the frenzy for which Dionysus’s followers were well known.
 
Some of those plants were real and still exist today; some of them are mythological, with powers we can only imagine.  This book will focus on how the ancient Greeks  used plants in their lives and loves and conquests – focusing particularly on ones we can cultivate today.  Includes tips throughout for bringing these ancient plants into your garden.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Mythology

192 pages, Hardcover

Published February 18, 2025

About the author

A graduate of Harvard/Radcliffe College, Ms. Zachos resides in New York.

Reviews

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a nonfiction book that dives into details mentioned in novels. Mythic Plants is an informative and interesting compendium of plants that are often referred to in Greek mythology. The author reminds us of the story (often there are multiple versions of any given myth) and then breaks down the importance and use of the plant in question. The reader can learn about plants used as poison and as remedy, as tool and vessel, as food and drink.

I learned so many interesting details about the plants that come from stories I’ve heard so many times! For instance, I had no idea how many mythical mortals were said to have been turned into trees or shrubs as rescue from gods with “indiscriminate libidos,” how the mulberry is related to Shakespeare’s retelling of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, or that mint was considered an effective remedy for breeding worms within the ear.

In addition to great information, the book is filled with gorgeous and colorful illustrations. I definitely recommend this for readers who love Greek mythology and plants!

Thank you so much to Tandem Collective and Workman Publishing Company for the gifted book!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today is a perfectly gorgeous day to show off this @tandemcollectiveglobal #readalong choice of 𝑴𝒀𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑪 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑺 ~ 𝑷𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑬𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏 𝒁𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒔!

I loved this incredibly beautiful and accessible book that gives a little ancient history lesson connecting Greek Mythology and the very real plants that inhabit our world. The various segments gave a structure to the purpose of the trees, flowers, or herbs used and the the color drawings added to the experience. What I truly enjoyed, however, was the the humor sprinkled throughout, especially in the darker histories.

I am always fascinated by the connections we make with the seen and unseen, giving powers to plants that may be validated or simply lost to myth. I loved learning how nature in these forms has contributed to stories and even how they have been blamed or credited for human behavior, legitimate or not.

I also loved chatting about this book as we read along and want to thank my co-readers for a fun buddy read!

I highly recommend this entertaining and informative tome. It is a beautiful addition to my shelf and I will be sure to go back and fin the plants I need for various situations! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting idea for a book. I liked this book most when it's focusing on the purely historical, but there's also a lot of speculationg. Some of that speculation does have a sound basis, while some of it... Well, let's just say that I doubt any historians worth the name are trying to figure out what Circe really gave Odysseus's men, because neither Circe nor Odysseus were real people. It's like trying to figure out what the White Witch's turkish delights were really made out of. There's also a general sense that ancient concoctions must have done exactly what myths an folklore said they did, so we can work backwards to figure out what was in them. These just aren't fair assumptions to make. Placebos, pious frauds, and metaphor are all things. Throw in the old ergotism at Salem stuff, and I get the impression that Zachos wasn't particularly discerning with her sources.

[Maya Patel · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Mythic Plants’ by @ellenzachos was such an interesting and informative read on plants and their mythical uses. In Greek mythology, plants were used for so many reasons such as warfare, food, love and medicine to name a few.

Although the subject can be quite dry and disinteresting to some, the author writes the book in such a way that is simple to understand, fun and at times with a hint of sarcasm which I really appreciated (for someone who doesn’t find the subject as intriguing).

‘Mythic Plants’ can be read by anyone but if you have a green thumb and want to learn some very fascinating stories, this is for you!

Thank you for the gifted copy @tandemcollectiveglobal @ellenzachos @workmanpub!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this book. As a big fiction reader this was a very different book for me but I found it fascinating.. It combines plants and mythology in an interesting and informative way. I learned so much about the connections of plants to mythology and the ancient world. There were stories that I recognized but most were new to me. It also discussed the properties and uses of the plants both in the ancient and modern years. I am looking at plants in my garden in new ways. The cover is beautifully illustrated and there are illustrations throughout. I recommend this book to anyone interested in mythology or who wants to learn more about the history and uses of garden plants.

Thanks to Tandem Collective Global and the author for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Manda Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @tandemcollectiveglobal and @juliannareads for hosting another wonderful readalong! This one explored the world of mythology and was so informative. There’s so many more myths than what we learn in school! Check out some of my posts to see how potions and plants from gardens of the Gods influenced the myths.

#mythicplants #tandemreadalong
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[Ananda Morningstar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just such a fun and informative read. I love the new context for understanding the social history of several beloved plants. Familiarity with most of the mythical figures helps to add depth to the narrative. It felt a little like a collection of botanical footnotes, which I mean as a compliment because I love reading footnotes.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Tandem Collective for the copy of this book!

I absolutely loved this! It was so full of information but written in a really approachable way. Turns out there's a lot I didn't know about Greek mythology and this book has inspired me to dive into it more.

[mykieangelno · Rating 4 out of 5]

quick and easy read for those interested in plants and/or Greek mythology

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read for fans of mythology and plants. You'll be sure to learn some new and interesting facts!